Sexual Assault Response Program Volunteer

SafePlace, Thurston County's designated sexual and domestic violence services agency, has an opening for a Sexual Assault Response Program Volunteer. Our organization has been providing services to sexual and domestic violence survivors and their families since 1981. Our sexual assault program is one of the oldest in the nation.

We are an accredited and nationally recognized feminist organization committed to anti-oppression efforts as the foundation for management and services. More about SafePlace can be found at www.safeplaceolympia.org. We are actively recruiting volunteers who align with our mission, vision, and values.

OUR MISSION

We strive to stop sexual and domestic violence and advocate for personal and societal change through crisis intervention and education.

 OUR CORE VALUES

• Excellence:  We are dedicated to effective programs with the best facilities we can provide, the finest staff we can hire, and a positive atmosphere for social change.
• Respect:  We work to build our relationships with survivors, community members, and each other based on integrity, honesty, openness, and respect for individual rights and choices.
• Self-Care:  We value self-care for survivors, volunteers, and employees.
• Diversity:  We are dedicated to serving the diverse cultures in our community and mirroring that diversity in our volunteers, staff, and board of directors.
• Confidentiality:  We hold survivor and personnel information in the strictest confidence and are committed to a culture of trust.

At SafePlace, we pride ourselves on being a widely diverse group of individuals who are collectively dedicated to preventing domestic violence and sexual assault, while providing crucial services for survivors and their children. SafePlace is an inclusive and supportive environment where each employee feels welcome, can do their best work, and can be their best selves.
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SafePlace volunteers are part of a cultivating team, where team members are friendly, accepting, and truly care about the wellbeing of others. Team members are proactive about sharing resources that benefit clients and are inspired by and enthusiastic about each other’s success! This is a workplace that encourages new ideas and collective input in an atmosphere that is both patient and dependable. SafePlace offers an inspiring environment to be yourself and thrive!

SafePlace is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have a desire to make a difference in the lives of sexual and domestic violence survivors and in your community, in a trauma informed and culturally responsive manner, we may be the the place for you. We look forward to receiving your application!

Job Title:                                 Sexual Assault Response Program Volunteer

Reports to:                              Training & Volunteer Program Coordinator

Mentor:                                   Sexual Assault Program Coordinator

Hours Per Week:                    Varied

Normal Work Schedule:         Varied

SUMMARY

Provide advocacy for sexual assault survivors from a trauma informed, culturally responsive social justice perspective.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Essential Duties and Responsibilities of this position include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.

• Work with the Sexual Assault Program Coordinator to ensure the successful operation of SafePlace’s 24/7 Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP).
• Work to ensure SARP 24/7 calendar coverage.
• Cover open SARP shifts as needed.
• Provide in person and telephone advocacy for sexual assault survivors.
• Provide survivors with crisis intervention and advocacy.
• Provide medical advocacy.
• Complete sexual assault survivor follow-ups and on-going case management
• Provide legal advocacy for Sexual Assault Protection and Anti-harassment orders.
• Provide drop-in advocacy.
  
• Attend all direct service and all staff meetings as required.
• Work closely with the Sexual Assault Program Coordinator to ensure quality services.
• Perform duties as described from a trauma informed and culturally responsive social justice perspective.
• Complete and maintain self-care plans to address compassion fatigue, vicarious, secondary, and direct trauma.
• Perform duties as described in a culturally responsive manner.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• High School diploma or general education degree (GED).
• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Have basic administrative skills.
• Ability to exhibit self-care in a work environment where direct and/or secondary trauma is likely to occur.
• Demonstrated commitment to challenging issues of oppression.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in a crisis intervention work environment.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and communicate with people of different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
• Have (or be willing to obtain) a telephone.
• Have (or be willing to obtain) a car and current auto insurance or have access to transportation.
• Commitment to the need for client and agency confidentiality.
• Agreement with the SafePlace philosophy statement.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual in English/Spanish.
• Experience participating in a team-oriented work environment.
• Experience working in a non-profit organization with 24-hour programming.
• Experience with civil and criminal legal systems.
• Higher education or training in gender/cultural/therapeutic studies.
• Completion of the SafePlace ACT training.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High School diploma or general education degree (GED) required.  Specific knowledge, experience and abilities acquired must include the following:

• Ability to organize effectively.
• Ability to schedule.
• Ability to handle detailed work accurately.
• Ability to efficiently handle multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to handle stress effectively.

VERBAL AND WRITTEN SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following verbal and written skills:

• Ability to read and comprehend written and verbal instructions, memos, training material, and policies and procedures.
• Ability to write objective entries in client records, meeting minutes and informational memos and correspondence.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and procedure manuals, etc.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following interpersonal skills:

• Brings and maintains high level of enthusiasm and employee engagement to the organization.
• Ability to respond to crisis, set limits and maintain healthy boundaries.
• Ability to manage personnel issues and conflicts with confidentiality, fairness, and respect with a diverse staff.
• Ability to maintain a positive attitude in a fast-paced work environment.
• Open to being part of a collaborative team environment with a diverse staff.
• Engages with supervisor, teammates, staff, volunteers, and clients in a positive manner.
• Embraces the following SafePlace values in all interactions with staff, volunteers, and clients:
  • Quality – Volunteer provides quality programs and services for our clients, helping to maintain the best facilities we can provide, be part of the finest staff we can hire and promote a positive atmosphere for change.
  • Respect – Volunteer recognizes that the foundation for our relationships with others is respect for individual rights and choices.
  • Self-Care – The Volunteer recognizes the need for self-care as a priority for themselves, clients, and other staff.
  • Diversity - Volunteer values, acknowledges, and integrates diversity into their role at SafePlace. Volunteer is dedicated to serving the diverse cultures in our community and working to mirror that diversity in our staff and volunteers.
  • Integrity - Volunteer endeavors to build relationships with clients, community members and each other based on integrity and honesty.
  • Confidentiality - Volunteer will hold client and personnel information in the strictest of confidence creating a culture of openness and trust.

REASONING ABILITY

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following reasoning abilities:

• Ability to identify and solve problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Ability to identify gaps in standardized procedures and formulate proposed solutions.

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must possess the following computer skills:

• Basic computer skills and basic word-processing.
• Knowledge of data entry programs preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

1. SafePlace initial sexual assault training certification.
2. Valid driver’s license and current automobile liability insurance, if a driver. Valid picture I.D. required.

PHILOSOPHIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must commit to the following philosophies:

1. Commitment to the SafePlace mission and philosophy.
2. Subscribe to the theory of empowerment.

TRAINING REQUIRED

Volunteer is required to complete the initial SafePlace ACT Training and on-the-job crisis line training with shelter staff.  Volunteer must attend 20 hours of on-going direct service training a year, which must include 15 hours advocacy, 12 hours of sexual assault training and 3 hours of CPR training.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and show proof of vaccination unless the employee has been granted a valid medical or religious accommodation.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.  The employee frequently is required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.  The employee is required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.