Housing Support Worker

Company: Gandara Center
Location: Holyoke
Posted on: April 8, 2021

Job Description:

Shine Young Adult Housing - Housing Support Worker The Gndara Center provides residential, mental health, substance abuse, and preventive services for children, adults, and families across the Pioneer Valley and eastern parts of Massachusetts. Founded in the Hispanic community, we value cultural diversity and strive to provide culturally competent, innovative services to a diverse community. The Mission of the Gndara Center is to promote the well-being of Hispanics, African-Americans, and other culturally diverse populations, through innovative, culturally competent behavioral health, prevention, and educational services. The Transitional Housing Support Worker for the SHINE Young Adult Housing Program is responsible for maintaining a youth-centered, safe and therapeutic environment within a transitional housing site (both congregate and scattered sites) for young adults experiencing homelessness. The Transitional Housing Support Worker ensures that program participants follow program rules and expectations and receive necessary support services. The Transitional Housing Support Worker is responsible for ensuring that emergency situations are handled and reported in a professional manner. Empowering Lives. Restoring Families PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILTIES

• Engage potentially high risk clients in individualized case management, safety planning, and planning for housing, employment, and/or education.
• Establish positive professional working relationships with individuals assessed and served.
• Provide linkages to community resources which increase opportunities for stable housing and economic independence.
• For young adults in transitional housing, complete substance use, educational, job readiness assessments with participants and develop service plans with participants to achieve goals as necessary.
• Teach necessary skills such as transportation, budgeting, etc, that enable independent functioning as needed.
• Work with participants in transitional housing and the College Pilot around establishing a housing/resume history, overcoming CORI challenges, maintaining an income, and developing good practices of self-care, as appropriate.
• Provide in-home individualized case management, advocacy, safety planning, planning for housing, employment, and/or education to participants to young adults in transitional housing and the College Pilot, including, but not limited to the following activities: Assist participants in finding permanent housing, work closely with landlords, maintain contact a minimum of once a week, monitor progress of participants in accordance with tools provided and adjust as needed for 12 months.
• Provide aftercare outreach and assistance.
• Develop relationships with potential funding sources, establish and maintain community linkages and collateral contacts, including area shelters, and local housing organizations.
• Develop strong, supportive relationships with the program participants.
• Provide for client care and safety, and observe all safety measures.
• While working at the Brighter Futures site: assist in conducting rounds of property as dictated by policy, accurately log all required documentation, assist in performing routine housekeeping tasks, as needed.
• Provide appropriate, safe responses to emergency situations when necessary and to act as the program liaison with outside emergency services as needed.
• Provide crisis intervention.
• Notify the TH/RRH Coordinator and/or Supportive Housing Services Manager immediately in the event of a client crisis, suspected illegal activity or any behavior constituting an incident in the program.
• Recognize that diversity of each individual and family in respect to ethnic, cultural, gender and sexual orientation must be valued and respected.
• Transportation of clients, as needed, using personal vehicle.
  Required Skills LEADERSHIP, TEAM MANAGEMENT, AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
  • Seeks and uses management staff for training and supervision.
  • Attends Agency and Department required meetings and trainings.
  • Sensitivity to, and respect for, the diverse world views and different communication styles of individuals of diverse ethnic, linguistic and/or cultures which nurture and shape an organization that celebrates and promotes diversity in its workforce.
  • Highly effective and well-honed verbal and written communication and presentation skills in English; interpersonal skills necessary to persuade and guide both peers and other Agency staff regarding operational matters.
    Required Experience KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
    • Bachelor's degree preferred.
    • Associates degree and/or 2 years' experience in homelessness services.
    • Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.
    • At least one year of experience working in a related field dealing with youth preferred.
    • Lived experience preferred.
    • Must have valid driver's license.
    • Must meet Agency requirements for driving history records & verification of insurance.
    • Ability to work effectively with other community agencies (i.e. School Dept., DCF, Juvenile Court, etc.) required.
    • Ability to structure and organize job responsibilities independently.
    • Ability to deal with diverse populations.
    • Ability to actively market and promote services.
    • Good typing/computer skills.
    • Commitment to racial equity and inclusive practices.
    • Must have availability of an automobile to transport clients or perform other supportive services as necessary.
    • Ability to deal with conflict in an appropriate manner.
    • Ability to master First Aid, CPR, Defensive Driving, Fire Safety and Crisis Intervention.
    • Must exhibit sound judgment in implementing program and agency policy and procedures.
    • Complete all required documentation not limited to, but to include: Incident reports, log documentation, and maintenance request.
    • Bilingual/Bicultural (English/Spanish) preferred.
    • Ability to be innovative, creative, analytical, and decisive in problem solving.
    • Attend scheduled supervisory meetings with Program Supervisor.
    • Commitment to racial equity and inclusive practices. BENEFITS
      • Retirement Plan 403(b)
      • Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
      • Paid vacations
      • Paid Holidays
      • 8 discretionary days a year The Gandara Mental Health Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 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. Gndara Center provides residential, mental health, substance abuse and preventive services for children, adults and families across the Pioneer Valley and eastern parts of Massachusetts. Founded in the Hispanic community, we value cultural diversity and strive to provide culturally competent, innovative services to a diverse community.MassLive.com. Keywords: Housing Counselor, Location: Holyoke, MA - 01040

Keywords: Gandara Center, Springfield , Housing Support Worker, Other , Holyoke, Massachusetts