LGBTQ+ Counselor Advocate

Position Title: LGBTQ Counselor Advocate

Supervisor: Clinical Director

Department: Community Programs

Full or Part Time: Full Time

Fair Labor Standards Act Status: Non-Exempt

Starting Salary Range: $53,690 -$57,330

Additional $1/hour for bilingual premium

Position Code:

Revision Date: July 2025

About Safe Passage

Safe Passage is a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the aftermath and prevention of domestic violence and relationship abuse. Safe Passage provides services to address survivors’ holistic needs for recovery and physical safety. Services include trauma-informed counseling and support groups for survivors, families and children, community education, and individual and policy advocacy.

Our Mission: Safe Passage is dedicated to creating a world free of domestic violence and relationship abuse. We support survivors and their families. We engage our community. We advocate for systemic change.

Safe Passage is an organization made up of survivors, women, trans folks, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, and LGBQ people. Oppression and violence disparately impacts us and we strongly encourage people from these and other impacted communities to apply. We aspire to foster a work environment that is inclusive as well as diverse. Survivors come from all different backgrounds, and so do our employees. We encourage you to apply if you believe you have the skills and experience to thrive in this role and contribute to our mission at Safe Passage.

Position Summary

The LGBTQ Counselor Advocate has primary responsibility for providing crisis intervention, education, and support, using an empowerment model, to LGBTQ survivors who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence; to serve as a resource for other Safe Passage staff and volunteers on the needs of LGBTQ survivors; and to conduct outreach to LGBTQ communities.

While the LGBTQ Counselor Advocate’s efforts will center on LBGTQ survivors; this position will also hold an explicit focus in serving transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming survivors. This counselor advocate will also serve clients of all identities as a member of Safe Passage’s counseling team.

The LGBTQ Counselor Advocate collaborates with other Community Program team members, attending the weekly Case Share meetings, covering helpline shifts, engaging in ongoing training, participating in supervision, and participating with local and regional committees and coalitions related to the LBGTQ community.

Essential Functions

Counseling & Advocacy

• Provide crisis intervention and counseling to people who are experiencing or have experienced

domestic violence through individual counseling, helpline response, and emergency walk-in

intervention with a particular emphasis on LGBTQ survivors.

• Facilitate culturally responsive support groups for LGBTQ survivors designed to support and empower those who are experiencing domestic violence.
• Assess clients’ needs and provide advocacy and referrals on issues related to housing, public assistance, immigration issues, employment, education, children’s issues and others based on individual needs.
• Design and implement culturally relevant, competent, and responsive services based on needs of the LGBTQ communities.
• Establish and maintain relationships and collaborate with other service providers and agencies serving LBGTQ survivors to ensure integrated support for LGBTQ survivors and their children who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence.
• Be a resource for other SP staff who are serving LGBTQ , non-binary, and gender non-conforming survivors.
• Participate in helpline coverage, as needed

Community Engagement & Outreach

• In strong collaboration with the Community Engagement Department and in alignment with the strategic plan, the LGBTQ Counselor/Advocate will represent Safe Passage at community events, conduct outreach and training, foster relationships with external stakeholders and collaborators, and supervise and help coordinate the work of volunteers and interns.

Program Administration

• Maintain timely and accurate data documenting all services provided via the agency database.
• Maintain client confidentiality and privacy in accordance with best practice and agency policy.
• Prepare contributions to reports for management, board, and funders regarding program services
• Receive programmatic supervision and evaluation from the Clinical Director.
• Collaborate with other staff and leadership to ensure consistency of program standards and agency policy compliance across the agency.
• Engage in training and professional development opportunities to increase skills and knowledge about current issues.

Expectations of all employees

In the performance of essential and general job responsibilities, all Safe Passage employees are expected to:

• Demonstrate commitment to Safe Passage’s mission and principles of diversity, inclusion, and empowerment.
• Represent Safe Passage in a professional and competent manner to clients, organizational partners, and other stakeholders.
• Perform quality work within deadlines.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments while contributing to a positive working environment for staff and volunteers.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.

Work Hours and Schedule

35 hours/week, majority of hours are 9am-5pm Monday through Friday with one evening per week and the occasional weekend commitment. This position has a hybrid working option, with at least 3 days in office and other days off-site.

Hiring Requirements

Education: Associates Degree in Human Services or similar field. Candidates with non-traditional educational pathways and commensurate life/work experience are encouraged to apply.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated understanding of domestic violence as well as its effects and particular challenges within the LGBTQ communities.
• Demonstrated understanding of the unique needs of transgender, non-binary, and gender nonconforming survivors.
• Demonstrated skills in outreach based in a community organizing framework.
• Demonstrated understanding of the intersectionality of oppressions and the vulnerabilities and strengths of individuals who hold multiple oppressed identities.
• Proficiency across the following skills: verbal and written communication, collaboration and organization.

Preferred Qualification:

• Bilingual (Spanish and English)
• Experience facilitating support groups
• Experience working with survivors of domestic violence and trauma

Tools & Technology Requirements

Tools & Technology Requirements for all staff: High level of proficiency and comfort utilizing and troubleshooting technology, including but not limited to PC systems, google suite (gmail, drive, calendar), zoom and web conferencing, electronic databases, and cloud-storage programs.

Benefits

Safe Passage is a supportive, collaborative workplace that fosters growth in its employees, both personally and professionally. We strive to hold an environment that encourages growth, creativity, and flexibility. We are advocates for livable wages, self-care and work-life balance, and our compensation package reflects this. Employees receive 3 weeks of accrued vacation for the first year, 4 weeks starting year 2, and 5 weeks after 9 years, prorated for part time. We provide three personal days, and ample holiday and sick time. Benefits include health and dental insurance, and a 401(k) plan with agency match.

Safe Passage works to earn its position as a justice-centered employer of choice in Western MA. Safe Passage provides a bilingual pay premium of $1/hour for staff who possess language competency that is likely to be utilized in their position.

Application Instructions

To apply: Send resume and cover letter with the subject to spjobs@safepass.org.

Application deadline for internal applicants is July 31st 2025 and August 29th for external applicants.

For more information about Safe Passage and domestic violence, visit our website at

Safe Passage is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong organizational commitment to the achievement of excellence, diversity, and inclusion among staff.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $53,690.00 - $57,330.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

• Northampton, MA 01060 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Northampton, MA 01060: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Northampton, MA 01060

Salary : $53,690 - $57,330