Job Description

This position is available immediately. Full-time position.

Freedom House, a domestic and sexual violence agency with offices in Princeton and Kewanee, is searching for a sexual violence counselor for adults and teens in both Princeton and Kewanee offices.  This key position is responsible for delivering direct counseling services to clients over the age of 12 who have been victims of or witness to sexual violence. Victim-centered counseling will be provided with a goal of supporting the victim’s recovery process in a safe counseling environment. The counselor will work with the victim on current issues, normalizing and validating their reactions to the trauma and facilitating a return to pre-trauma functioning. The counselor will fully support the agency’s mission, philosophy, and values by exhibiting professionalism, confidentiality, excellence, competence, teamwork, innovation, respect, personalization, commitment to the communities/persons served and accountability/ownership.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the counselor for adults and teens include, but are not limited to:

• Individual, group, and family counseling in a variety of settings for adults and/or teens
• Assessing and determining the counseling needs of adults and/or teens and making appropriate referrals as necessary
• Coordinating with non-offending parent or guardian for teen service needs
• Working individually with a non-offending parent or guardian to foster positive parenting skills
• Participating and supporting current and future teen-related programs/services
• Aiding in providing crisis intervention, information, and referral to those who disclose personal or family abuse
• Developing and promoting a sound referral base and maintaining a positive relationship with referral sources, including educational, medical, and criminal justice communities
• Outreach, communication, and coordination with outside agencies
• Facilitating teen groups in area schools and other partnering agencies
• Attending regularly scheduled clinical and program supervision
• Documenting of services provided in client files
• Recording and tracking all required data and submitting reports in a timely manner
• Setting and working on grant-required goals and objectives
• Maintaining ethical boundaries with clients and client confidentiality
• Maintaining agency records and workspace in an orderly, professional fashion
• Participating in on-going professional development/continuing education requirements
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Supporting the Freedom House Mission

• Serving as a public representative of the organization to build awareness of and commitment to Freedom House’s mission and work
• Actively reinforcing organizational culture and agreements; maintain good relations with staff members and abide by all agency confidentiality policies

Qualifications / Skills / Knowledge Requirements:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in crisis counseling, counseling, therapy, social work, or psychology from an accredited college/university, or a State of Illinois license in counseling, psychology or social work. Counselors preferred to have had an internship/practicum experience working with teens and/or adults in a supervised setting, or, one (1) year volunteer/professional experience working with teens and/or adults. Master’s Degree in Human Services field preferred
• Highly self-motivated and self-directed
• Strong age-appropriate facilitation and educational skills
• Ability to work with diverse groups of people
• Sound judgment, professionalism and a positive attitude
• Ability to work collaboratively with professionals in the community
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Possession of a valid Illinois Driver’s License and proof of insurance
• Successful completion of forty-hours of training as required by the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act, or an approved sixty-hour combined DV/SV training course within first six months of hire
• Willing to undergo a drug screen and background check

Application process:

Download a copy of the Freedom House application from our website:  www.freedomhouseillinois.org

Send the completed application, cover letter, and a resume listing work experience, education, and references to:

SV Program Manager – confidential

Freedom House, 440 Elm Place, Princeton, IL  61356

Or email the application and resume to the following (MSWord, or PDF attachments):   mwhitmer@freedomhouseillinois.com

Job Description

Full-time positions

The Domestic Violence Advocate is primarily responsible for crisis line and shelter operations. This position is often the first point of contact with Freedom House that stakeholders, and clients will encounter. As such, it requires excellent communication skills, attention to detail, sound judgment and the ability to multitask in high stress situations.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Providing initial contact for clients and members of the public. Situated at the front desk, the Advocate is responsible for handling the flow of individuals (clients, staff, stakeholders, etc.) and telephone callers that initiate contact with Freedom House.  The position is responsible for greeting and assessing the initial contact and making appropriate referrals for service.
• Maintaining safety and security of the facility. Working with staff, clients, and emergency personnel to provide cooperative response to situations for fire, police, and weather emergencies.
• Documenting all client contact, advocacy, referrals, and community contacts as necessary and according to internal and external requirements.
• Thorough knowledge of community resources for client/caller request for resources and referrals.
• Attend required trainings and regularly scheduled program/all-staff meetings.
• Crisis intervention
• Working with agency staff to provide office and clerical support (office and program supplies, duplication, agency mail sorting, etc.
• Maintaining order and cleanliness of office and shelter.
• Provide case management to shelter clients, as well as non-residential clients to assist development and implementation of a service plan, including but not limited to, seeking housing, education, employment, and childcare.
• Mandatory on-call and holiday rotation.
• Schedule flexibility to meet the needs of the agency and clients.
• Providing Domestic Violence Education.
• Outreach to clients in a variety of settings that may include courts, hospitals, or other social service agencies.
• Maintaining ethical boundaries with clients.

Other Responsiblities

• Supports and follows agency policies and procedures; complies with confidentiality policies.
• Maintains professional relations with client, staff members and community visitors.

• Routine contact and follow up with referral sources.
• Collaboration with outside sources and agencies which may include public education presentations.

• Maintains agency records and workspace in an orderly fashion.
• Serves as a Mandated Reporter
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Supervisory

• There are no supervisory responsibilities currently associated with this function unless otherwise assigned by Program Manager.

