Human trafficking specialist
Full-Time, Waterloo
Job Summary: Provide comprehensive services to labor and sex trafficking survivors throughout 14 counties in NEI. Staff will provide survivor driven services with a focus on meeting the immediate safety needs as identified by the survivor seeking services, as well as, wrap around services identified by the survivor seeking assistance intended to provide healing and integration into the community.
Agency Functions
- Exhibit a belief in non-violence and a willingness to advocate on behalf of populations affected by homelessness and violence in a non-discriminating manner.
- Support and drive FOF’s mission and vision.
- Uphold the belief that quality client services are the top priority.
- Agree to work in alignment with the agency’s core values.
- Maintain a working knowledge of laws, codes, funding requirements, and services standards that impact the programs you work within.
- Maintain confidentiality of clients as defined by Iowa Code and state coalitions.
- Assist in developing and coordinating victim services to reach under-served groups within the FOF service area, including but not limited to elderly, disabled, immigrant, LGBTQ, and isolated people.
- Establish working relationships with area professionals, service providers and the community at-large while promoting a positive reputation of FOF. Assist the agency in providing public education and training
- Maintain up to date familiarity and compliance with agency policy and procedures in order to exercise good judgment in various situations.
- Maintain necessary training identified by FOF. This includes maintaining an up to date Advanced Domestic Violence Advocate Certification.
- Maintain accurate data and submit reports, including statistical data, as required.
- Promote a healthy work environment.
- Attend FOF staff and program meetings as scheduled.
- Perform other work assignments as requested/needed.
- Participate in agency needs assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and grant writing as coordinated by the Program Manager, Director of Operations, or Executive Director.
- Assist in on-going coordination and management of the donations given to FOF from community persons and ensure timely distribution to any FOF participants.
- Organize, procure and coordinate donations for client needs i.e. clothing, food, and household items.
- Manage time and schedule independently.
Human Trafficking Specialist Functions
Victim/Survivor Advocacy
- Assisting team with providing emergency sheltering services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault utilizing a standard assessment tool to identify emergency need. Emergency sheltering services include but are not limited to:
- Safe Room located at Waypoint’s Madge Phillips Center in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Friend’s House in Waverly, IA
- Scattered hotel/motel voucher program
- Scattered volunteer-run Safe Homes
- Coordinate the purchase of bus tickets and other emergency needs for clients to assist in relocation to their identified location due to safety, housing, or assistance.
- Complete appropriate documentation to facilitate and implement emergency shelter and housing options for clients in Northeast Iowa.
- Facilitate and coordinate direct services to human trafficking victims, including, but not limited to:
- Crisis response in an emergency, including shelter, relocation, and safety planning.
- Medical, legal, and community advocacy
- Relocation assistance
- Basic needs such as food, clothing, etc.
- Case management services
- Meet with program participants to provide the following
- Resources and referrals to ensure stability and progress, provide support and advocacy, reduce isolation, listen, and problem solve.
- Individualized strength based/solution-focused goal and action plans promoting safety.
- Housing advocacy and support.
- Encompass and provide trauma informed, survivor driven, mobile advocacy, and provide practical temporary financial assistance, which increases safety and stabilization in the survivor’s identified needs
- Assess safety and stabilization barriers of victim’s survivors and their families
- Exhibits an in-depth understanding of the intersection between labor trafficking, sex trafficking and homelessness.
- Provide services with an understand that a person’s intersection of identities affects their access to services and risk experiencing domestic violence/sexual assault/human trafficking.
- Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. participant, landlord, referral sources, collaborating agencies, etc.)
- Provide information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
- Assist participants in development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes safe, permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
- Develop an effective, timely referral network in order to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
- Transport or coordinate transportation for services as deemed necessary and as the program permits.
- Utilize creative techniques, including the use of technology, to communicate with clients across the region.
- Facilitate and coordinate access to housing services identified. Navigate housing options and resources in the communities in which they wish to reside in or relocate to.
