Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) Advocate - Salem, OR

Position Title:    Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) Advocate 
Reports To:    Director of Advocacy Services 
Location:    Salem
Status:    Full time, hourly, non-exempt, and at-will position
Salary Range:    $24.00 - $26.50/per hour / $50,000 - $55,000 annually
Benefits:    Bridges Oregon offers paid sick time off, vacation time, paid holidays, health insurance, an employment assistance program, short and long term disability leave, life insurance, a retirement package, and professional development opportunities.

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

A cover letter, resume, completed application and list of three names for references and their contact information must all be received to be considered. If any of the three application materials are missing or incomplete, your submission will not be considered. Please email all materials to apply@bridgesoregon.org.

Organization Summary
Established in 2017, Bridges Oregon is a statewide non-profit organization serving Oregonians who are D/deaf, DeafBlind, deaf-blind, D/deaf with additional disabilities, Hard of Hearing, Late-Deafened, and/or persons with unilateral/bilateral hearing loss. It is in our mission to facilitate equity and inclusiveness and to provide a bridge to opportunities through advocacy, education, and communication.

Position Summary:
Under the supervision of the Director of Advocacy Services, this position provides statewide advocacy and accompaniment services to Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing survivors of crime.

Duration of this Position
This is a grant-funded position. Although the grant is expected to end on September 30, 2026, the hope is that additional funding will be obtained to extend employment.

The Bridges Oregon Advocates provide the following services:

• Provide individualized, flexible, support and advocacy to survivors of crime, domestic or sexual violence (DV/SA) to assist them in creating safety plans; provide education on choices and rights; and connect with community resources.
• Provide legal advocacy such as work with survivors on filling and filing protective orders; refer to legal clinics; accompany court appointments; navigate with the survivors through the legal system; give information on civil, criminal, and family law.
• Provide medical advocacy such as accompanying survivors to relevant medical appointments; connect to medical and mental health resources.
• Work with survivors living in an emergency shelter; addressing conflicts, assisting with finding housing, and connecting with community resources.
• Connects survivors with community resources such as legal and medical systems; public and private agencies.
• Take a role in participating in projects for the agency and/or direct services program such as activities for survivors, community engagements, and projects to meet the needs of the program/organization; tasks as assigned.
• Manages crises.
• Seeks out support from co-workers & supervisor, proactively takes responsibility for self and work.
• Maintain accurate service data in the database; complete necessary paperwork and forms related to survivor services.
• Documents work and submit reports thoroughly and on time. Maintain client files with the information required for compliance reviews.
• Effectively utilizes staff, direct services, and supervision meetings.
• Participates in outreach efforts upon request such as agency events, events organized by community engagement programs, and VLogs.
• Commits to practice organization's Mission Statement & Core Values; understands the anti-oppression movement; stays current on culturally relevant information about the populations being served and works in the position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Provide advocacy, system navigation, and support to survivors of crime, domestic violence, sexual assault.
2. Providing the following support to survivors:
     a. Short-term, crisis intervention services
     b. Emotional support
     c. Safety planning
     d. Assessment of participants needs, strengths, and challenges
     e. Assist with individualized goal-setting
     f. Information and referral for community resources
     g. Survivors of crime, domestic and sexual violence education
     h. Provide accompaniment and transportation to clients in personal vehicles.
3. Provide in-person advocacy and accompaniment during forensic exams for survivors of crime, domestic and sexual violence in various emergency departments.
4. Provide virtual advocacy to survivors working with partners throughout the community (medical or mental services, corrections, culturally specific services, schools, home, etc.) as requested.
5. Liaise with criminal justice organizations including but not limited to police, courts, attorney general's office, and domestic violence agencies with the goal of both receiving referrals and working with these agencies on behalf of survivors.
6. Conduct initial or intake assessments of D/DB/HH survivors to determine appropriate services.
7. Provide core survivor services which include but are not limited to, assist with an application and refer to other VOCA funded organization for a victim compensation fund, to register the victim's assistance portal, advisement on survivor's rights, basic and emergency legal advocacy, personal advocacy, shelter advocacy, medical assistance and advocacy, court appearance advocacy, restraining order processing assistance and, transportation to court.
8. Collect survivors statistics data for quarterly reporting
9. Liaise with the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence relative to the development of the program, generally, and initiatives they are working on that align with the primary mission of the VOCA program.
10. Assist the Executive Director with the creation and maintenance of a program design that will effectively outreach to the D/DB/HH community in Oregon and facilitate the identification and referral of D/DB/HH survivors of crime.
11. Partner with the Executive Director to create program and services outreach materials for the D/DB/HH.
12. Create resources that identify and liaise with organizations that serve the D/DB/HH survivors.
13. Work with the Executive Director to identify, implement, and maintain the technology necessary to enhance a communications plan that will facilitate communication between Bridges Oregon and Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing survivors and provide survivors of crime advocacy.
14. Ability and willingness to be on-call, work weekends and evenings, and willing to travel.
15. Work to establish effective, positive, and ongoing relationships with community partners.
16. Other duties as assigned.

