Organization Overview:
Lakeshore Legal Aid serves low-income people, seniors, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in a holistic manner to address clients’ legal issues and improve our communities. Lakeshore provides free direct legal representation in southeast Michigan and the thumb and client intake, advice, and brief legal services throughout Michigan via our attorney-staffed hotline. Our practice areas include housing, family, consumer, elder, education, and public benefits law.
Position Overview:
The Community Advocacy Supervisor leads a team of Community Advocates working as a part of Lakeshore Legal Aid’s Systemic Advocacy Department and various litigation teams to provide tools and holistic support to individuals and families who are navigating legal issues in accordance with Lakeshore Legal Aid eligibility guidelines, case priorities, Advocacy Manual, and administrative policies. The Community Advocacy Supervisor also facilitates processes and relationships through which Community Advocates address barriers that limit client participation in their legal case, strengthen clients with increased goods, resources, and benefits connections, and identify systemic barriers that impact multiple clients and constituencies. Community Advocates treat clients, co-workers, and all others who interact with Lakeshore Legal Aid with dignity and respect.
General Task Areas:
- Collaborate with legal teams across the agency who have a Community Advocate partnering with their legal staff to support interdisciplinary legal services across Lakeshore Legal Aid.
- Facilitate productive professional relationships between Community Advocates and legal teams.
- Participate in the development of case life process infrastructure and ensure fidelity to the processes.
- Supervise Community Advocates providing crisis intervention, emotional support, life skills planning, and advocacy in a trauma informed, holistic, and client-centered manner.
- Support Community Advocates as they work with clients to build and implement a plan to access prioritized goods, services and/or benefits such as healthcare, childcare and/or food stamps.
- Train and supervise a team of Community Advocates to provide effective advocacy and respond to crisis situations such as child abuse and mental health emergencies.
- Carry a caseload of clients when staff transitions leave existing clients unserved.
- Perform other work-related duties as assigned by the supervising attorney, a director, CEO, or a CEO designee.
Qualifications:
- Graduated from a CSWE accredited Master’s Social Work program.
- Current Michigan Macro Social Work License preferred.
- Knowledge of Lakeshore Legal Aid’s service communities or demonstrated ability to understand and adapt to new communities.
- 3 years’ experience providing direct supervision to social workers, advocates, or other human services staff.
- 5 years’ experience advocating with and on behalf of clients from the poverty community, seniors and survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, or human trafficking for increased access to goods, services, or benefits.
- 5 years’ experience providing empathetic, trauma-informed services to diverse clients of the poverty community, seniors and survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, or human trafficking.
- Effective oral and written communication skills.
Salary
Starting annual salary for a Community Advocate Supervisor ranges from $75,000 and is commensurate with qualifications and includes excellent benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance/AD&D, short-term and long-term disability, retirement plan, and paid time off.
To apply, submit your cover letter and resume at our website www.lakeshorelegalaid.org
** Do not delay. Applications accepted until 5 pm, March 22, 2024, or until the position is filled. **
LLA values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.