Outreach Coordinator I

Ozone House • Ypsilanti, MI

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Outreach Coordinator is part of the Outreach Team, which is responsible for designing and carrying out the agency’s overall efforts to conduct school, community, and street outreach across the community, as well as in-reach at the Drop-In Center. The Outreach Coordinator is responsible for providing crisis assessments, short-term interventions, and case management, while working with youth to connect them to internal Ozone House services and/or external community partner services. This role will work with the welcome center to support young people in navigating housing situations and accessing necessary housing and supportive services. This position is non-supervisory.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work (or related field)
• Commensurate experience and education will be considered.
• 2+ years’ experience working with homeless, exploited or other high-risk youth.
• 3+ experience in crisis intervention and customer service.
• Comfort with outreach work and meeting clients in their own homes or in the community.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with public systems and other providers.
• Proven experience engaging with diverse identities, including intersecting identities of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic background and sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to best practices including Positive Youth Development and Trauma Informed approaches/models.
• Work requires effective written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills; ability to produce quality work within tight timeframes and simultaneously manage several projects; ability to participate in and facilitate group meetings.
• Demonstrated proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, data entry and web navigation.
• Possess strong work ethic and ability to take initiative.
• Demonstrate a high level of personal and professional integrity and trustworthiness.

Responsibilities

• Provide staffing coverage at the Drop-In Center, as scheduled.
• Plan and facilitate group-based skill development and other Positive Youth Development programming.
• Provide gateway to transitional age youth during daytime hours such as (shower, laundry, use phones, computers (for email, homework, job search and other supports), get connected to resources and services, basic needs items).
• Support with after-school open hours at the DIC for school-age youth, providing gateway services and skills-based programming and support.
• Provide case management services to homeless and at-risk youth and their families, including resource information, linkage, coordination, advocacy, and other assistance.
• Maintain an active caseload of 20 – 30 clients at any given time.
• Arrange, coordinate, monitor, evaluate and advocate for all services that address each youth’ unique needs based on assessments of their needs and developed goals.
• Provide supportive services such as obtaining vital documents, signing up for benefits, verification of homelessness, and connections to other housing and basic needs resources in the community.
• Regular monitoring, updating, and evaluation of individual service plans in conjunction with clients.
• Facilitate referrals and linkages to Ozone House and other community services and resources.
• Monitor follow-through and/or success of these connections.
• Provide immediate crisis intervention and short-term support to youth in need, both on-site and in the community.
• Respond to emergency needs and assist in connecting youth in appropriate services and resources.
• Create safety plans with youth to help prevent future crises.
• Document all services and programs delivered in accordance with agency standards.
• Collect, compile, and report requested program data in a timely and efficient manner.
• Contribute to enhancing and updating community education curriculum and outreach materials.
• Publicize and collaborate in scheduling community education and outreach opportunities.
• Attend collaborative programmatic meetings with community partners and other youth-serving agencies, as requested.
• Actively participate in work groups, advisory committees, and other structures created for the purpose of aligning resources and collaboration.
• Provide community presentations and attend tabling opportunities to educate and distribute materials about the specifics of our program and available services.
• Develop relationships with McKinney-Vento Liaisons; regularly and responsively communicate with liaisons.
• Provide school presentations (across Washtenaw County) to staff and students, educating youth homelessness and Ozone House services and programs.
• Assist schools with the identification of McKinney-Vento, RHY, and HUD eligible students and families.
• Conduct and provide needs assessments, crisis intervention, information and referrals (typically by phone) to families and students in homeless situations.
• Work with WISD Grants Coordinator and other community partners to identify resources and remove barriers, including (but not limited to) immediate enrollment needs, connection to special education services, connection to tutoring services, credit recovery programs, and other academic supports.
• Partner with PATH and youth to identify areas within the community and across the county where young people may congregate who are unhoused or at-risk.
• Conduct literal street outreach in partnership with a Youth Peer Specialist to provide outreach and referral services, targeting key locations and engaging youth where they congregate regularly or for special events.
• Participate in the annual community Point-In-Time (PIT) count.
• Be an active presence at the Ypsilanti Transit Center (YTC) by riding the bus, being present at YTC, and interacting with young people during peak riding times (2:30-5:30 pm).
• Be available to provide crisis intervention on an emergency basis to the YTC and on site at Ozone House.
• Form relationships with organizations and businesses in the Downtown Ypsilanti area in order to support in identifying and referring homeless or street-youth to Ozone House.
• Coordinate the agency’s use of bus tokens/passes by communicating with Program Directors and Managers any changes to public transportation, getting needed bus tokens for various programs, and assisting clients that are in need of Fare Deal cards.
• Communicate regularly with our funders at the Ann Arbor Area Transit Authority and attend meetings when requested.

Benefits

• BCBS health, vision, and dental insurance 90% employer paid for single employee coverage, 80% for family coverage
• retirement savings plan
• basic life insurance, short and long-term disability coverage 100% employer paid
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care, Medical and Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Accounts
• generous paid time off plan

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level