Essential Functions:

• Must be able to move inside the office and in the community frequently.
• Must be able to constantly operate a computer, and other office items such as stapler, printer, smartphone, etc.
• Must be able to frequently communicate with colleagues, community members, survivors, and others.
• Must be able to constantly problem solve, organize, and prioritize.
• Must be able to occasionally work outdoors in cold or high temperatures.
• Must be able to occasionally carry up to 20 pounds.

Expected Training:
1. Initial 40 hours Core Advocate Training developed by the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
2. Oregon Basic State Victim Assistance Academy (SVAA) training biennial
3. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault developed by DeafTA
4. Victims Assistance Training (VAT) online training by Office for Victims of Crime
5. Anti-oppression, anti-racism, bias, and cultural responsiveness annually
6. HIPAA and confidentiality training annually
7. Familiarize with Bridges Oregon's policy, procedure, and strategic plan.
8. Other training as assigned by the grant.

Required Qualifications:

• Ability to represent the mission and value of Bridges Oregon to program participants and community partners.
• Ability to maintain positive interpersonal relationships and establish rapport with survivors and colleagues
• Demonstrated cultural responsiveness and ability to effectively work with those from diverse backgrounds and experiences
• Ability to effectively advocate for clients.
• Knowledge of community resources and how to access them
• Ability to be flexible, maintain appropriate professional boundaries, and use sound judgment
• Strong problem-solving abilities
• Ability to communicate effectively with Executive Director
• High level of organizational skills and follow-through
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor in challenging circumstances
• Ability to complete tasks with minimal supervision.
• Sensitivity to the needs of survivors and maintain appropriate client confidentiality in accordance with advocate privilege and federal/state statutes.
• Strong work ethic.
• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and annual statistical and narrative reports as assigned by the Executive Director.
• Ability to work independently remotely at home and only interact with clients through video solutions, telephone, email, text, and meeting in person at a neutral location.
• Excellent interpersonal, sign language/verbal, and written communication, and organizational skills.
• Patience, sense of humor, and willingness to be open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Minimum of 2 years involvement in the D/DB/HH communities (paid or volunteer).
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Salesforce, Microsoft Word, Excel.
• Fluency in American Sign Language (ASL).
• Bachelor's Degree in social work or related field OR equivalent combination of training, volunteering, and work experience.

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the dynamics and ability to effectively communicate an understanding of survivors of crime, domestic & sexual violence, and their effects directly and indirectly on survivors, children, youth, and society.
• Knowledge of the connection between a survivor of crime, domestic & sexual violence, and various forms of oppression.
• Demonstrated understanding of anti-oppression issues, ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and understanding of culturally responsive service delivery methods.
• Computer proficiency in Google Suite including Google word processing, spreadsheets, and the Salesforce (client database preferred).
• Must possess reliable transportation and be able to attend off-site activities regularly throughout the state of Oregon.
• Must have dependable auto transportation, valid Oregon State Driver's license and proof of insurance; clean driving record.
• Must pass a drug screening and criminal background check.

COVID-19 Requirements: As part of our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our community and the vulnerable populations we serve, Bridges Oregon requires all employees, volunteers, and contractors to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to beginning work. This policy is in place to protect individuals who are at a higher risk of severe illness and aligns with our mission to provide a safe and supportive environment.

Relocation Package:
No relocation assistance is provided for out-of-state candidates.

Bridges Oregon is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates, including survivors of interpersonal violence, persons of color, LGBTQ-identified individuals, older adults, and people with disabilities.