This is a job listing for Women's Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh
About the agency
WC&S is a comprehensive domestic violence program annually serving more than 7,500 adult and child survivors of domestic violence & facilitating an intervention program to more than 500 people who are abusive. We are advocates, grounded in fostering a community of safety, healing, and empowerment for anyone affected by domestic violence.
Our Mission is to strengthen our ability to meet the individual and evolving needs of those affected by domestic violence by investing in the growth of our people, deepening community engagement, and
amplifying the voices of all survivors. All staff learn about and support the organization’s mission, vision, and values of Safety, Uplifting Others, Compassion, Courage, Equity, Survivor-Centered Advocacy, and Stewardship (SUCCESS).
About the Team
The Refugee, Immigrant, and Limited-English (RIL) Team was created to better meet the needs of immigrant and refugee survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Allegheny County. Since 2016, advocates supported about 450 clients with over 1,300 hours of individual advocacy from over 40 countries and speaking a range of approximately 20 different languages.
About the role:
As a Bilingual Legal Advocate, your primary role is to assist clients with legal or justice system issues, with particular attention given to Refugee, Immigrant, or Limited English-Speaking (RIL) clients. You will provide direct service through legal options counseling, advocacy, and court accompaniment, safety planning, emotional support, case management, and information & referrals.
This role will primarily assist and accompany victims of domestic violence as they file for temporary Protection from Abuse (PFA) Orders and attend Preliminary Criminal Hearings and Criminal Trials. You will work with clients in person, by phone, and other technology.
The successful candidate is sensitive to trauma and cultural diversity issues with a passion for ending intimate partner violence, and bilingual, with fluency in English and at least one other language. Currently, this role is co-located, with up to three partial days spent in court in Downtown Pittsburgh, and the remaining time spent in a home office.
This role provides you with the opportunity to showcase your crisis management and problem-solving skills, work with a diverse group of clients, collaborate with the legal and immigrant community in Pittsburgh, and contribute to the organization’s mission in a variety of ways. If you are excited to gain legal, client service, and systems advocacy experience, care deeply about the issues of intimate partner violence, and accessibility of services for ALL clients regardless of country of origin, language, or immigration status, then we are eager to hear from you.
WC&S will offer you an environment that provides endless opportunities to advance your knowledge and skills
Responsibilities
- Advocate for victims of intimate partner violence within the legal system by providing legal options counseling, advocacy, and court accompaniment, safety planning, emotional support and crisis intervention to clients, with particular attention given to Refugee, Immigrant, or Limited English-Speaking (RIL) clients
- Provide referrals to WC&S services and other community services and provide follow-up counseling, as needed
- Assist in the development and maintenance of Legal Advocacy Department programs and procedures and participate in team and agency meetings
- Participate in speaking presentations and community events, as needed; work collaboratively with police, prosecutors, and others in the justice system to improve the response to victims of intimate partner violence
- Work collaboratively with court personnel, DV agencies, police, prosecutors, attorneys, the Allegheny County Court Administration Office, and others in the justice system to improve the response to domestic violence victims who are immigrants, refugees, or English language learners
- Ensure equitable language access for all RIL clients in various systems
- Work effectively with interpreters to bridge any gaps in communication and mitigate the language barrier to meet client needs in an effective manner
- Develop and strengthen/maintain collaborations and partnerships with service providers and community organizations
- Identify gaps in services to RIL populations and provide training, support, and guidance to other advocates
- This position requires being available for regular business hours, 40 hours per week. Currently, this role is co-located, with up to three partial days spent in court in Downtown Pittsburgh, and the remaining time spent working remotely
- Perform other duties as assigned
Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, criminal justice, or related field (commensurate experience will be considered)
- Bilingual, with fluency in English and at least one other language is required Languages most common among our clients in the Pittsburgh area are preferred, including Spanish, Nepali, French, Arabic, Swahili, Mandarin, Somali, Korean, Russian
- One year of direct service experience in a human service field required; legal experience preferred
- Ability to establish healthy boundaries, trust, respect, and rapport with a diverse population of clients and legal professionals
- Ability to understand and adhere to strict confidentiality and safety procedures
- A demonstration of the understanding of abusive family dynamics, including intimate partner violence, cycle of abuse, power and control dynamic, cultural diversity issues and child abuse and neglect
- Strong command of general technology including but not limited to Microsoft Office Suite is required; familiarity and understanding of information technology, including Salesforce, Tableau, and Teams strongly preferred
- Experience working in organizations with a successful track record in diversity and inclusion cultures preferred
- Act 33/34 and FBI Clearances required
Benefits
WC&S offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package, including generous paid time off; health, vision, and dental insurance; short-term and long-term disability coverage; group life insurance; retirement plan; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; paid training and professional development opportunities; and is a Public Service (Student) Loan Forgiveness eligible employer.
WC&S is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to ensuring that both applicants and employees are treated without discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity expression, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation/identity, citizenship status, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected characteristic. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all.
To Apply
To ensure consideration for an interview, please send a resume and cover letter via email with the subject line “Bilingual Legal Advocate”” to careers@wcspittsburgh.org.