- Develop and maintain local partnerships with landlords and housing programs to assist with quick access to safe affordable housing.
- Assess housing barriers of victims/survivors and their families, who are facing homelessness to determine housing and service needs and develop a housing plan with survivors seeking housing support.
- Provide mediation and advocacy with resources or referrals program participants are engaging with. Serve as an ongoing liaison.
- Document meeting case notes maintain client files and other appropriate documentation of services per funding requirements. Paperwork must be completed and in the files within 7 days of contact. This includes, but is not limited to intake, discharge, and follow-up paperwork and documentation.
- Collect and report program data, including but not limited to program success and follow-up tracking, data required by funders, etc.
Community Engagement & Outreach
- Answer questions of potential participants and/or community organizations interested in more information about Friends of the Families Anti-Human Trafficking services.
- Provide training and technical assistance to collaborative partners who can often come into contact with trafficking victims first. Collaborate with those partners to assure smooth transition of services and access to quality services.
- Provide presentations to community groups specific to FOF human trafficking program and services.
- Understand and adapt to service changes in the field at the local, state, or national level.
- Represent FOF at community and other program development meetings as requested.
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in social work, psychology, related field OR combination of equivalent education and experience.
- Previous experience in the following preferred: victim services, crisis intervention,
- Must demonstrate ability to organize, prioritize and plan work to meet deadlines; behavior management techniques, confidentiality and observation/recording techniques.
- Ability to complete mandatory training to qualify as a victim advocate within 30 days of employment.
- Ability to travel throughout the 14- county service area to provide in-person advocacy services and to other locations within the state as necessary for training purposes.
- Ability to pass state, federal, and child abuse background checks.
If interested, please forward a resume and cover letter by January 23, to Carrie Diesburg, Outreach Services Manager, at carrie@fofia.org.
Human Trafficking Specialist
Part-time, Cedar Rapids
Job Summary: Provide comprehensive services to labor and sex trafficking survivors throughout 14 counties in NEI. Staff will provide survivor driven services with a focus on meeting the immediate safety needs as identified by the survivor seeking services, as well as, wrap around services identified by the survivor seeking assistance intended to provide healing and integration into the community.
Agency Functions
- Exhibit a belief in non-violence and a willingness to advocate on behalf of populations affected by homelessness and violence in a non-discriminating manner.
- Support and drive FOF’s mission and vision.
- Uphold the belief that quality client services are the top priority.
- Agree to work in alignment with the agency’s core values.
- Maintain a working knowledge of laws, codes, funding requirements, and services standards that impact the programs you work within.
- Maintain confidentiality of clients as defined by Iowa Code and state coalitions.
- Assist in developing and coordinating victim services to reach under-served groups within the FOF service area, including but not limited to elderly, disabled, immigrant, LGBTQ, and isolated people.
- Establish working relationships with area professionals, service providers and the community at-large while promoting a positive reputation of FOF. Assist the agency in providing public education and training
- Maintain up to date familiarity and compliance with agency policy and procedures in order to exercise good judgment in various situations.
- Maintain necessary training identified by FOF. This includes maintaining an up to date Advanced Domestic Violence Advocate Certification.
- Maintain accurate data and submit reports, including statistical data, as required.
- Promote a healthy work environment.
- Attend FOF staff and program meetings as scheduled.
- Perform other work assignments as requested/needed.
- Participate in agency needs assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, and grant writing as coordinated by the Program Manager, Director of Operations, or Executive Director.
- Assist in on-going coordination and management of the donations given to FOF from community persons and ensure timely distribution to any FOF participants.
- Organize, procure and coordinate donations for client needs i.e. clothing, food, and household items.
- Manage time and schedule independently.
