Skip to main content

Job Opportunities

SPAN is looking for passionate, dedicated employees to work in our Emergency Shelter and Outreach Offices.

Please note that a combination of education, work and life experience may be considered in lieu of other requirements.

SPAN provides opportunities for ongoing professional development and training and is an EEOA employer with a strong commitment to Affirmative Action. People of Color, LGBTQ+ folks, and people with different levels of abilities are encouraged to apply.

About SPAN

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) is a human rights organization committed to ending violence against adults, youth, and children through support, advocacy, education, and community organizing. Operating since 1979, SPAN is the only organization serving Boulder, western Broomfield, smaller towns, and unincorporated Boulder County, designed to provide shelter and advocacy for victims of interpersonal violence. SPAN is dedicated to the promotion of social justice, diversity, equity, inclusivity, peace and non-violence for all individuals and their families.

SPAN Culture

SPAN team members are dedicated and work in a fast-paced environment with full days – which may include evenings and weekends for Shelter shifts – yet remain committed to a healthy work/life balance. While SPAN expects work to be taken seriously, it also knows the importance of having fun and the value of enjoying the work.

Our Organizational Goals

Foster Organizational Excellence
Provide meaningful and effective support and resources to adults, children, and youth impacted by interpersonal violence.

Violence Prevention Initiatives
Implement initiatives that promote safety, dignity, and liberation for all people.

People Centric
Engage team members, individuals, groups, policy makers, and the community at large in efforts that promote economic, racial, and social justice and an atmosphere where team members and clients are valued.

Inclusive
Team members are welcoming, inviting, authentic, outward-facing, and visible to all audiences, voices, and stories.

Apply Now

Current Available Positions

Independent Contractors Needed: Spanish Bilingual Attorneys

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence is seeking dynamic individuals to take part in an opportunity to support the SPAN Legal Advocacy program in its quest to assist survivors of interpersonal violence in our community.

Contract Opportunity

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence coordinates the Lawyers for Victims Program (LFVP) which provides attorney representation at permanent protection order hearings for victims of family violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Boulder and Broomfield counties. LFVP clients have been granted a temporary protection order in county court and are likely to meet the legal criteria for a permanent protection order. LFVP is designed to increase access to and provision of direct legal services. Victims who find themselves in need of a civil order of protection frequently face the formidable task of confronting their abuser at the permanent protection order hearing. Access to the assistance, advice, and representation of an attorney fluent in a client’s primary language isa critical component to establishing ongoing safety. Spanish Bilingual Contract Attorneys participating in LFVP fill a gap for clients tasked with navigating a legal system that is inaccessible to clients with limited English proficiency.

Contract Rate & Time Commitment

SPAN contracts with local attorneys to provide specific, limited services for a flat fee per case. Attorneys representing clients who do not speak English as their primary language receive $900 per case; representation for monolingual English-speaking clients is compensated at $1000 per case. The differential in compensation is in recognition of the additional labor required of Bilingual Attorneys to provide inclusive and affirming service to clients in their native language.

Upon acceptance of a case referral, the Attorney agrees to contact the client within 24hours, and to meet with the client on at least one occasion (virtually or in person) at least 24hours prior to the hearing. Case volume and attorney availability fluctuate throughout the year. LFVP Contract Attorneys choose how many referrals they accept; on average, LFVP Contract Attorneys take one case in a 2-month period. In 2021, approximately 10 Spanish-speaking clients sought services through LFVP. For the purposes of this program, a case will commence upon acceptance of a referral from the LFVP Managing Attorney and continue until either the conclusion of the permanent protection order hearing or the removal of the case from county court.

About You
  • You have experience litigating civil issues related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
  • You have proven written and oral communication skills in Spanish.
  • You’ve progressive experience supporting survivors of trauma and understand dynamics of violence which are enacted at interpersonal, institutional, and societal levels.
  • You’re committed to fighting for survivors, especially immigrant, limited English proficiency, QTBIPOC, and LGBTQI+ victims of violence.
  • You are authorized to practice law in Colorado and carry liability insurance.
  • You have excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, you can communicate with a variety of audiences, you appreciate the details, and you’re organized.

