Housing Advocate

Job Responsibilities:

The Housing Advocate provides service user-centered advocacy related to obtaining and maintaining independent housing to survivors of domestic abuse, including all households enrolled in our emergency housing, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing programs. The Housing Advocate is a member of the Direct Services Team and reports to the Director of Housing Services.

Essential Functions:

● Meet with service users to create individualized self-sufficiency plans based on service users’ safety, requests for advocacy, basic human needs and identified barriers to economic stability.

● Provide intakes, assessments, community referrals, advocacy, and emotional support to service users receiving emergency housing and applying for financial assistance via 24-hour hotline.

● Provide economic justice advocacy to service users in Chittenden County, including those receiving ongoing rental assistance

● Provide ongoing retention assistance to households including: transitional stabilization, regular review of ongoing housing barriers, and other supports

● Provide information, support and referrals regarding housing, public benefits, and other relevant community resources to service users, as well as to other Steps to End Domestic Violence Advocates and the community, as appropriate

● Provide crisis management support and intervention as needed.

● Develop and maintain working relationships with relevant community advocates and service providers regarding the provision of economic advocacy

● Maintain complete and accurate service user records via paper files and through timely and accurate data entry into case management data system

● Collaborate and coordinate with other Steps to End Domestic Violence program advocates regarding the provision of agency-wide services to individuals and families.

● Work to identify and develop new support services, resources, and tools relevant to housing and financial stability to survivors of domestic violence, including maintenance of up-to-date resource guides.

● All other administrative and direct service duties as directed by the supervisor.

Organizational Responsibilities:

● Share responsibility for anti-racist, multi-cultural organizational perspective and Steps to End Domestic Violence’s social change mission

● Participate in hotline coverage rotation and shelter support as needed

● Participate in housing team meetings, all-staff meetings and trainings, and supervision meetings

● Participate in performance evaluations and annual program planning

● Provide a shelter environment that is safe, clean, empowering, and supportive for residents and their children

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None.

Working Conditions:

Primarily working in a shelter environment during 9:00 am to 5:00 pm office hours. Position requires service provision at other locations in the community, including home visits and attendance at some community meetings. Varied weekend and/or evening hours may be required. Some local travel required. Access to reliable transportation is necessary.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

● Prior experience navigating housing systems is preferred

● Understanding of public housing and other state and federal benefit systems

● Direct practice experience in victim services or other social services

● Competency regarding serving individuals from multicultural and other underserved populations

● Assessment and case-planning skills

● Demonstrated knowledge of community resources

● Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external partners

● Excellent oral and written communication skills

● Organizational and time management skills

● Ability to work independently

● Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with data entry required

● Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends and evenings

● Access to reliable transportation

At Steps to End Domestic Violence, we recognize the intersection of the impacts of intimate partner violence with racism, transphobia, sexism, ableism, and all other forms of oppression. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all. Survivors of domestic violence are strongly encouraged to apply, and lived experience is taken into consideration as a qualification along with work experience.

This position is paid $21.00 per hour and is eligible for a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental, vision and life insurance, 403b plan, 24 paid days off, and 12 paid holidays.