Shelter advocate vs activity assistant

The differences between shelter advocates and activity assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a shelter advocate and an activity assistant. Additionally, a shelter advocate has an average salary of $36,889, which is higher than the $29,611 average annual salary of an activity assistant.

The top three skills for a shelter advocate include crisis intervention, safety planning and client intake. The most important skills for an activity assistant are patients, home health, and rehabilitation.

Shelter advocate vs activity assistant overview

	Shelter Advocate	Activity Assistant
Yearly salary	$36,889	$29,611
Hourly rate	$17.74	$14.24
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	7,801	25,038
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	12	12

Shelter advocate vs activity assistant salary

Shelter advocates and activity assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Shelter Advocate	Activity Assistant
Average salary	$36,889	$29,611
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $44,000	Between $23,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	Maine
Best paying company	Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking	Smithsonian Institution
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between shelter advocate and activity assistant education

There are a few differences between a shelter advocate and an activity assistant in terms of educational background:

	Shelter Advocate	Activity Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Psychology	Business
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Fullerton

Shelter advocate vs activity assistant demographics

Here are the differences between shelter advocates' and activity assistants' demographics:

	Shelter Advocate	Activity Assistant
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 8.1% Female, 91.9%	Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between shelter advocate and activity assistant duties and responsibilities

Shelter advocate example responsibilities.

Enter data in HMIS and NCATrak.
Complete necessary monthly and yearly statistics for HUD and OASAS.
Preform regular chores and cleaning tasks to ensure the safety and cleanliness of the shelter facility.
Perform routine chores and cleaning tasks assign by shift to ensure the safety and cleanliness of the shelter facility.
Facilitate weekly case management sessions with all residents, focusing on HUD goals of employment, housing and self-determination.
Record keeping, data entry into HMIS data-base, statistics, compliance to federal guidelines, chart notes, file management.

Activity assistant example responsibilities.

Prevent or manage aggressive behavior among individuals and administer CPR in emergency intervention.
Coordinate and manage group sessions, including recreational activities for senior citizens and occupational therapy with stroke patients.
Assist children with homework assignments, peer mediation, social skills and daily program activities.
Plan and execute a variety of enjoyable activities for residents and rehabilitation patients in a safe environment.
Post daily to Facebook page and also all waitress duties.
Conduct dog walks and in home pet sits with precision.

Shelter advocate vs activity assistant skills

Common shelter advocate skills

Crisis Intervention, 24%
Safety Planning, 11%
Client Intake, 9%
Mental Health, 7%
Cleanliness, 5%
Social Work, 4%

Common activity assistant skills

Patients, 16%
Home Health, 9%
Rehabilitation, 8%
Senior Care, 8%
Customer Service, 7%
Good Judgment, 7%