Peer Outreach Worker (MOC DG)

GODDARD RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CENTER•New York, NY

5d•$22 - $26•Onsite

About The Position

Goddard Riverside is a partner in the Manhattan Outreach Consortium (MOC), a borough-wide initiative serving unsheltered people in collaboration with community partners and healthcare agencies throughout Manhattan. The Peer Outreach Worker creatively and effectively engages people living on the street using a person-centered, harm-reduction approach. The position provides case management and assists with housing placements, meeting clients where they are and using motivational interviewing techniques. This field- and office-based role works in conjunction with MOC teams.

Requirements

High school diploma.
Lived experience of homelessness.
Peer Specialist Certification.
Valid driver's license and a driving record that meets the agency's auto insurance guidelines, including at least one year as a licensed driver and no suspensions within the last three years.
Ability to work in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word and Outlook.
Ability to use or learn electronic databases, programs, and funder-related software such as MOCapp and Streetsmart.
Ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Good judgment and ability to work as part of a team.
Ability to walk and stand frequently and lift up to 30 pounds, such as client belongings during moves.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree.
Experience working with people with mental illness or experiencing homelessness.
Experience in harm reduction.
Proficiency in Spanish or a Chinese dialect.

Responsibilities

Provide case management to homeless adults, with the goal of placing them in transitional and permanent housing.
Conduct intake, assessment, service planning, advocacy, referrals, and escorts.
Maintain client case records and enter data into MOC and DHS databases using handheld and desktop computers.
Provide follow-up case management for clients placed in housing to promote retention and document outcomes.
Attend staff meetings, case conferences, training programs, and supervision meetings; participate in program evaluation and improvement.
Coordinate client services with evening and weekend staff and staff from other agencies.
Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to promote wellness.
Canvass, engage, and maintain a presence in areas with high concentrations of unsheltered clients.
Participate in the annual HOPE count and quarterly counts of homeless individuals living on the street, including four overnight counts annually.
Build rapport and trusting relationships with clients who are more entrenched in the community.
Help individuals navigate entitlement systems and advocate for benefits, including recertification of Public Assistance, SNAP, and SSI/SSDI.
Maintain an active resource directory.
Provide support using harm reduction, motivational interviewing, person-centered, trauma-informed care, and recovery models.
Assess individuals for safety and advocate for additional services when needed.
Canvass for vulnerable individuals during Code Blue, Code Red, and other appropriate times.
Maintain clear and appropriate boundaries with service recipients and their collaterals.
Drive the outreach vehicle and use public transportation when necessary.
Perform other duties as required.