Shelter Service Careers

Position: Youth Services Coordinator (Full Time)

Reports to: Director of Shelter and Youth Services 

Job Summary: Supervised by the Director of Shelter and Youth Services, the Youth Services Coordinator assists families who are victims/survivors of domestic violence. The focus of this position is to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, legal advocacy (not legal advice), housing and economic advocacy, support groups, community education/prevention and other specific needs resulting from domestic violence through trauma informed practice. 

Certified Domestic Abuse Advocate: certification required after appointment to position. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Responsible to fulfill the overall mission of the Domestic Violence Intervention Program in the provision of services to children impacted by domestic violence, and their non-offending parent. 
• Provide crisis intervention and client assessment via phone or face to face contact to develop a safety plan with child victim/survivors and their non-offending parent including appropriate referral and follow-up services.
• Provide case management to child victim/survivors and their non-offending parent (i.e., assessment, safety planning, child welfare advocacy, support activities) to strengthen the parent-child relationship, including connecting to mainstream resources (i.e., school registration, counseling and social supports). 
• Organize, implement and maintain prevention and intervention programming for youth as designated by DVIP.
• Maintain working knowledge of the State of Iowa statues and codes that have an impact upon our services to victims of domestic violence mandating the requisite reporting mechanisms. 
• Participate in continued training as required and other related duties as assigned. 
• Work locally to improve access to services for child victim/survivors and knowledge of battered women’s rights, including trauma-informed practice.
• When assigned, act as liaison, representing the Domestic Violence Intervention Program when interfacing with police agencies, social service agencies, commissions, committees, and other groups. 
• Document services provided as required. 
• Assist with mentoring of new co-workers, volunteers, and interns, providing information about barriers faced by battered women, general operating procedures, crisis intervention, advocacy, and community referrals. 

Qualifications – Required:

• AA degree or equivalent combination of education and experience (Two years of experience as a family or domestic violence case manager in a major social service program may be substituted for one year of college education) .
• Understanding of issues of cultural and socioeconomic diversity as applied to domestic violence intervention services.
• Experience in peer advocacy and crisis intervention work.
• A working knowledge of basic office functions, including word processing and email.
• Ability to provide confidential services in smaller, rural communities.
• Be organized and detail-oriented.
• Ability to work in independent and self-directed manner.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
• Ability to pass an Iowa background, Child Abuse and Sex Offender Registry check.

Qualifications – Desired:

• Demonstrated knowledge of domestic violence and systems advocacy.
• Candidates with language skills and/or past experience working with survivors of domestic violence are preferred.
• Strong writing and editing skills.
• Public speaking skill and ability to provide training within scope of employment.
• Multilingual.

Related Duties:

• On-Call.
• Travel required, with day, weekend, and evenings

Please send a resume and letter of interest to elias@dvipiowa.org