Jobs at BWSS

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BWSS is a feminist ending violence organization with an entrepreneurial spirit on a mission to end gender-based violence. For over 40 years we’ve walked alongside cis and trans women, femmes, and transfeminine survivors providing advocacy, amplifying resilience and resistance, and we’re just getting started. We are committed to doing the work and putting survivors at the centre. A mission like ours needs a perspective like yours, that’s what makes us stronger.

BWSS is known for its inclusionary hiring practices. We offer the opportunity to work within an accomplished team making a difference every day on the frontline and beyond.

The following positions are currently available:  

closed
Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator
Position Title: Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator

Posting Date: November 1, 2023

Closing Date: Until position is filled Hours of Work: 40 hours per week

Reports to: Manager of Community-Based Victim Services Program

Organizational Overview

At BWSS, we believe that safety changes everything. BWSS provides a matrix of services for advocacy and supports centering survivors, all while working towards legal and systemic change. Since 1979, with committed staff, volunteers, and a strong community of supporters, we have supported thousands of survivors. With the ongoing growth and development of the organization, through innovation, passion, and commitment our ultimate goal is to end gender-based violence.

 

Highlight

The Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator promotes the mission, vision, values, and analysis of BWSS. The Co-ordinator is committed to ending gender-based violence with a deep understanding and application of an intersectional feminism that is grounded in a decolonial and anti-oppression framework, especially in leadership and in their support of survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

 

Summary:

This position is responsible for effectively coordinating all aspects of the Crisis Line and Intake Program, which includes overseeing day-to-day operations and crisis volunteers’ assignments to ensure that the mandate and goals of the direct services program at BWSS are met. The Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator is a member of the community-based victim services team and will actively participate in, lead, and facilitate continuous quality improvement initiatives across the organization.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

  • The Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator works within a multidisciplinary team to ensure an effective response for survivors who are dealing with the impacts of violence and abuse in collaboration with our matrix of support services and external resources.
  • The Crisis Line and Intake Program Co-ordinator provides emotional support, information, and referrals to survivors of violence in relationships, sexual assault, physical and sexual childhood abuse, criminal harassment, elder abuse, dating violence as well as other forms of violence against women and gender-based violence.
  • Along with strong crisis intervention skills and expertise, the Crisis Line and Intake Program Co- ordinator provides safety and lethality assessment, safety planning, information, and referral.

 

Program Coordination:

  • Adhere to the policies and standards of BWSS, as established in policy and program manuals, job descriptions, written email communication, and verbal agreements.
  • Oversees the day-to-day operation of the crisis line, intake emails, and volunteer development programs.
  • Develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates all facets of the Intake and Crisis Line services to ensure that survivors/crisis volunteers’ needs are met and that contractual obligations are fulfilled.
  • Ensures a culture of care and well-being exists for all survivors who access BWSS, staff, and crisis volunteers who are involved in the programs.
  • Ensures scheduling of crisis volunteers and crisis line support workers. Ensures that the crisis lines are always answered.
  • Determines annual program goals and objectives. Evaluates and implements program changes, in consultation with the Manager of Community-Based Victim Services, Director of Clinical Practice, and Executive Director.
  • Coordinates the preparation and provision of monthly statistical and narrative reports to the organization and funder.
  • Develops and sustains respectful and accountable relationships with all survivors who access BWSS, service providers, stakeholders, including funders.
  • Maintain a high level of sector knowledge, ensure best practices are followed, develop, and implement annual program objectives, identify areas for continuous improvement and develop new systems.
  • Ensure effective program/service delivery that is consistent with BWSS’ mission, vision, values, and philosophy, as well as with all policies, legal, contractual, and budgetary.
  • Represent the organization and program professionally in the community. Participate, as appropriate, in interagency committees, meetings, workshops, etc.
  • Facilitate, foster, and nurture collaborative relationships and links to outside agencies, government ministries and groups. As requested, conduct public relations work relative to job responsibilities and the program.
  • Address crisis volunteers’ performance issues, provide feedback and performance plans/evaluations on a regular basis.
  • All other duties as requested.