Legal Advocate

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence is seeking a Legal Advocate to join our mission to end intimate partner violence and domestic violence in our community. Everyone on our team at SPAN is committed to working toward fulfilling this mission.

 

The Position

SPAN Legal Advocates provide accessible, client-directed, trauma-informed, culturally responsive services to survivors of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, harassment, and human trafficking. SPAN Legal Advocates support survivors with crisis intervention, information, resources, referrals, and safety planning as survivors navigate legal systems. This is an in-person position serving Boulder and Broomfield counties.

Compensation

This is a nonexempt, salaried position. The salary range is $46,500 to $48,500 annually, depending on experience. An additional $100 per month ($1,200 per year) bilingual pay differential is available for proven Spanish language proficiency. Compensation also includes our standard benefit package, including a group health insurance plan, dental plan, holiday pay and paid time off, reduced rate Eco-Pass, Simple IRA retirement plan with 2% agency contribution, and Employee Assistance Program.

About You

  • You have experience supporting and advocating for victims of crime, survivors of intimate partner violence, or marginalized communities.
  • You have experience navigating the criminal, immigration, family, or juvenile law systems.
  • You have experience working in a professional setting such as a law office, police department, courthouse, or legal services organization.
  • You have successfully collaborated on teams and with community partners to deliver comprehensive support services to victims/survivors.
  • You have been active in anti-violence and social justice initiatives.
  • You have excellent organizational, time-management, communication, active listening, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
  • You have excellent attention to detail and knowledge surrounding confidentiality practices.

A Day in the Life

  • Respond to Lethality Assessment Protocol crisis calls from law enforcement and follow up with victims regarding crisis intervention, safety planning, post-arrest information, processes, and resources.
  • Connect survivors to system-based advocacy services, including but not limited to law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney’s Office.
  • Support survivors to file Civil Protection Orders.
  • Accompany survivors to and attend in-person or virtual court proceedings.
  • Provide resource navigation, information, and referrals regarding the criminal justice system, civil protection orders, domestic relations, immigration, housing, and other civil matters.
  • Communicate with community partners including but not limited to legal services organizations, the District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, court staff, as well as other domestic violence and social services organizations.
  • Conduct Needs Assessments and Intakes with survivors to determine appropriate, survivor-defined services, referrals, and resources.
  • Conduct Risk Assessments and provide on-going, extensive Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning to survivors.
  • Balance a high-volume caseload which requires consistent contact with survivors in-person, by email, text, or phone.
  • Assist survivors with completion of applications such as for the Address Confidentiality Program and Crime Victims Compensation.
  • Perform administrative tasks such as reading and responding to emails; scheduling meetings; documenting client contacts, case notes, crisis calls and client files; updating spreadsheets; preparing monthly reports; drafting Releases and Exchanges of Information, Service Verification Letters, and Case Assessments.
  • Collaborate with other SPAN direct services programs including but not limited to Counseling, Housing, and Shelter to coordinate wraparound support and services for survivors.
  • Attend weekly, monthly, and quarterly meetings and training with Legal Advocacy Team, SPAN staff, and community partners.

What You Bring to Us  

  • SPAN greatly values the lived experience of our employees, so the following requirements are preferred, but should not be a barrier to applying for the position:
  • A 4-year degree in Legal Studies, Criminal Justice, or a related field, or combination of education and experience;
  • Two years of progressive experience in victim/survivor advocacy;
  • Ability to multi-task, prioritize, produce work product, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and changing environment;
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
  • Computer skills including Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Salesforce, and Adobe Acrobat;
  • Valid Colorado driver’s license;
  • Access to reliable transportation with Colorado mandated insurance; and ability to pass a background check.

