Homeless Outreach Worker
hace 23 días
Nashville
Job Description Job Title Homeless Outreach Worker Reports to Senior Manager of Homeless Outreach FLSA / WAGE Non-Exempt / $21.65 - $24.61 per hour Original Date: December 2018 Revised: July 2027 JOB SUMMARY Responsible for providing street outreach to individuals who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Outreach responsibilities include: • Meeting members in the field and engage in basic conversation while assessing individual needs., • Provide informal one-on-one care and discuss available services such as housing and disability assistance, and mental health and substance use treatment., • Make referrals to other service providers or agencies., • Engage in other activities that promote recovery or stability for the individual, including assistance with obtaining identifying documentation., • Offer assessment and recovery services for persons with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance use disorders. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Conduct outreach to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Davidson County to assist in obtaining housing, income, insurance, and mainstream services., • Canvassing mapped areas of Davidson County consistently to locate and engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on the streets and in encampments., • Engaging people experiencing unsheltered homelessness to reduce the risk of harm and to enhance safety (e.g. increasing access to cold weather gear, crisis services, etc.), • Attempting to engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in a manner that promotes trust, safety, and autonomy, while developing relevant goals., • Guiding people to achieve and maintain positive change. Reinforcing healthy behaviors and supporting skill-building and the development of needed support., • Interviewing people experiencing homelessness to gather needed information and documentation for housing and services including the VI-SPDAT, universal data elements for HMIS and other required HMIS data elements for Coordinated Entry and any grant specified requirements., • Establishes rapport with individuals who are experiencing homelessness and gathers information to serve them better. Trust building activities like meeting the client where they are—from campsites to community feedings—is emphasized., • Assist members in obtaining identifying documentation such as a social security card, birth certificate, and state ID or driver’s license., • Is trained in housing navigation through Nashville’s Coordinated Entry System and assists all appropriate members through the housing application process., • Linking people experiencing homelessness to mainstream services like housing navigation, healthcare, SNAP, SOAR services, etc., • Value cultural competence and diversity, • Collaborate with staff, members, and the community to gain the perspectives of others having diverse opinions, abilities, values, beliefs, perspectives, and ethnic or cultural backgrounds., • Take deliberate steps to increase your own cultural competency by attending trainings, events, discussions, workshops, etc., • Other duties, • Attends local community meetings regarding homeless services and advocacy including Outreach meetings, Nashville Coalition for the Homeless meetings, Coordinated Entry System Care Coordination meetings, etc., • Participates in other Park Center agency activities such as special events and working designated holidays, including Thanksgiving or Christmas, as scheduled., • Participates in annual Point in Time Count which involves working overnight to take a census of the local homeless population., • Adheres to all program policies and procedures., • Completes documentation of each member encounter within 3 business days of the encounter., • Will be cross trained in other job duties, such as SOAR and housing navigation, to act as a support person to co-workers on the outreach team., • Completes all other duties as assigned. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS • Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Sociology, Social Work or related field preferred; or equivalent experience in social services field (ex. Peer Support Certification and experience)., • Minimum 1-year prior experience navigating or working in the social services, homelessness, or mental health and substance use field., • Experience as team lead in prior roles or leadership positions preferred., • Eager to learn, • Committed to customer service, • Ability to receive constructive feedback and incorporate feedback into practice, • Demonstrate commitment to org mission and values, • Deep understanding and appreciation for how social inequities impact health and housing outcomes., • Strong ability to work within a team with flexibility to help with coverage., • Strong time management skills and ability to independently meet deadlines., • Strong communication skills and ability to foster partnerships with other providers., • Ability to work in a professional and ethical manner., • Must have proven written and verbal communication skills and computer literacy., • Must have a valid drivers’ license, • Must be able to show proof of personal automobile insurance., • Must be insurable under Park Center's automobile insurance. WORKING CONDITIONS • Will have a desk, workstation, cell phone, and a shared office, • Able to operate with many distractions, • Hybrid office environment, • Home office environment must be able to provide privacy due to HIPPA information, • Commitment to consistent communication with teammates and supervisors regarding location while in the field, in case of emergency, or to ask for assistance, • Spends considerable amount of time “in the field,” including on the streets, in homeless camps, and at other community agencies and where individuals experiencing homelessness congregate., • Able to use vehicle to transport clients, • Unpredictable and potentially unsafe work environments when “in the field,” i.e. in homeless camps, • Supportive team environment and safety policies designed to limit risk exposure, • In the event of a public health crisis, certain precautions and personal protective equipment may be employed and required for the safety of staff and members PHYSICAL DEMANDS • Able to sit or stand for long periods of time, • Able to move or lift to ten pounds, • Able to climb inclines such as under bridges, • Able to walk on unsteady ground such as in the woods to reach encampments, • Acts as a lead outreach worker and provide support to other coworkers on a day to day basis., • Completes reports to know how many members have been served., • Assist the Director with training of other coworkers., • Assists provide coverage to coworkers., • Completes all other duties as assigned. DIRECT REPORTS None SCHEDULE Monday through Friday start time options are as follows: 7:30am-3:30pm, 8am-4pm or 8:30am-4:30pm WORK LOCATION Hybrid: field work in Nashville, TN; shared office space (East Nashville office), remote home office capability DISCLAIMER This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and the employee will be expected to perform other reasonably related duties as assigned. Park Center reserves the right to revise or change job tasks and responsibilities.