Advocacy

Advocacy

100

What are the 3 types of advocacy?

Service; Victim; Advocate

200

What relationship elements should be developed in your interactions with the victim?

Trust; Understanding; Partnership

300

What is it important to do if a victim's interpretation of her situation seems "off"?

Share your knowledge and concerns about how the situation looks to you as an objective observer with specialized knowledge about domestic violence

400

What are the main principles of advocacy?

Everyone should have the opportunity to live a life free of violence

Violence is wrong and harmful

Those using violence are solely responsible for it

Eliminating or reducing violence is a priority

500

What are some elements of "victim defined advocacy"?

Choices

High level of service to those victims both leaving and staying

Assess coping skills

What are her strengths to build on?

Meet the victim where she is

Identify relevant options and resources

Respectfully share your own views of the risks she faces

What would you do?

100

How would you answer a victim if she asks why some residents can "break" the rules?

We try to be flexible and base our decisions on individual situations rather than to be rigid with the rules.

200

Annie wants to go to a community event that lasts past curfew

If it is something that will enhance her sense of community, build social skills, or give her an opportunity to forget about her trauma for a little while, allow her to go

300

The new resident asks how you can help her when she is Native American and no one that works here is of her culture?

While some experiences may be common to all victims, we could partner with Mescalero to develop a plan that works for her and takes her cultural values and norms into account.

400

A victim who just came in today says that she is really tired and asks to skip the evening group.

Give her a break to deal with the trauma of entering a shelter.  If information that is important to her situation is provided in the group, share it with her at another time one to one.

500

A victim has used alcohol and possibly other substances while out of the shelter, what do say to her when she returns?

Address the issue of triggering of other residents; ask how this helps to enhance her safety; explore options for coping with urges to use; provide resources for groups or counseling; help assess her needs for any treatment at all; or outpatient; or inpatient treatment.  Does she need to be hospitalized to detox?

Safety

100

What major decision does the victim need to make when she creates her safety and empowerment plans?

Whether to leave or return to her abuser.

200

What will happen to the victim's safety plan over time?

It is fluid and will change as the victim reassesses her situation and what to do about it.

300

In what way might the abuser be a resource to the victim?

Finances; she won't be alone; he may help watch the children while she works; he provides a roof over her head; access to transportation; his family might be a support for her; he's not always "bad"; she is able to obtain her documentation by being with him; others?

400

What are some life generated risks?

Finances, substance abuse, mental health problems, legal problems, no support system, no transportation, no housing, geographic or social isolation, lack of child care, other destructive relationships in her life

500

What do you do if the victim decides to return to the abuser?

Shift your focus to understanding why.  How does that decision make things better, worse? Are the children going to be safe? Shift safety planing strategies to those of victims who stay.  Don't make judgments or be harsh.  Relate your concerns about her and her children's risks.  How can we help her be safer?  Does she want to remain in contact with us?  If so, how?  Welcome her to come back when she needs to.

Advocates

100

What power do you have over victims?

Knowledge, skills, role of an authority figure, you have the power over whether she stays here or whether she has to leave

200

What are some privileges you may have that the victim may not have?

Housing, family, friends, paycheck, opportunities, healthcare, racial status, socioeconomic status, job training and skills, education, stability, others?

300

What is happening when you have strong feelings about a particular resident and what should you do?

You may be experiencing countertransference, if a strong negative reaction, the client may be triggering to your earlier experiences or trauma or your personality type may be vastly different, she may remind you of someone or something unpleasant.  If the strong feelings are positive ones, you may want to "rescue" that person, you may see a lot of yourself in her, you may feel that you know what is best for her and feel frustrated when she doesn't make the decision you think she should.  Use your supervisor to talk things over and come to an understanding of what the countertransference is about and then how you can cope with it.

400

What kinds of self care can you do to avoid burnout?  What do you see as some of the challenges of your job?

Whatever is helpful to you that is not destructive in nature, everyone has difference methods of coping.  Identify positive vs. negative coping skills.

What can we do to help you do your job better and experience better job satisfaction?

500

What do your responsibilities include ?

Helping residents assess risks, make informed and knowledgeable decisions, plan actions, achieve goals. support the client whether they stay or leave, help with their self esteem whenever possible, initiate contact frequently, check in with her about what her concerns are at any given time, provide her with necessary resources, advocate for her with other service agencies, legal, and health professionals.

Environment

100

How can the shelter become more environmentally positive for residents and staff?

There is no wrong answer!

200

What type of advocacy is currently practiced at the Nest?

Service Defined

Victim Defined

Advocate Defined

Combination of the above

There is no wrong answer, it is your personal view of it that is important!  Do we need to change our focus?  In what ways?

300

What can we do to help support you as an Advocate?

Again, there is no wrong answer to this question!  It is important for us to know what would improve the environment or atmosphere of the Nest for you.

400

The Board of Directors has chosen to work towards adding space to the shelter, what are your wishes for the new space and any changes to the existing space?

No wrong answer, we value your feedback!

500

Tell us anything you think will help us work better together as a team.

Your feedback is appreciated!