Residential Engagement Specialist – Hope Hall

VOA Illinois•Chicago, IL

10d•$17 - $20

About The Position

Residential Engagement Specialist – Hope Hall About Us: Volunteers of America is a national, faith-based nonprofit organization founded over 125 years ago. VOA Illinois is one of the oldest affiliates of the Volunteers of America family delivering strength-based trauma-informed, gender-responsive and culturally sensitive programs and services at the highest standards of excellence to our clients. We have never stopped reinventing our services and we continue to innovate based on our communities’ evolving needs. VOA Illinois, a certified “Great Place to Work,” fosters an organizational culture focused on faith, innovation and collaboration. Year after year VOA Illinois expands and promotes from within, holding a workforce with over 50% having experienced promotion. Check out our careers page to find more opportunities at Careers - VOA Illinois . Position Type: This is a part-time, non-exempt position. Generally, this position operates in a professional office environment; however, this position requires frequent travel in and around the community by utilizing a personal vehicle or other methods of transportation. The hours of work are generally Monday through Friday, 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM, weekends & holidays 7:00 AM to 3 PM. Environment: Physical demands include sedentary work, operating a computer and other office productivity machinery with frequent communication with clients and colleagues of VOA Illinois and others involved in the care and custody of clients. The individual hired must be able to move, traverse and travel in the community in a vehicle, assist clients in and out of a vehicle if necessary and transport clients in the community. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. Core Competencies: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to meet or exceed the following; Drive engagement and communication with clients that embodies empathy, patience and emotional intelligence. Advocate for clients using active listening to determine resources and meet various needs. Collaborate with VOA colleagues, outside organizations or vendors, etc. to connect clients and obtain necessary resources. Display discipline in managing time and attention to assigned caseload, tasks or projects. Exercise prudent stewardship of agency resources. Exhibit cultural competence while serving clients of diverse backgrounds and commit to expanding knowledge and understanding of different communities and people groups. Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior at all times. Engage with trauma-informed care approach and practice principles. Recognize and display ability to de-escalate and resolve conflict as necessary. Program Overview: Hope Hall is a traditional housing facility that utilizes the Safe Haven model. The program is designed to reach men and women who have been living on the streets for some time and have been unable to find success within the general shelter system for a variety of reasons including mental illness and/or substance use disorder.

Requirements

This position requires a minimum of a High School diploma or equivalent with some experience in Social Services.
Strong leadership skills; able to work effectively with diverse populations and manage unpredictable crisis situations.
Highly organized and detail-oriented; proficient in data entry and Microsoft Office.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Passion for serving Veterans experiencing chronic homelessness.
Flexible schedule; able to work days/evenings, weekends/holidays, and participate in 24/7 on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

Veteran applicants strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Support operational control and program services to ensure the safety and security of the residents, facility, and staff.
Complete and maintain required daily documentation regarding participant conduct/needs/observations, and Unusual Incident Reports prior to shift end.
Aid in preventing contraband being brought into the facility through general observation, following engagement strategies with residents, and room searches.
Monitor food service, dishwashing and kitchen clean up to assure adherence to all established food safety and sanitation procedures.
Prepare and offer meals and make available per schedule or as needed for participants in the program.
Monitor facility cleanliness and report issues or concerns in program log.
Monitor/assure participants sign in and out each time leave and return to the facility.
Monitor inventories and usage of supplies for participants and inform Program Director of purchase needs.
Monitor participant’s compliance with established rules.
Supervise location of residents using established location tracking form.
Administer, document and count participant medications each shift. Inform Program Director of any issues with medication counts.
Monitor entrances to facility, video camera system, and answer phones.
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
Communicate to Program Director any identified issues regarding the safety and security of the building or of the residents.
Represent the interests of the agency, the program, and the program participants in all activities by upholding VOA-Illinois mission and values.
As assigned by supervisor.