Legal Advocate in Minneapolis, Minnesota at " Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities"

Title: Legal Advocate
Job Category: Health/ Human Services
Requisition Number: LEGAL002240
Job Type: Full-Time
Minneapolis, MN, 55406, United States

Description

Who We Are

Asian Women United of Minnesota (AWUM) is a community-based, nonprofit organization committed to ending domestic violence by promoting safe and healthy relationships within the Asian Pacific Islander community. We are a leader in eliminating violence in the Asian-Pacific Islander community, and share the expertise of our best practices with others. Using the strengths of the API community, AWUM will uphold an environment free of violence, promote self-sufficiency for women, and foster nurtured and healthy children and families. Our intention is to fill in a gap by providing domestic violence shelter and support to Asian women, including those of Hmong, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Filipina, Chinese, Lao, South Asian, Korean and Thai descent. While AWUM employs staff who are specially equipped to serve the unique needs of these populations, our domestic violence shelter is open to all women.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

Asian Women United of Minnesota (AWUM) relies on compassionate, diverse, and talented individuals to ensure that we provide the best services possible to every woman and child who seeks our help. Whether you’re looking for a career, part-time job, or internship, working at AWUM is a deeply rewarding experience. Everyone who is involved with our mission is a part of changing lives, not just for one woman or one child, but for the entire community. We truly are changing the world, one person at a time.

Wages

$23 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policies
• 9 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays per year
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer paid basic life insurance with the option for additional employee-paid coverage
• Employer-paid Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and long-term disability insurance
• AWUM sponsors a retirement plan with 4% employer match plus a 2% employer contribution after one year of service and immediate vesting

Because AWUM is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, AWUM employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits at St. Mary’s University:

• Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)

Schedule

This full-time position works in-person at the Domestic Abuse Service Center in downtown Minneapolis four days per week, and one day per week at the AWUM location.

AWUM is seeking a Legal Advocate to provide advocacy, consultation, and support to individuals seeking Orders for Protection through the Domestic Abuse Service Center (DASC), helping clients navigate complex systems while ensuring access to safety and resources. Responsibilities will include the following:

• Assist clients in applying for Orders for Protection (OFP).
• Attend court hearings with clients to provide support and advocacy.
• Advocate on behalf of individuals within the legal system, human services systems, and other community resources.
• Support clients in accessing community-based resources and services.
• Provide safety planning for individuals experiencing domestic abuse.
• Connect clients to DASC services including Child Protection, Prosecution, and Economic Assistance.
• Maintain regular communication with AWUM Program Director and DASC Supervisor regarding client progress and any concerns.
• Participate in weekly team meetings for consultation and case review.
• Maintain accurate and timely daily documentation, including case notes and case plans.
• Track participant progress and maintain complete and up-to-date records.
• Collect and report required data for funding and internal accountability purposes.
• Provide facilities coverage as needed or directed by leadership.

Who You Are

• You have earned a bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, or a related field, or equivalent knowledge gained through education and lived experience.
• You have at least one year of experience in case management or family services.
• You’ve gained a minimum of one year of experience working within the legal system.
• You are proficiently bilingual in English and an Asian language (especially Hmong, Vietnamese, or Lao).
• You have knowledge of and ability to navigate the legal system.
• You understand case management practices and advocacy approaches.
• You can effectively advocate on behalf of individuals within human services systems.
• You possess strong written and verbal communication skills.

Diversity and open expression are fundamental to the work of AWUM. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment where everyone can belong. Every member of our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our sector: individuals who identify as BIPOC, Indigenous or people of culture, LGBTQI+ and gender fluid or gender nonconforming, individuals with disabilities (both seen and unseen), veterans, people of any age or family status. We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don't fit 100% of the technical requirements. Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, age, marital status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance, criminal history (justice-impacted status), housing or homelessness status, height, or weight.

Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the hiring process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.

AWUM participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. See E-Verify’s official poster at https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf. See E-Verify’s Right to Work poster at https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.