Bilingual Voice and Choice Advocate

Traffick911 began in 2009 by a local abolitionist who learned about this crime and decided that she couldn't stay silent. After months of research and connecting to networks across the nation, she pioneered training youth and first responders across Texas to identify trafficking dangers and prevent victimization, and she built an enormous base of highly-trained volunteers who have been instrumental in Traffick911's long-term success.

In 2017, Traffick911 was selected by the Office of the Governor in Texas to provide direct services including crisis response, case management/advocacy, and mentorship to child sex trafficking victims in North Texas as a part of a regional multi-disciplinary team in North Texas Counties. As a part of Traffick911's Voice & Choice survivor empowerment program, first responders are able to call Traffick911 for 24-hour crisis response to begin relational advocacy services with the survivor and support them on their journey to healing.

Traffick911 seeks to fill the role of Voice and Choice Advocate (VCA) that will be funded by Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) funds. As a faith-based organization, Traffick911 has filed a certificate of exemption for hiring practices on the basis of religion with the federal government pursuant to the Religion Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

Position Description*

The VCA is a field-based victim service provider who works as a part of the overall Voice & Choice Empowerment Team. The VCA is responsible for engaging child sex trafficking survivors (and non- offending legal guardians) through trust-based relationships in the individualized, collaborative process of identifying, planning, accessing, and coordinating resources, support, and services for their emotional and social recovery. The VCA will service clients in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, and Ellis counties for youth of any gender identification who have been sex trafficked. This position is primarily grant funded with organizational plans to develop long-term sustainability.

Major Areas of Responsibility

(MUST BE FLUENT IN SPANISH)

• Under the supervision of the Vice President and Voice & Choice

Supervisor, provide advocacy, emotional support and case management services to sex trafficking survivors (ages 12-24), as well support non-offending family members.

• Collaborate with survivors to plan, implement, monitor, and amend individualized services that promote client's strengths, safety, well-being, while helping them achieve their self- determined goals.

• Responsible for traveling throughout the five local service counties for on-site client meetings on a weekly basis (often including nights/weekends); transporting survivors to various meetings and appointments, with legal guardian consent.

• Help answer any questions that the survivor and/or family has on the legal process of the investigation and prosecution of the trafficker(s) and assist them through that process, when needed.

• Emphasis will be placed on clients’ self-determination, feeling understood and having choices in the options. Services should return a sense of control to survivors. Advocacy service plans are based on meaningful assessments for the child sex trafficking population.

• The VCA will play a pivotal role in connecting and referring the survivor with trauma- informed services including but not limited to: residential/drug/alcohol/mental health treatment, counseling and therapy services, support groups, legal services, family counseling, transitional housing, job skills training, crime victims’ compensation applications, medical services, tattoo removal.

• Serve in rotation on a 24-hour Crisis Response Team

• Traffick911 is responsive to crisis situations as they arise through the Crisis Response Team. This team rotates the responsibility of answering Traffick911’s 24-hour phone line (calls from first responders) and immediately responding to the incident.

• The assigned Crisis Response Team (CRT) member will dispatch themselves immediately to meet with the victim. They will accompany them to emergency medical treatment (if necessary), ensure food, clothing, emergency shelter, and connection with any other support needed is provided.

• Team player - Collaborates closely as a part of the Traffick911 Empowerment Team with

• Traffick911’s Vice President, Voice & Choice Supervisor and other VCAs to coordinate services for clients.

• Participate in community-based interagency multi-disciplinary team (MDT) that is responsible for coordinating specialized services and a trauma-informed investigative and prosecutorial process of trafficker.

• The VCA is required to provide any helpful information, including concerns, about the victim/family to the MDT care coordinator, other MDT agencies, and/or legal guardian as they learn of it.

• Acquire and maintain deep knowledge of sex trafficking and trauma associated with this abuse, evidence-informed practice, socio historical context, policy, research, and evaluation methods relevant to case management and the child sex trafficking population, and shall use such information to ensure excellence in service delivery

• Assume personal responsibility for her or his professional development and competence and be enrolled in Trust-based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Caregiver training during their first two years of employment (trainings paid for by Traffick911).

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to have a flexible schedule; often working nights and weekends

• Ability to work in fast-paced, intense, high-pressure environment

• Excellent attention to detail and dexterity to manage multiple clients simultaneously

• Demonstrated ability to communicate (emails, texts, phone calls) clearly, timely and consistently with many different partners

• Ability to work independently and to be a self-starter

• Demonstrated ability to calmly and effectively handle multiple crises

• Demonstrated competence in cultural humility

• Commitment to client empowerment through strength-based and trust-based principles

• Unrelenting commitment to self-care and personal respite

• Broad knowledge and experience in working with traumatized populations

• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams

• Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, valid car insurance, willing to utilize personal vehicle (mileage reimbursement for job-related duties)

• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office, Google Documents, etc.

Traffick911 operates on Apple laptops.

Education and Experience

• Survivors of trafficking and/or exploitation strongly preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree required with at least four years of professional job experience.

• Two years of professional experience working with traumatized youth preferred.

• Experience working with child sex trafficking survivors, adult sex trafficking survivors, victim services, juvenile services, CPS, domestic violence, and/or experience serving other types of vulnerable populations.

• Experience with Apricot Essentials case management software or similar case management software preferred.
• Spanish speaker preferred.
• Must live within a 40 mile radius from downtown Dallas.

Critical Qualities

• Adhere to Traffick911’s Core Values and Code of Ethics (traffick911.com/mission-values)

• Mature Christian faith

• Professional

• Humble and resilient

• Pursues excellence

• Culturally aware and appreciative of differences

• Strong work ethic

• Innovative problem solver

• Ability to build trust and strong partnerships with others

• Courageous in pursuing opportunities and challenges

• Tenacious in achieving goals

Physical Demands

Job will be performed in Traffick911 office in Addison, TX as well as traveling to various counties surrounding Dallas/Fort Worth. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions.

This employee will serve in rotation for 24 hour on-call Crisis Response Team and will need to be able to respond within 60-90 minutes to first responder requests. Must be able to function and report for duty when awakened in middle of the night.

Benefits and Salary

• Traffick911’s benefits package includes group medical, dental and vision insurance; paid holidays, extended vacation time for ample self-care, short and long-term disability, and sick leave.

• Crisis Response Team members are compensated additionally for each day on call.

• Traffick911 encourages self-care for all employees and will fund the co-pay for personal counseling.

Job Type
Full-time exempt

Work Environment
The Traffick911 work environment is an open floor plan. Ability to concentrate with ambient conversations is required. There are areas of office for focused work. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Benefit Conditions:

• Only full-time employees eligible

Work Remotely

• No

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $50,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Experience:

• trauma-informed social work: 2 years (Preferred)
• working with at-risk youth: 2 years (Preferred)

Language:

• English (Required)
• Spanish (Required)

Work Location: In person