 

About Us

Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN) is a human rights organization committed to ending violence against adults, youth, and children through support, advocacy, education, and community organizing. Operating since 1979, SPAN is the only organization serving Boulder, western Broomfield, smaller towns, and unincorporated Boulder County, designed to provide shelter and advocacy for survivors of intimate partner violence. SPAN is dedicated to the promotion of social justice, peace, and non-violence for all individuals and their families.

SPAN Culture:

SPAN team members are dedicated, which can mean working full days at a fast pace. You’ll typically work during the day but there are occasional extended workdays. SPAN is committed to encouraging employees to have a healthy work/life balance. While SPAN expects work to be taken seriously, it also knows the importance of having fun and the value of enjoying the work.

SPAN’s Organizational Goals:

  • Foster organizational excellence – Provide meaningful and effective support and resources to adults, children, and youth impacted by interpersonal violence.
  • Violence prevention initiatives – Implement initiatives that promote safety, dignity, and liberation for all people.
  • People Centric – Engage team members, individuals, groups, policy makers, and the community at large in efforts that promote economic, racial, and social justice and an atmosphere where team members and clients are valued.
  • Inclusive – Team members are welcoming, inviting, authentic, outward-facing, and visible to all audiences, voices, and stories.

Application Process:

  • Please submit a resume and cover letter to hr@safehousealliance.org.
  • We like to receive electronic applications but will accept applications by US Mail to: SPAN, Attn: HR, 835 North St, Boulder CO 80304.
  • Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
  • SPAN is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all team members and to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at SPAN are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual applicant qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, or belief, ancestry, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), family or parental status, or any other status protected by law. SPAN will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Apply Now

Guidelines for Board, Staff, Interns & Volunteers

Non-Negotiables for SPAN

The primary expectation of all SPAN staff, volunteers, interns and board members is a willingness to take responsibility for their own responses and reactions to any given situation and to engage in a process that is ongoing and open to learning and feedback. The following “Non-Negotiables” are intended to help clarify the philosophical goals of the agency and serve as the baseline criteria from which we assess levels of appropriateness for working within the agency. Political education and active critical thinking are necessary components of our work.

  1. We share a basic understanding that
    • violence against women is systemic;
    • women are an oppressed group; and
    • oppression in any form (racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, cissexism, ageism, ableism etc.) is an act of violence.
  2. We acknowledge intimate partner violence as an action taken primarily against women.
  3. We do not blame the victim in any way for victimization. This includes:
    • respect for all people regardless of race, gender, religion, culture, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status or class;
    • an understanding of the use of violence that considers patterns of behavior, motive and impact, as opposed to a single act; and
    • an approach that is rooted in advocacy as defined by the client.
  4. We continuously work to recognize and challenge our own personal beliefs. This requires:
    • an ongoing process of becoming aware of our own prejudices and privileges;
    • constant effort made toward avoiding projection of personal beliefs about a client’s and/or their children’s circumstances, or assuming that we know what is best for them;
    • the responsibility to be aware of our judgments and reactions when others disagree or hold different beliefs from our own.
    • a willingness to share personal ideas and to receive feedback and challenges on these ideas;
    • the responsibility to challenge oppression and privilege in others and ourselves; and
    • full accountability for our words and actions.
  5. We demonstrate willingness to relinquish/share power and privilege. We are committed to seeking understanding about our experiences both as oppressor and oppressed.
  6. We have a commitment to ethical communication in all of our interpersonal encounters. It is our goal to support each other in this process.
  7. We value and are committed to social change through activism and community organizing.
  8. We challenge and avoid the use of blaming, disrespectful or violent language in our daily lives.
  9. We strive to ensure that our actions, with clients, each other and the community at-large are consistent with our stated beliefs.
  10. We believe that the use of any form of violence to establish power and control is not acceptable.

In summary, the Non-Negotiables reflect a process that occurs on a continuum. There is no finish line or ‘final destination’ in following these guidelines. Instead, we recognize the fluidity of learning and change. There are few role models for the implementation of these and similar philosophical goals. We are committed to participating in the process reflected in these “Non-Negotiables” to the best of our ability.