 

Training and Crisis Line Coordination:

  • Recruit and train volunteers, including interviewing and selecting candidates for the Violence Prevention and Intervention Training Program.
  • Provide supervision, leadership, and guidance to volunteers using effective management techniques such as coaching, mentoring, and skill development.
  • Schedule and plan for the Violence Prevention Training Program, including scheduling presenters and organizing agenda sessions.
  • Support crisis volunteers responding to high-risk situations.
  • Develop and implement volunteer debriefing processes that support well-being.
  • Navigate and manage day-to-day volunteer interactions.
  • Develop curriculum for VPI training, interview protocols, and onboarding of new volunteers selection.

 

Qualifications and Experience:

  • A bachelor’s degree in a related field (equivalent education and experience will be considered).
  • A minimum of three years of practical experience within the fields of crisis intervention and volunteer management.
  • Three years of progressively more responsible program coordination experience, preferably in the anti-violence sector.
  • Previous Crisis Line experience.

 

Skills and Abilities:

  • Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
  • Demonstrated teamwork, leadership, and supervisory skills.
  • Well-developed planning, organizing, and administrative skills.
  • A thorough knowledge of gender-based violence, safety assessment, lethality assessment, responding to high-risk situations, suicide risk assessment and intervention.
  • Demonstrated maturity and reliability. Ability to multitask and function under pressure.
  • Demonstrated ability to de-escalate crisis situations.
  • Good understanding of technology and navigating technical systems.
  • Knowledge of community resources.
  • Ability to identify sensitive issues and maintain confidentiality.
  • Represent the organization in a positive and professional manner when in contact with outside agencies, professionals, or the community.
  • At BWSS, all services and initiatives apply a trauma and violence informed approach to respond to survivors living with complex trauma. Therefore, you take into consideration the impact of trauma and gender socialization on mental wellness, including, but not limited to eating “disorders”, substance use, and understand harm reduction on the continuum with abstinence.
  • Exercise Sound Judgement
  • This position requires judgment, discretion, consistency, and steadfastness. Failure to provide support services that meet these standards may negatively impact access to services, jeopardize the well-being of the folks we serve, and result in increased risk to the organization. Lack of sound judgment could result in direct costs, lost opportunities and/or damage to the organization’s reputation and compromise the effectiveness of the work of BWSS.

 

Classification

  • This is a permanent unionized position.
  • 40 hours per week, $29.85 per hour
  • Monday to Friday 9-5 p.m. Some evenings may be required.
  • Work Location: In person

 

Preferential and limited hiring assists BWSS in achieving diverse and equitable representation in the workplace and in recruiting employees whose identities enrich the ways in which we accomplish our mission and serve the community. As a result, preference will be given to Indigenous women, Black women, racialized women, women who are disabled, femmes, trans people, and women from other equity-seeking groups.

Send a cover letter and resume detailing how you meet or exceed these qualifications to Battered Women’s Support Services at jobs@bwss.org.

No phone calls or messages through social media, including LinkedIn, please.

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Legal Advocate

Join the work to eliminate gender-based violence and promote gender equity! 

Reports to: Manager, Justice Centre at BWSS

Application Deadline: Until Filled

Part-Time: 32 Hours 4 days per week – Evenings and Weekends

Pay rate: $37.55 per hour at Step 1 pay scale per collective agreement.

In Person Work: Worksite in person at unpublished location in Vancouver, BC On the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlil̓wətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh)

 

Job Highlight

A key focus in the role is to advance gender and racial justice for survivors of gender-based violence. As Legal Advocate, you will provide legal advocacy and legal solutions for women and femmes experiencing gender-based violence and navigating the intersections of family law, immigration law, criminal system, and child protection. The Legal Advocate as a member of the Justice Centre at BWSS. The Justice Centre at BWSS is a community legal program providing support and advocacy for women and femme survivors of gender-based violence.

 

 

Organizational Profile

Established in 1979, BWSS – Battered Women’s Support Services takes action to end gender-based violence through community-based interventions, support services, legal and systemic advocacy, education, training, violence prevention, research and policy.

