Newcomer, Gender-Based Violence Legal Advocate

 The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region supports survivors of sexual violence. We listen, facilitate healing, and celebrate resiliency. Using an anti-racist, intersectional feminist approach, we work to transform systems which promote gender-based violence. 

We are currently recruiting for a Newcomer, Gender-Based Violence Legal Advocate in our Direct Services Program. This role is a full-time, two-year contract role beginning Monday, January 6, 2025. Reporting to our Director of Services, candidates should feel inspired by our work and have a genuine desire to support our mission, vision, and values.

Job Description – Newcomer, Gender-Based Violence Legal Advocate 

Job Purpose:  

The ideal candidate will provide specialized legal advocacy and support to newcomers who have experienced gender-based violence. This role involves offering trauma-informed guidance in various legal settings and conducting educational workshops to enhance newcomers' understanding of their legal rights and pathways to justice in Canada.

Duties and Responsibilities:  

Specialized Legal Advocacy

•         Provide tailored legal support and trauma-informed guidance to approximately 100 newcomers per year who have experienced gender-based violence.

•         Assist clients in navigating family and criminal court, immigration proceedings, and quasi-legal processes.

•         Collaborate with legal professionals, court staff, and community partners to ensure comprehensive support for clients.

•         Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant laws, regulations, and best practices in gender-based violence and newcomer advocacy.

Legal Education Workshops

•         Partner with settlement services, multicultural associations, and cultural groups to design and conduct workshops and training sessions.

•         Educate newcomer communities on Canadian laws related to gender-based violence, immigration regulations, family law, and pathways to justice.

•         Develop accessible and culturally sensitive educational materials.

•         Collect feedback to continuously improve the effectiveness of educational initiatives.

Additional Requirements

•         Commitment to intersectional feminist principles and an understanding of the unique challenges faced by newcomers experiencing gender-based violence.

•         Flexibility to work occasional evenings to accommodate clients’ needs and workshop schedules.

•         Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is preferred.

Please note: At SASC, team members often need to take on tasks that, while related to their role, may extend beyond specific job descriptions. Occasionally, staff may also be asked to assist with tasks outside their usual responsibilities to support SASC’s mission and goals.

Qualifications:  

Experience

•         Minimum of 3 years of frontline support experience working with immigrants, settlement services, or newcomer populations.

•         Demonstrated experience in providing legal advocacy and support to survivors of gender-based violence.

Skills

•         Strong oral and written communication skills.

•         Ability to provide trauma-informed and culturally sensitive support.

•         Proficiency in working collaboratively with legal professionals, court staff, and community organizations.

•         Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple cases and responsibilities.

•         Proficiency in a second language is an asset.

Education

•         Degree in social work/social service work, human services, justice, victim services or a related field is preferred.

•         Relevant certifications or training in gender-based violence, trauma-informed care, or legal advocacy are advantageous.

Communications  

Strong communications and interpersonal/human relations skills are required in the position to articulate concepts, engage community members and entrepreneurs, and effect change in our community. There are frequent external contacts including working closely with community partners.    

Working Conditions  

This job is performed in a hybrid work environment; a portion of the work can be done virtually, and a portion of the work will be in the office. Given that the majority of the work is computer-focused, the role can be sedentary although there is the ability to stand and stretch and move about the workspace, whether it be at home or in the office. 

Direct reports  

No direct reports.

 Compensation and Benefits:

We are a Living Wage employer as defined by the Ontario Living Wage Network. We use a 3:1 ratio meaning that the highest paid team member is not paid more than 3 times the lowest paid team member.

The wage per hour for this role is $28.88 per hour based on a 35-hour work week.

We have a health benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Employee Life Insurance, Dependent’s Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). We pay 100% of health benefit premiums for our full-time staff and their families.  

Due to the nature of our work, our staff team start with four weeks of vacation. We also have 125 hours of paid time off per year. These amounts are pro-rated based on the team member's start date.

Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Statement:

We recognize that sexual violence disproportionately impacts women, trans, and non-binary people. We particularly recognize the impact of racism and colonialism on Black, Indigenous, and racialized women, girls, gender-diverse, and two-spirit survivors. 

Given this, we encourage applications from women, trans, and non-binary candidates, especially those who identify as Black, First Nations, Metis, Inuit, racialized, as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and/or as a person with a disability. We invite candidates to voluntarily self-identify as a member of a diverse and/or marginalized group as part of their application.  As part of SASC’s values; we strive to have staff members that are reflective of the communities we serve.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment. We adhere to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We strive to make our recruitment, assessment, and selection processes accessible and provide accommodations as requested for applicants with differing abilities. If you require accommodations at any point during the application and/or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at .

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter outlining how your experience meets the criteria outlined in the job posting. Please quote Job Reference #: 2024-013 Newcomer, GBV Legal Advocate in the subject line.  Although this position is set to begin on January 6, 2025; we will begin the interview process as soon as we have identified a potential candidate pool. Please submit a current cover letter which outlines how your experience matches the criteria in the job posting and a resume as soon as possible in one PDF document to .

We thank all candidates for their interest; however,

only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Unless you require accommodation, no phone calls or email inquiries please.