Child and Adult Counselor / Advocate

Elizabeth Freeman Center (EFC) seeks a passionate counselor/advocate to work in its North Adams office counseling and assisting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, with a focus on working with children and youth.

Responsibilities: 

• Provide adult and child survivors of domestic or sexual assault violence with support, advocacy, and assistance, including:
• assessing their circumstances and emergency needs and providing assistance to meet those needs;
• offering individual counseling and support groups;
• safety planning;
• advocating on issues of housing, finances and benefits, children, education, mental health, and substance abuse;
• referring victims to services including other EFC services (e.g. court support) and community resources (including Community Legal Aid, the District Attorney’s office, housing resources, etc.), with follow-up as appropriate

• Contributing to outreach and collaboration efforts, including: liaising with community partners, providing community education, disseminating program outreach materials, and tabling at community events
• Maintain professional boundaries with individuals receiving EFC services, maintain excellent records in agency database, and adhere to strict guidelines to ensure client confidentiality
• Complete all other duties to further EFC’s mission and to ensure that survivors are safe and are provided with professional, empathetic, affirming services within the context of the agency’s mission and consistent with grant and legal requirements

Work Hours:  40 hours per week. Occasional evening and weekend work required for outreach and counseling activities

Compensation and benefits:  Elizabeth Freeman Center believes in offering all staff: competitive salary and benefits, engaged and dedicated colleagues, training and education in best practices, career development opportunities, openness to innovation, and the opportunity and resources to do meaningful, impactful work.  This position begins at $20.50 per hour ($42,640/year base) plus $1.00/hour increment for bilingual English/Spanish skills, and additional increments for frequently used languages, special skills and education, plus year-end bonuses dependent on funding (generally around $2,500). EFC pays 85% of health insurance premiums and contributes to an FSA. EFC has generous paid leave as well as other benefits.

• Demonstrated commitment to providing survivors of domestic and sexual violence with holistic, accessible, trauma-informed, strength-based victim services and advocacy
• Demonstrated commitment to providing affirming, culturally relevant services to marginalized survivors (including rural, LGBTQ, immigrants, and survivors living with disabilities)
• Experience working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence and/or children strongly preferred
• Bilingual English and Spanish strongly preferred
• Ability to work well as part of a team
• Ability to work effectively with community groups
• Effective written and spoken communication, and proficient computer skills
• Bachelor or Associate Degree (may be waived for relevant, comparable level of work or life experience)
• Must successfully pass Criminal Record Check-CORI and have valid Massachusetts driver’s license and reliable transportation.