Description

Job Title: Court Advocate

Supervised By: Court Advocacy Services Manager

Classification: Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Anticipated Start Date: Immediately

Salary Range: 47,000-49,000

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY

Between Friends envisions a community without domestic violence where equality, safety, and justice exist for all. Between Friends provides a safe, supportive and empowering environment for individuals and families in crisis. Between Friends' counselors and advocates empower individuals to make their own decisions and choices, rather than making choices for them. Between Friends helps survivors and children to recognize that their experience is shared and that the problem of domestic violence is social and political.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Court Advocate provides advocacy to people seeking orders of protection in the third municipal district of Cook County (Rolling Meadows)

Program (75%)

• Helps      survivors of domestic violence to understand their rights and the legal      remedies available to them under Illinois Domestic Violence Act      (IDVA) 
• Assists      clients in obtaining Orders of Protection and navigating the court      processes by working with judges, court clerks, assistant state’s      attorneys, etc.; supports clients through scheduled hearings at court; and      provides resources/referrals for clients
• Assist      client in filing for survivor’s compensation
• Identifies      barriers to service for domestic violence survivors within the court and      police systems and recommends solutions to advocate on behalf of      individual survivors
• Conducts      presentations about the IDVA, Orders of Protection and the criminal      justice process for volunteer training, new staff, court and police      personnel and community groups 
• Assists      with training and guidance of volunteers and interns providing court      advocacy

Administrative (20%)

• Maintains      case documentations and submits necessary information to the Court      Advocacy Manager for statistical reporting
• Completes      Court Advocacy Program documentation and case log sheets in a timely      manner
• Participates      in individual and group supervision coordinated by Court Advocacy Manager
• Works      with Court Advocacy Manager to arrange daily schedule to meet the needs of      clients and the agency

General (5%)

• Staffs      the crisis line on an as-needed basis 
• Participates      in the crisis line on-call rotation as needed
• Participates      in a variety of coalitions and committees to form collaborative responses      to domestic violence 
• Participates      in agency events as needed
• Provides      services as determined by Board of Director’s policies 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• This      position operates primarily in the Rolling Meadows Courthouse. It      occasionally operates in a professional office environment that is not      fully accessible (stairs and no elevator)
• This      role routinely uses office equipment such as computers, phones,      photocopiers, scanners, filing cabinets, and fax machines
• This      is a full time position. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required
• Some      travel to off-site locations in the Chicago metro area is required
• Workplace      is a smoke-and drug-free environment
• Equal      opportunity employer. Decisions and criteria governing the employment      relationship with all employees are made in a non-discriminatory manner,      without regard to race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, sex, sexual      orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin,      citizenship status, military service and/or marital status, order of      protection status, handicap, disability, or any other factor determined to      be unlawful by federal, state, or local statues.

BENEFITS

• Salary      is commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive      benefits package (with some employee contributions) includes medical,      dental, and vision insurance
• Full      time employees are eligible for a 20 paid day sabbatical after completion      of 5 years of employment
• 24      days of paid time off accrued during the first year, and 11 paid holidays

TO APPLY:

• Submit      thoughtful cover letter including why you are interested and qualified for      this position, resume, and salary requirement to:      careers@betweenfriendschicago.org
• Please      write your name (Last, First) and Court Advocate in the subject line of      your e-mail
• Incomplete      applications will not be accepted

• No phone calls please

Requirements

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor      degree in Social or Behavioral Sciences
• Previous      experience in domestic violence services, advocacy or the court process      preferred
• PC      Literate with experience in word processing
• Bilingual      Spanish preferred