Human Trafficking Specialist Functions
Victim/Survivor Advocacy
- Assisting team with providing emergency sheltering services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault utilizing a standard assessment tool to identify emergency need. Emergency sheltering services include but are not limited to:
- Safe Room located at Waypoint’s Madge Phillips Center in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Friend’s House in Waverly, IA
- Scattered hotel/motel voucher program
- Scattered volunteer-run Safe Homes
- Coordinate the purchase of bus tickets and other emergency needs for clients to assist in relocation to their identified location due to safety, housing, or assistance.
- Complete appropriate documentation to facilitate and implement emergency shelter and housing options for clients in Northeast Iowa.
- Facilitate and coordinate direct services to human trafficking victims, including, but not limited to:
- Crisis response in an emergency, including shelter, relocation, and safety planning.
- Medical, legal, and community advocacy
- Relocation assistance
- Basic needs such as food, clothing, etc.
- Case management services
- Meet with program participants to provide the following
- Resources and referrals to ensure stability and progress, provide support and advocacy, reduce isolation, listen, and problem solve.
- Individualized strength based/solution-focused goal and action plans promoting safety.
- Housing advocacy and support.
- Encompass and provide trauma informed, survivor driven, mobile advocacy, and provide practical temporary financial assistance, which increases safety and stabilization in the survivor’s identified needs
- Assess safety and stabilization barriers of victim’s survivors and their families
- Exhibits an in-depth understanding of the intersection between labor trafficking, sex trafficking and homelessness.
- Provide services with an understand that a person’s intersection of identities affects their access to services and risk experiencing domestic violence/sexual assault/human trafficking.
- Create and maintain consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. participant, landlord, referral sources, collaborating agencies, etc.)
- Provide information and referral assistance regarding available support from appropriate social service agencies and/or community programs.
- Assist participants in development of a strength-based/solution-focused individualized goal and action plan that promotes safe, permanent housing and self-sufficiency.
- Develop an effective, timely referral network in order to ensure ongoing direction and support as needed.
- Transport or coordinate transportation for services as deemed necessary and as the program permits.
- Utilize creative techniques, including the use of technology, to communicate with clients across the region.
- Facilitate and coordinate access to housing services identified. Navigate housing options and resources in the communities in which they wish to reside in or relocate to.
- Develop and maintain local partnerships with landlords and housing programs to assist with quick access to safe affordable housing.
- Assess housing barriers of victims/survivors and their families, who are facing homelessness to determine housing and service needs and develop a housing plan with survivors seeking housing support.
- Provide mediation and advocacy with resources or referrals program participants are engaging with. Serve as an ongoing liaison.
- Document meeting case notes maintain client files and other appropriate documentation of services per funding requirements. Paperwork must be completed and in the files within 7 days of contact. This includes, but is not limited to intake, discharge, and follow-up paperwork and documentation.
- Collect and report program data, including but not limited to program success and follow-up tracking, data required by funders, etc.
Community Engagement & Outreach
- Answer questions of potential participants and/or community organizations interested in more information about Friends of the Families Anti-Human Trafficking services.
- Provide training and technical assistance to collaborative partners who can often come into contact with trafficking victims first. Collaborate with those partners to assure smooth transition of services and access to quality services.
- Provide presentations to community groups specific to FOF human trafficking program and services.
- Understand and adapt to service changes in the field at the local, state, or national level.
- Represent FOF at community and other program development meetings as requested.
Position Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in social work, psychology, related field OR combination of equivalent education and experience.
- Previous experience in the following preferred: victim services, crisis intervention,
- Must demonstrate ability to organize, prioritize and plan work to meet deadlines; behavior management techniques, confidentiality and observation/recording techniques.
- Ability to complete mandatory training to qualify as a victim advocate within 30 days of employment.
- Ability to travel throughout the 14- county service area to provide in-person advocacy services and to other locations within the state as necessary for training purposes.
- Ability to pass state, federal, and child abuse background checks.
If interested, please forward a resume and cover letter by January 23, to Carrie Diesburg, Outreach Services Manager, at carrie@fofia.org.