Legal Advocate – Poverty Law – 2025-17-04

JOB POSTING 2025-17-04

• INTERNAL/EXTERNAL
• Community Legal Advocacy Centre
• Legal Advocate – Poverty Law
• Wage: $28.00 per hour
• Full Time: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
• Permanent

  Provide Advocacy on Poverty Law Issues
  Join the team at Archway
  Come Help Us Help People

  Location: Abbotsford

  On Site

Job Summary

The Legal Advocate – Poverty Law provides direct front-line support to clients experiencing poverty law issues in order to increase access to justice. The Legal Advocate also provides information, education, and advocacy to support increased understanding/realization of legal rights, legal empowerment, and increased awareness of collaborative options. Legal areas covered include but are not limited to, income security, tenancy issues, debt and consumer law, employment law.

Community Legal Advocacy Centre – Archway Community Services

Your Role:

Archway’s Legal Advocate – Poverty Law with the Community Legal Advocacy Centre contributes by:

• Supporting clients to understand their legal rights and responsibilities and resolving their legal issues.
• Interviewing and assessing client poverty legal issues and determining courses of action.
• Providing information, insight, and advocacy and if appropriate, representation at a tribunal level.
• Providing clients with legal information and assistance (e.g., income assistance, housing – residential tenancy and employment standards and disability applications).
• Assisting clients with completing applications, forms, tribunal appeal documents and letters as appropriate.
• Supporting and encouraging clients to engage in self-advocacy (providing self-help material). 

This position is a great fit for someone who is compassionate and understands the barriers clients face when accessing justice.

Our Offer

• Wage: $28.00 per hour
• A permanent, full-time position at 35 hours per week, availability Mondays to Fridays, from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

Benefits include:

• Three weeks pro-rated vacation in your first year; four weeks in your second year.
• A great benefits plan including extended health and dental; you choose your plan.
• A pension plan: Archway meets your contribution.
• Opportunity to exchange a statutory holiday for a cultural day celebration.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program.
• Access to online wellness resources including newsletters, physical health videos, and wellness events.
• Free use of Archway’s wellness equipment.
• Great in-house training opportunities.
• Business insurance and associated mileage costs for program-related driving is covered by Archway.
• Rewarding work in a positive environment.

Getting an Interview–you will be considered if you have:

• A minimum two years’ post-secondary education with preference to those with a diploma/degree in the social service-related field.
• Experience working alongside individuals who have been traditionally marginalized (e.g., individuals who are underserved and underrepresented).
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge of legal/community resources and familiarity with poverty/social justice issues.
• Experience in tenant, disability, and income support programs advocacy and, an ability to read, interpret and understand legislation.

The Job Requires you to have:

• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills including ease in addressing large groups and communicating with diverse workgroups.
• Knowledge of local community resources and an awareness and understanding of poverty related issues.
• Strong competency with computers; able to use Microsoft Office365 particularly Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong planning, organizing, and time management skills; able to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong record keeping, communication and administrative skills.
• Skills in working with sensitive issues and commitment to respecting the confidential nature of the program.
• A valid BC Driver’s License, with a satisfactory driver’s record.
• A reliable, personal vehicle is required for program-related driving.
• The ability to function independently and as part of a team, with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability for long periods of sitting, being on the phone and at a computer.
• Ability to interact with people in difficult situations.
• Ability for occasional shifts outside of the advocate’s main location.
• A satisfactory Criminal Records Check is a condition of employment.