Direct Service Advocate-HYPP-2nd

Direct Service
-2nd Shift Full Time Springfield, MA, US

Requisition  Salary Range: $21.00 To $21.00 Hourly Department:

Holyoke Youth Parent Program

Reports To:

Program Director FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

Schedule:

Full-time, 75 hours/bi-weekly; 3pm-11pm. The YWCA of Western MA is dedicated to eliminating racism and empowering women. The YW provides a safe place for survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Our programs and services include crisis shelter and transitional housing for survivors and their families, counseling, SAFEPLAN court advocacy, community education, supervised visitation, and vocational training for youth ages of 17-24.

The YWCA provides services at several sites, including Holyoke, Northampton, Westfield, and our primary Springfield campus.

The Direct Service Advocate (DSA) is responsible for providing support, advocacy and role modeling to adult, teen and child program participants living in the YWCA's residential programs. DSA's are part of a team model working with peers, supervisors, clinicians and outside connections to best serve program participants. DSA's support the agency mission and trauma informed service model in order to provide safe, consistent and quality Services To Vulnerable Populations.

• Nurture and support a milieu approach that is participant-guided, family-driven, strengths-based, and trauma-informed; and embraces a framework of empowerment and encouragement, engaging with 100% of individuals and families that are on-site each shift
• Encourage and support the development of life skills, positive parenting and improved parent-child interaction- 1:1 or group format to include recreational, educational, and cultural or those that promote family engagement
• Follow and encourage the programs daily schedule and facilitate resident participation and community responsibilities, taking into account individualized plans for each participant
• Ongoing individual resident support with 85% of time on shift in direct service role providing face-to-face contact and interaction with participant's and their children in order to support
• Ensure program procedures, rules, regulations and policies are followed to ensure a safe and supportive living environment including completion of 100% of all required safety sweeps (minimum of four times) each shift to ensure premises including alarms, doors, windows, appliances and bedrooms are all safe
• To facilitate integration into the program, provide orientation and emotional support to participants upon arrival
• To ensure participants are properly welcomed to the program, prepares rooms for new families within 1-2 shifts from previous exit
• Provide daily information as it relates to data collection and outcome measurements through the completion of 100% of AWARDS logs prior to end of shift;
  Required documentation and daily program communication including case notes, resident files and communication logs, completing 100% of all documentation prior to the end of shift
• Perform regular job duties to be observed by new staff during the job shadowing portion of program orientation
• Engage with residents at 100% of all meal times and ensure that participants clean up the dining area prior to leaving as well as kitchen prior to cooking;
  Ensure thorough communication of staff from shift to shift

• A.A. or equivalent education or experience in a human service field, preferred
• At least one year of counseling and direct service experience
• Experience in a domestic violence setting
• Experience with survivors of gender-based violence and exploitation
• Experience addressing the impacts of decisions and actions on multiple communities
• Reliable transportation, safe driving record, and valid driver's license required
• Must be able to be covered by the agency's insurance policy
• Must be able to life 40 lbs.