Get a Job as a Domestic Violence Advocate

Victim advocates are hired by non-profit and government agencies to support and counsel victims of crime and abuse. They may explain legal matters that are provided by attorney's offices, attend court appearances and give emotional or mental health support. Advocates usually specialize in topics like domestic violence, child abuse, human trafficking, alcoholism and more. If you are interested in starting a career as an advocate, you will want to become a social worker. Internships, volunteer positions and case management experience will help you to be a preferred candidate for victim advocate jobs in your area. Find out how to get a job as a domestic violence advocate.

Steps

  1. Earn a bachelor's degree in psychology, criminal justice or social work. These programs will teach you about working within the confines of the law and providing services to victims. If you are interested in working for a government agency, you may want to choose criminal justice or social work degrees.
    • Occasionally, victim advocates are not required to hold a bachelor's degree. You may be able to earn an associate's degree or certificate in pre-social work, or a similar field. These jobs often require a large amount of on-the-job training. Choosing a bachelor's degree will improve your chances of getting a job in advocacy.
  2. Apply for victim services internships. Gain experience in a school, government or organization where you help people to deal with crime or mental health issues. Working with a help line on a college campus will put you at an advantage after you finish school.
  3. Manage a heavy caseload. One of the hardest parts of working in social work is that paid positions are asked to take on a full-time caseload, in addition to other aspects of their job. Domestic violence advocates will need to find ways to manage this stressful position on a day to day basis.
  4. Volunteer to be a domestic violence advocate with a police office, sheriff's office or non-profit agency. Due to low budgets, many organizations train volunteers to do the majority of their advocacy. Search for a volunteer position that deals directly with domestic violence, so you can get some valuable case management experience in this specialty.
    • Working in a volunteer or intern position will allow you to test out the victim advocate job. This is an emotionally taxing position, where you will need to face mental challenges and heavy workloads. If you find that working as a domestic violence advocate is too stressful, you can change your specialty before starting your career.
  5. Apply for a social worker's license. Take the state professional exam, so that you can be hired in a social worker role for the government or a non-profit. Earning a license from your state's board of social work, will allow you to jump from a volunteer role to a paid role.
  6. Gain 1 to 2 years of experience in social work. Some government agencies require that a new hire has worked in domestic violence case management for 1 to 2 years.
  7. Apply for a domestic violence advocate position at a district attorney's office and/or non-profit. If you live in a small town, you may need to apply in a larger metropolitan area, where the work load is large enough to require several paid advocates.
    • Keep in mind that government and non-profit positions are on the rise by approximately 25 percent according to the US Bureau of Statistics. However, these organizations are frequently subject to budget cuts that can affect the number of available positions.
  8. Consider gaining a master's of social work. In areas with limited domestic violence advocate jobs, a master's degree will give you an edge over the competition. You can focus your study on domestic violence reporting, support and more.
  9. Receive on-the-job training. In most positions, you will need to shadow other advocates for a period of time. After you have finished your own training, you will begin to get domestic violence cases of your own.
    • In addition to meeting with victims, helping them through the legal process and providing support, you may also be asked to do other tasks. Advocates create reports, manage support groups and assist in creating policy.

Warnings

  • Never give legal advice. Domestic violence advocates can serve as counselors for victims; however, they cannot tell them what to do in a criminal case. Providing legal advice can lead to being fired or fined.

Things You'll Need

  • Bachelor's degree
  • Internship with victim services
  • Volunteer domestic violence advocate position
  • 1-2 years social work experience
  • Social work license
  • Master's degree in social work

References

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