InReach Retention Advocate

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Posted Date 11/11/2026

Department:
Survivor Services

Reports to:

Co-Director of Survivor Services

Status:
Full time, 40 hours per week, hourly / non-exempt

Wage: $29.00 per hour

Are you a creative problem solver committed to empowering and supporting survivors? Are you passionate about helping survivors of domestic and / or sexual violence to maintain permanent housing? Are you dedicated to working across organizations and systems to advocate with survivors? YWCA of Greater Portland helps domestic violence survivors navigate systems and attain safe and stable housing as part of YWCA USA, the largest and oldest provider of domestic violence support services in the world.

In this role, you will support survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence to maintain stable housing by providing relationship-based, Survivor-centered services. The InReach Retention Advocate will be on a mission to empower recently housed Survivors to achieve long-term stability and independence.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

• Using a trauma-informed approach the InReach retention advocate must deliver sustained support to survivors for a period of 6 to 12 months after they are housed. Services are tailored to the survivor's requested needs and encompass emotional support, advocacy, and education. This includes practical assistance such as landlord mediation, attendance at hearings, safety planning, harm reduction, securing basic needs, increasing income, and providing targeted referrals to applicable community resources.
• Build rapport with survivors by maintaining communication and providing ongoing housing retention support to help survivors maintain permanent housing.
• Create safety plans alongside survivors using a Survivor led and harm reduction lens.
• Apply knowledge of Fair Housing and VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) protections and/or landlord/tenant laws and contextualize the survivor’s experience while maintaining confidentiality.
• Collaborate with the InReach team to ensure successful warm transfers to retention from InReach housing advocates.
• Maintain active caseload of 20-30 housed Survivors.
• Research and maintain an active community resource database for effective service delivery.
• Build partnerships with community organizations to provide effective co-advocacy at the directive of Survivors
• Use a mobile advocacy model to provide services to Survivors in person, as requested by Survivors.
• Provide practical, survivor-centered coaching on basic budgeting, financial management, and saving strategies.

• Collect program data including participant demographics, services delivered, and participant feedback.
• Complete all data entry, filing, and eligibility requirement tasks in a timely manner. Such activities require adherence to federal, state, and local laws and contract requirements while working within multiple agency systems. All work must be carried out while maintaining absolute participant confidentiality.
• Track expenditures against program goals and maintain accurate and timely financial records including all credit card receipts.

• Engage consistently in anti-racism practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historical and present-day structural racism.
• Develop and maintain positive professional relationships with housing providers in the Greater Portland area, social services agencies, city and government officials, the Survivor Services team, and YWCA.
• Attend and meaningfully participate in all scheduled meetings with department, agency, and external partner teams.
• Commit to ongoing participation in continuing education including DV and Fair Housing legal changes.
• Uphold the YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and…