Employment and Educational Specialist

Community of Hope•Washington, DC

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking two passionate individuals who are eager to serve underserved families in DC and values the impact that having hope can offer by working in one of our Short Term Family Housing Programs. We follow a Housing First model and philosophy, and work to keep families all along the continuum of homelessness – safe with a roof over their heads. As a Employment and Educational Specialist you will help clients residing in STFH programs become gainfully employed and/or increase their income by providing linkages to employment and/or educational options through direct client services. Our Approach and Values: We celebrate people’s strengths and acknowledge the impact of trauma on people’s lives. We embrace diversity, welcome all voices, and treat everyone with respect and compassion. We lead and advocate for changes to make systems more equitable. We strive for excellence and value integrity in all that we do

Requirements

Associate’s degree or two years of college required. In lieu of the education requirement, candidates must have a minimum of two years of experience working in homelessness services programs or the provision of social services.
Strong interpersonal, customer service, verbal and written communication, and organizational skills.
Ability to think critically, use good judgement, and maintain client confidentiality.

Nice To Haves

Professional experience in counseling, teaching, or coaching.
Demonstrated knowledge of local employment resources and the social service system.
Experience working in workforce development.

Responsibilities

Provides direct services to and meets at least bi-weekly with housing clients to achieve their employment and educational goals through actions steps such as resume writing, job interviewing, completing job and school applications, and networking.
Reviews past employment and education histories of clients and identifies possible barriers to obtaining and retaining employment and/or education upon initial meeting and as client information changes.
Researches and develops community resources for clients’ employment and educational development and provides linkages to clients.
Connects eligible families to TANF, assisting with applications, monitoring the status of the application, and supporting the client to resolve any challenges.
Tracks and monitors school attendance and works with families and schools to address any attendance issues.
Collaborates with case managers to ensure that CFSA calls for school negligence are made according to DC’s Mandated Reporter requirements.
Meets monthly with case managers to review and coordinate services provided to shared clients.
Provides training for staff on employment-related topics as needed
Maintains appropriate files, including detailed, timely case notes, Releases of Information, etc., according to the specifications in the program contract guidelines.
Attends scheduled trainings and workshops as required by funders and supervisor.
Prepares for and attends Administrative Reviews and Fair hearings, as needed.