Client Advocate

**Who Are We?**

Employment Type: Fulltime

Work Hours: 12-hour shifts rotating 4 days off and 4 days on of weekdays, weekends, and stat holidays

Start Date: ASAP

**JOB OVERVIEW**

The Client Advocate reports directly to the Deputy Director at Jessie’s House. Client Advocates are clients’ first point of contact and address the day-to-day needs of in-shelter clients. The Client Advocate’s main duties include, but are not limited to, providing crisis intervention to clients as needed, answering the Crisis Line, client file documentation, and conducting shelter admissions, check-ins, risk assessments, and shelter departures. Working in collaboration with the client and the broader shelter team. The Client Advocate supports clients in successfully meeting their case plan goals. The Client Advocate must operate from a trauma-informed, decolonial, harm reduction, and anti-oppressive mode of practice.

**ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:
**General**
- Adheres to agency policies and procedures, including the principles of harm reduction, anti-oppression, decolonization, and trauma-informed care.
- Adheres to relevant provincial and federal regulations and legislation, including any relevant regulatory bodies’ ethical frameworks of practice.
- Has well established self-care practices and the capacity to perform well in a high-crisis, emergency shelter environment.

**Administration**
- Maintains accurate and comprehensive written client file documentation regarding all client interactions according to established shelter procedures.
- Input crisis calls, case notes, and other client data into the Outcome Tracker database on a regular basis.
- Attends agency and team meetings when scheduled and participates regularly in continuing competency, professional development and/or scheduled training opportunities.
- Participates in regular weekly client case management meetings with the Case Management, Outreach, and Child Support teams to ensure adherence to comprehensive and individualized client case plans.
- Supports with the orientation and training of new shelter personnel and/or practicum students as needed.

**Client Related**
- Establish a supportive and non-judgmental shelter environment for clients navigating family violence, gender-based violence, trauma, homelessness, mental wellness and/or addictions challenges.
- Provides holistic emotional support, community referrals, and advocacy to clients.
- Supports the Case Management Team in implementing individualized client case plans by empowering clients in meeting their in-shelter goals, role modelling adaptive life skills, and positively reinforcing client strengths and resiliencies.
- Answering the Crisis Line and providing crisis intervention to potential clients and in-shelter clients accordingly.
- Conducting client admissions, regular check-ins, risk assessments, and departures according to established protocols.
- Address the immediate day-to-day needs of clients in shelter, including support with basic needs (eg. food, toiletries, clothing, crisis support, medical referrals, etc.).
- Educate clients through co-facilitating in house groups on the dynamics of family, gender-based, and/or intimate partner violence, and trauma, intergenerational or otherwise.
- Provide support with implementing adaptive coping mechanisms or, where applicable, reducing the harms associated with maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Facilitate regular in-shelter programming for clients, including self-care activities, life skills development, and/or other relevant topics related to client empowerment and wellness.
- Liaising with relevant community agencies and stakeholders in a positive and professional manner.

**Facility Related**
- Regular housekeeping and maintenance duties such as cooking, cleaning, preparing rooms for client admissions and/or departures, laundry, and general facility upkeep as needed.
- Supports the Operations Manager by communicating the need for shelter supplies or repairs, including shelter food, house or client medications, cleaning or office supplies, etc.

The Client Advocate will also complete all other duties as assigned by the Deputy Director and Executive Director, including providing relief support to the rest of the shelter team where required.

**QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE**
- A minimum of post-secondary level education in social work, psychology, or another social science from a recognized educational institution, with current registration with the appropriate regulatory body where applicable. A combination of other relevant experience and qualifications may also be considered.
- Strong knowledge of the principles of harm reduction, anti-oppression, decolonial practice, housing first, and trauma-informed care; relevant experience may be substituted.
- Strong knowledge of best practices in family violence, gender-based violence and intimate-partner violence intervention. Experience working in a residential facility or emergency