Outreach Specialist

FORKIDS INC•Chesapeake, VA

17d•$21 - $23

About The Position

The Outreach Specialist provides rapid, mobile response to families in immediate crisis, providing creative, safe and effective short-term solutions within the designated service area (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk). The Outreach Specialist connects families in crisis to appropriate resources, programs and services in the community to facilitate long-term solutions to homelessness. The Outreach Specialist works a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends as necessary.

Requirements

Bachelors degree from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in social work, human services, or associated field is preferred but not required.
Must have a minimum of one year of crisis counseling and/or homeless shelter or other relevant work experience.
Considerable knowledge of social, economic and health problems as they relate to homeless families.
Ability to be objective and calm in a stressful environment.
Knowledge of community and social agencies and resources.
Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
Ability to work with a diverse population.
Ability to make sound judgments within the framework of existing policies and procedures.
Knowledge of the use of personal computers and standard office software.
Ability to accurately track and report data.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, co-workers and with representatives of other agencies and programs.
Ability to work regular evening hours as scheduled.
Valid drivers license with no more than three minor driving violations and/or accidents combined within the last three years, and no major moving violations in the past five years.
Ability and willingness to drive agency vehicles, including 15 passenger vans, as needed.

Responsibilities

Outreach: Connect with, and assess the needs of, families experiencing homelessness, imminent homelessness, or other immediate crises that threaten housing stability.
Assess the needs of families in crisis, focusing on those that require immediate attention to alleviate the risk of immediate homelessness, to preserve eligibility for services, or to provide short-term housing.
Use Emergency Assistance funds as needed to facilitate safe and effective solutions to identified needs and to relieve the immediate crisis.
Provide support and assistance to families to ensure the immediate crisis is resolved and family is stabilized with appropriate short-term shelter until long-term assistance is available.
Connect families in crisis with appropriate community services and programs for long-term solutions to homelessness, ensuring that the household understands the requirements and purpose of the program to which they are being referred.
Complete home/field visits and provide transportation as necessary to assist with emergency housing placement and crisis stabilization.
In coordination with the Crisis Response Director attend and/or coordinate agency staff attendance at community outreach events throughout the designated service area (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk).
In collaboration with the Crisis Response Director, create and implement an outreach plan that ensures that face-to-face services are available to families in need across the designated area (Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk).
Consistently complete all screening forms, Client Point documents, monthly grant reports and other required documentation in a timely and accurate manner.
Attend staff meetings and in-service training as needed or necessary.
Establish a good working relationship with other public and private agencies/services, and interface collaboratively.
Research programs and regularly make contact with local service providers; inform resource specialist of any new or changing programs that can be of use to the hotline as a whole for updating in ResourcePoint.
Other duties as assigned.
Complete appropriate housing assessments based on agency poilcies and CoC requirements, collaborating independently of the services team to identify the most appropriate housing placement based on level of needs.
Use a housing first approach to rapidly re-house families to address or eliminate barriers to maintaining and sustaining housing.
Develop and cultivate relationships with local property management agencies to seek housing for clients and to encourage property managers to modify tenant selection criteria to accommodate clients facing homelessness.
Assist clients in becoming familiar and identifying financial concerns that could cause possible housing placement barriers.
Assist clients in developing realistic housing expectations, ensuring that the cost of identified housing is within clients means to maintain after graduating from the program and that it is reasonable and within local fair market rent.
Encourage and assist clients by training and coaching activities in housing/tenant relations and other relevant topics.
Coordinate transportation services and/or transport families to meet housing stability goals.
Monitor status of waiting lists for subsidized housing and inform all relevant case managers of opportunities available to clients.
Advocate for individual clients and guide them through the application and interview process for any prospective subsidized housing opportunities.
Complete Housing Habitability, Housing Quality Standards and Lead-Based Paint inspections to ensure identified housing is safe and adequate.
Engage in direct communication with clients regarding housing inspections and safe housing standards.
Other duties as assigned
Conducting/Assisting with job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and skills of the client.
Assist clients with resume preparation, job applications, and interviewing skills.
Connect clients to local and regional employment programs that can assist with resume preparation, job applications, and interviewing skills
Provide service to internal and external customers according to standards as outlined in ForKids Customer CARE Manual.
Use agency resources (financial and non-financial) prudently.
Acknowledge and follow financial policies of the agency.
Accurately complete all required data reporting in accordance with established guidelines.
Participate in all scheduled data collection trainings.
Participate in development and fundraising activities as needed and requested (ex: meeting with donors, providing tours, attending fundraising events).
Regularly engage, support and collaborate with volunteers to provide a meaningful experience.