Ethical Communication

Ethical Communication has evolved into a practice that incorporates feminist, social activist, theological, multiracial and recovery-program perspectives, and it addresses issues of oppression and empowerment. While it is a useful means for resolving conflict, Ethical Communication is also a practice for everyday encounters. It reflects a social change paradigm, and it provides a professional standard by which to measure interactions with colleagues. It is a method that can work in a hierarchical organizational structure, provided that an abuse of power is not present. The practice of Ethical Communication maximizes opportunities for open and direct interaction within organizations while minimizing the potential for blow-ups and damaging incidents.

Social Justice Principles of Ethical Communication
  • Direct communication and resolution are primary goals
  • As members of a group, we cultivate open personal agendas vs. secret agendas
  • No one is isolated or denied a process when challenges arise
  • We are accountable – individually and as a group – for the impact of unethical alliance building and power blocs on the group
  • Conflict and precisely focused anger can be instructive experiences and at times essential to reach true resolution
  • We strive to become aware of and take responsible action for power differentials (formal and informal power)
  • We notice and are accountable for patterns reflecting privilege
  • We remain open to examining own beliefs and perceptions without indulging in self-consciousness

Good communication skills can take a lifetime to develop: how do we articulate our views clearly, hear another’s viewpoint, and engage in disagreement in a way that is respectful and direct? Additionally, while conflict is a daily occurrence and can prompt us into action, how we respond to it, our motives and our methods for handling it is the ethical challenge. Developing facilitation skills in Ethical Communication can lead to resolution among individuals and groups. Learning to give feedback in a direct, honest, and respectful way can improve our ability to receive and incorporate feedback for self-improvement. By taking responsibility to ensure a safe (though not always comfortable!) group environment, we are more able to take personal risks in challenging each other and in sharing new ideas.

When we model ethical standards of communication in our daily lives, we challenge ourselves to weigh and reevaluate the meaning of our words. When we hold every viewpoint as valid, even if we disagree with it, we dismantle the entities that seek to silence us. By focusing on the issue or behavior rather than the person, we receive opportunities to expand our vision by seeing things from more than one angle. By imparting respect and empathy when confronting an opposing viewpoint, we cultivate the wisdom and patience necessary for sustaining us through social struggles. By incorporating these skills daily within our professional and personal lives, we model behavior that is at the heart of social change – healing through action. Through ethical interactions, we broaden and strengthen the web that binds us to our common humanity.

These Guidelines are part of a larger workbook and training program on Ethical Communication, developed by the staff at Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence. For presentation information or to purchase Ethical Communication materials, please contact Ashley Bianchi, Training and Engagement Coordinator, at 303-449-8623, or ashleyb@safehousealliance.org.

Ethical Communication Checklist
  • GO INWARD and take responsibility for your own reactions and personal growth.
  • MAKE a COMMITMENT to yourself, the other person and the group that you will reach resolution to the conflict. This is different than wanting to prove that you’re right. You might want to discuss what “resolution” would look like for each of you.
  • Go DIRECTLY to the SOURCE of your concerns. This eliminates gossip, group fragmentation and putting people in the middle of a situation that has nothing to do with them.
  • Use “I” STATEMENTS, CLEAR LANGUAGE and as many SPECIFIC EXAMPLES as possible. This might require taking some time to first determine what the key issues are.
  • BE PREPARED to take the TIME to work through it. If resolution is not attained in the first meeting, then make a commitment to ongoing discussion.
  • Allow yourself be CHALLENGED by new ideas. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is ethical. Debate and disagreement can be healthy. It might not always feel comfortable, but as long as it’s done in the spirit of respect, it’s an opportunity for you to GROW (…and it can be done gently, too)!
  • Keep the GOAL of Ethical Communication in mind: resolvable conflict and unity. Reaching resolution creates power and cohesion in a group committed to social change.
  • PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!