Domestic Violence Advocate

Agency Background

Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC) is a community-based, not-for-profit organization founded in 1979 that has grown into a leading multi-service agency with over 100 staff serving New York City with a focus on upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Our mission is to serve as a catalyst for positive change in the lives of the people in our community on their paths to secure and prosperous futures.

Integration is the cornerstone of NMIC’s programs, and our staff can identify and address a broad array of immediate needs through comprehensive crisis intervention services. With their crises resolved, clients move seamlessly to capacity building services through our holistic programs designed to transition individuals and families to self-sufficiency.

Our Legal Services, Social Services, and Weatherization programs meet community members’ basic needs including housing, income, nutrition, and health.

Our Community Organizing program empowers groups of residents to collectively secure longer term and larger scale improvements to their own basic needs.

Our Education & Career Services program imparts individual community members with the practical tools necessary to build secure and prosperous futures.

Job Title: Domestic Violence Advocate

Department: Legal, Organizing & Advocacy

Unit: Immigration & Domestic Violence Project

Reports to: Managing Social Worker

Location: Main Office, 45 Wadsworth Avenue, New York, NY 10033

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Model: Hybrid, averaging 3 days per week in person

The Domestic Violence Advocate will be an integral member of the NMIC’s holistic Domestic Violence Project (DVP) by providing safety planning, counseling, crisis intervention, self-sufficiency services and advocacy to primarily immigrant domestic violence survivors. The Advocate will work closely with members of DVP and other NMIC staff to coordinate services.

• Conduct intakes and comprehensive assessments.
• Provide one on one trauma informed and advocacy-based counseling to enhance survivors' coping skills, self-esteem, understanding of healthy relationships, healing and wellness.
• Assess and refer survivors to mental health settings for further clinical interventions.
• Develop short and long term, client driven and trauma informed strategies to meet survivors' needs in the areas of housing, public benefits, employment, financial management, and healing, paying particular attention to the needs of immigrant survivors of domestic violence.
• Set goals, develop service plans and re-assess client needs as necessary.
• Provide accompaniment on a case-by-case basis.
• Provide translation as necessary.
• Identify needs and provide advocacy on issues such as criminal/civil justice remedies. Provide advocacy (including letters of support and/or affidavits of support) for criminal, family, and immigration cases and interact with law enforcement where necessary.
• Provide psychoeducation and information to enhance survivors' understanding around trauma-related effects, legal systems, immigration, and other systems especially as they relate to domestic violence.
• Provide support, education, referrals, safety planning and advocacy related to parenting in the context of domestic violence including educational settings, custody/visitation matters, the effects of DV on children, etc.
• Utilize best practices that engage survivors with culturally affirming frameworks promoting resilience, social connection, and self-efficacy.
• Make appropriate referrals for other services and provide follow-up.
• Co- facilitate a weekly support group.
• Document services and case information and coordinate grant reporting. Document and collect evidence of abuse that could support civil legal remedies and/or prosecutions.
• Participate in supervision, case planning conferences, statistical and narrative documentation, agency orientation, trainings and staff meetings.
• Collaborate with NMIC staff in the areas of family law, immigration, housing, benefits, education, employment to provide holistic services to survivors.
• Collaborate with partners and other community and city agencies in efforts to prevent…