BWSS works from a decolonial, intersectional, feminist perspective to eliminate gender-based violence and promote racial and gender equity. The founding women at BWSS recognized that gender-based violence does not only take place between two individuals in isolation but, rather, in a social context and a world view that systemically reinforces the power of some people to oppress others.

BWSS staff are called to engage in collaboration and teamwork that reinforces relational competence, curiosity, and proactive assertive communication.

 

Job Summary

As a Legal Advocate, you will provide information, support and advocacy for women and femmes survivors of intimate partner, domestic and sexualized violence who are navigating the family law in the Canadian legal system. As Legal Advocate you will work within a context where legal issues routinely extend into other areas of the law, including child protection, criminal, and immigration law.

 

You’ll Be Responsible For

  • Providing legal information, a summary of case law, legal research, and general assistance to women and femmes and extended family in building strategies for their legal case.
  • Interviewing women and femmes, assessing/analyzing legal problems, assisting in resolving legal issues, assisting women and femmes prepare for court, preparing documents in consultation with the Justice Centre at BWSS team and the legal supervisor.
  • Working within a multidisciplinary team consisting of interns, practicum students, volunteers and paid staff responsible for but not limited to legal advocacy, crisis intervention, counselling, employment services to maintain a matrix of support options for survivors accessing BWSS.
  • Coordinating legal advocacy clinics and group sessions for survivors of
  • Designing and delivering public legal education and training presentations and workshops for a range of community groups and organizations on gender-based violence and legal issues.
  • Providing support to staff, crisis volunteers, law students, and legal interns related to legal advocacy
  • Maintaining an excellent working knowledge of emergent legal-social issues related to violence against women and femmes and seeking solutions.
  • Assisting with the administration of all record keeping and service delivery obligations of funding contracts in keeping with legal and contractual obligations undertaken by BWSS. Such administrative duties will include preparing refunding proposals and regular program activity reports as required by BWSS and the funders.

 

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s Degree in the law, or certificate or diploma in an appropriate area such as Paralegal Program or equivalent experience.
  • Minimum two years of experience working with legal advocacy issues related to women who experience violence in relationships, preferably within family law, child protection, criminal and/or immigration law.
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with Indigenous, Black, African racialized
  • Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with immigrant, refugee, and migrant
  • Solid understanding of the dynamics of violence against women and the intersectionality of oppression within a feminist framework.
  • Demonstrated legal research, analysis, writing and advocacy
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with frontline service providers and with members of the community and social justice groups.
  • Working within a harm reduction context, along with the ability to apply this understanding to your day- to-day work, helps guide you in your interactions with our funders and partners, your co-workers, and the women we support.
  • Demonstrated a strong understanding of equity, intersectionality, anti-racism, decolonization, and anti-
  • Demonstrated analysis, knowledge, and training in working with trauma
  • Demonstrated cultural competency, including awareness of diverse marginalized communities in Metro Vancouver and the ability to work with women from various cultural communities.
  • Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working
  • Respect for others’ experiences, opinions, language, values, culture, and
  • Demonstrated organizational and outreach
  • Available for some evening and weekend
  • Your definition of a woman includes transgender, Two-Spirit, cisgender, intersex, transfeminine and femme individuals.
  • You are sex worker
  • You understand the importance of communication, collaboration, and integrity forms the basis of your approach to interpersonal and professional relationships.
  • Your approach includes an analysis and practice that creates opportunities for increased accessibility for survivors who have disabilities.

 

We Offer

  • An excellent employee benefits
  • Support for training and
  • Paid statutory
  • Generous leave provisions (sick time, special leaves).
  • This position requires union

 

Preferential and limited hiring assists BWSS to achieve diverse an equitable representation in the workplace, and to recruit employees whose identities enrich the ways in which we accomplish our mission and serve the community; as a result, preference will be given to Indigenous women, Black women, racialized women, women who are disabled, femmes, transfeminine, and women from other equity seeking groups.

Please send a cover letter and resume in (PDF format only) detailing how you meet or exceed these qualifications to Battered Women’s Support Services endingviolence@bwss.org. Please include Legal Advocate in the subject line.

 

No phone calls or messages through social media, including LinkedIn, please.

 

Download this job posting

On average, every 48 hours, a woman is killed in Canada by her intimate partner