Social Worker (Family Advocacy Unit)
Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia (CLS) is a non-profit public interest agency providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents. As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is both locally and nationally renowned as a premier legal services provider dedicated to ensuring access to justice for all low-income individuals and communities. CLS has ten legal units covering a wide range of civil legal services.
CLS’s Family Advocacy Unit (FAU) is seeking to hire a full-time Social Worker. Social workers team with attorneys, paralegals, and peer parent advocates to assist clients with special needs, including providing clients with brief case management, referrals to other agencies and services, and crisis counseling. Social workers participate in case consultations and provide resource information and/or advice to case handlers assisting clients. Social workers also attend case planning meetings and court hearings to support clients. The Social Worker is directly responsible to Managing Attorney.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The job duties and responsibilities necessary for this position include:
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Working with attorneys, paralegals, and peer parent advocates to assist clients facing involvement with the Department of Human Services, including providing clients with brief case management, referrals to other agencies and services, and crisis counseling
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Participating in case consultations and providing resource information and/or advice to case handlers assisting clients
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Attending case planning meetings and court hearings to support clients
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Identifying and connecting clients to needed services
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Organizing and participating in community outreach and community education sessions
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Identifying and developing relationships with new community partners and building upon existing community relationships
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Assisting with ongoing special projects such as policy and legal changes, grant applications, data collection and analysis, etc.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:
Supervise BSW and/or MSW social work interns. Responsibility for one’s own work product and work within a unit performing similar functions.
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and abilities:
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Provide a positive interactive liaison between the case handlers and their clients and other professionals and outside agencies
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Deal with people in a non-judgmental, empathetic, patient, and understanding manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism
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Exercise superior judgment, creativity, and decisiveness
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Listen to and understand information and ideas as presented verbally
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Communicate information and ideas clearly and concisely in writing and verbally
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Work with low-income and vulnerable individuals
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Excellent work ethic, organization, and communication skills
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Illustrate a high-level of commitment to racial justice advocacy
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Strong networking, relationship building and communication skills
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Experience with public benefits, housing, and education issues
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Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact well in a multi-cultural environment
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Ability to learn complex material quickly
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Initiative
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An ability to work as part of a team
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
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Masters in Social Work (M.S.W.) required
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Aptitude for or demonstrated skill in client interviewing, written and oral advocacy
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Excellent writing skills
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Strong computer literacy
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
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Fluency in writing and speaking a language other than English, preferably Spanish, is strongly preferred, but not required
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Experience with child welfare or family law preferred, but not required
To Apply: CLS will accept applications on a rolling basis until the position has been filled. You can submit your application on CLS’s website online at: https://clsphila.org/careers/ OR by clicking on the following link https://clsphiladelphia.applytojob.com/apply/zwmqvta5zj/Social-Worker-Family-Advocacy-Unit
What to Include in your application: Please include a cover letter, resume, three professional references from current or former supervisors and one brief writing sample (10 pages or less). CLS values a diverse work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness and people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, or child welfare systems to apply. CLS invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.
This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between CLS and the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFL-CIO and its affiliate District 1199C. CLS asks for a minimum two-year commitment from individuals who accept an offer of employment. The current minimum starting salary is $48,050 for entry-level applicants but that salary is subject to change or adjustment if an applicant has relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. Raises and benefits are also governed by that agreement.
Community Legal Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. CLS, Inc. does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, CLS complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.