Preserving Freedom House’s Mission

• Serving as a public representative of the organization to build awareness of and commitment to Freedom House’s mission and work
• Actively reinforcing organizational culture and agreements; maintain good relations with staff members and abide by all agency confidentiality policies

Qualifications / Skills / Knowledge Requirements:

• Associates Degree in social/human services or at least one years’ experience in a similar position (preferred)
• Strong leadership qualities and experience

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to maintain electronic and paper filing systems
• Demonstrated proficiency with computer software applicants utilized by the agency, including Microsoft Office Suite
• Attention to detail, accurate data entry, ability to work independently.
• Experience, ability, and willingness to communicate and work well with survivors from a variety of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds and with various religious beliefs, lifestyles, sexual orientations, age variances and differing abilities
• Continuing Education as required
• Successful completion of sixty (60) hour combined Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault training by an ICDVP certified training site.
• Possession of a valid Illinois Driver’s License and proof of insurance.
• Ability to represent the agency professionally and effectively in a variety of settings.
• Ability to work independently and effectively with all agency staff and with multiple outside agencies
• Ability to comply and pass a background check including drug testing

Application process:

Download a copy of the Freedom House application from our website:  www.freedomhouseillinois.org

Email your cover letter, completed application, and resume describing work experience, education, and references to:  (MSWord, or PDF attachments)

akillian@freedomhouseillinois.com

or Mail to:

DV Program Manager – confidential

Freedom House, 440 Elm Place, Princeton, IL  61356

Incomplete applications and those without a resume or cover letter will not be considered.

Freedom House does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military status of sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. Freedom House will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unrelated to the ability to perform one’s job, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to the organization. Employment with Freedom House is employment-at-will, meaning it is voluntarily entered into, and may be terminated at any time, without or with cause, by the employee or by Freedom House. Posting this notice does create a commitment by Freedom House to fill the position.

Job Description

Freedom House, a domestic and sexual violence agency with offices in Princeton and Kewanee, is searching for a preventionist in our sexual violence program. This position primarily provides educational services to grades to K-12 in area schools. The preventionist will fully support the agency’s mission, philosophy, and values by exhibiting professionalism, confidentiality, excellence, competence, teamwork, innovation, respect, personalization, commitment to the communities/persons served, and accountability/ownership. The preventionist has a variable schedule to be determined by agency programming needs and will have on-call coverage on a rotating schedule (several nights and/or a weekend per month) to respond to victims at hospitals.

Essential Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the preventionist include, but are not limited to:

• • Provide prevention programs in a variety of community settings, including schools, social service agencies, churches, etc.
  • Aid in providing crisis intervention, information, and referral to those who disclose personal or family abuse.
  • Participating and supporting current and future child and teen-related programs/services
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders and community agencies to develop and strengthen community-based prevention strategies.
  • Outreach, communication, and coordination with outside agencies
  • Record and track all required data and submitting reports in a timely manner.
  • Set and fulfill grant-required goals and objectives.
  • Maintain ethical boundaries with clients and client confidentiality.
  • Maintain agency records and workspace in an orderly, professional fashion.
  • Participating in on-going professional development/continuing education requirements
  • Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

• • Minimum of a high school diploma. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university in the field(s) of early childhood education, primary or secondary education, adult/continuing education, or a related field preferred.
  • At the agency’s discretion, three years of early childhood education experience and a two-year degree from an accredited college/university may be substituted for a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Highly self-motivated and self-directed
  • Strong age-appropriate facilitation and educational skills
  • Ability to work with diverse groups of people
  • Sound judgment, professionalism, and a positive attitude
  • Ability to work collaboratively with professionals in the educational community
  • Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  • Possession of a valid Illinois Driver’s License and proof of insurance
  • Successful completion of forty hours of training as required by the Illinois Criminal Sexual Assault Act, or an approved sixty hour combined ICADV/ICASA training course within first six months of employment
  • Must pass a drug screen and Federal/State/DCFS background check
  • Provide on-call coverage to respond to victims at hospitals or law enforcement agencies on a rotating schedule.

Fulfilling the Mission of Freedom House

• Serve as a public representative of the organization to build awareness of and commitment to Freedom House’s mission and work.
• Actively reinforce organizational culture and agreements; maintain good relations with staff members; abide by all agency confidentiality policies.

Salary and Benefits

• To $38,000.00 / year based on experience and qualifications
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401 (k) Equivalent
• Generous Paid Time Off, Personal, and Sick Days Allowance, and 12 Paid Holidays

Application process:

Please download a copy of a Freedom House employment application from our website: www.freedomhouseillinois.org. E-mail the completed application; resume detailing work experience, education, references, and a cover letter (as Word or PDF) to mwhitmer@freedomhouseillinois.com or mail:

SV Program Manager – Confidential Freedom House

440 Elm Place

Princeton, IL 61356

Incomplete applications and those without a resume or cover letter will not be considered.

Freedom House does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military status of sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. Freedom House will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unrelated to the ability to perform one’s job, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to the organization. Employment with Freedom House is employment-at-will, meaning it is voluntarily entered into, and may be terminated at any time, without or with cause, by the employee or by Freedom House. Posting this notice does create a commitment by Freedom House to fill the position.