Residential Life Skills Specialist

Catholic Charities•San Rafael, CA

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Catholic Charities St. Vincent’s School for Boys was founded in 1853 and rooted in our faith traditions of charity and justice, supporting families, adults, and youth through social service and opportunities for healthy growth and development. Our values are respect, compassion, accountability, and integrity. Our commitment is to support changing lives in the communities we serve; promoting a fulfilling and supportive environment; and involving the community in carrying out our mission. This program focuses on four underlying philosophies that are central to the services provided: Housing First; Trauma-Informed Care, Person-Focused Care, and Social Determinants of Health. The Residential Life Skills Specialist (RLSS) delivers trauma-informed, housing-first leadership and program oversight for Transitional Age Youth (TAY), ages 18–24, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Marin County. This role operates in partnership with the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services within Marin’s Transitional Housing Program model. The position integrates relational residential support, life-skills coaching, and compassionate crisis response within Marin County’s Transitional Housing and Rapid Rehousing (TH–RRH) model. Staff work alongside young adults, honoring their voices, lived experiences, and personal choices to support healing, autonomy, and long-term stability. The RLSS plays a key role in creating and maintaining a safe, predictable, and empowering environment. They support the participants in developing and pursuing their Individualized Service Plans (ISPs) by coordinating services across multiple providers, offering consistent encouragement, and responding to challenges with trauma-informed, empathetic, and non-punitive care.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience working with young adults of diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.
Experience with and understanding individuals facing homelessness.
CPR/First Aid Certificate and Clear Physical Examination
Deliver Individualized, TAY Centered support.
Promote Housing Stability and Prevent Homelessness
Knowledgeable of social issues, such as poverty, trauma, racism, that impact individuals.
Understands emotional and social development including the emergence of identity and self-esteem.
Ability to display and empower healthy life skills.
Ability to display organizational skills.
Ability to be consistently punctual and responsible.
Ability to remain calm under pressure.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage demands.
Demonstrates the necessary attitudes, knowledge and skills to deliver culturally competent services and work effectively in cross-cultural situations.
Fingerprints Required
TB Screening – Negative Tuberculosis Test: Required
First Aid Certificate: Required
COVID-19 Proof of Vaccination: Required

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Maintain a consistent, supportive presence during scheduled shifts to promote safety, predictability, and emotional stability.
Support participants in understanding and engaging with community expectations (house agreements, curfews, program expectations) using a collaborative, strength based, and non-punitive approach that honors developmental needs and trauma histories.
Participate in structured shift handovers and documentation that prioritize clear communication, youth-centered context, and respectful, neutral observations.
Conduct monthly wellness check-ins focused on clients' goals, strengths, safety, and emotional well-being, while centering choice, voice, and empowerment.
Collaborate regularly with the Clinician, Residential Life Skills Lead, and Housing-Based Case Manager to ensure coordinated, trauma-informed support and adjust approaches based on youth feedback and emerging needs.
Respond to elevated or high-risk situations with calm, trauma-informed de-escalation, promptly communicating concerns while maintaining youth dignity and respect.
Welcome participants into transitional housing with warmth, clarity, and respect, supporting safety, routines, and a sense of belonging.
Guide and support participants through housing transitions, including preparation for scattered-site rapid rehousing, with practical assistance and encouragement.
Build clients’ skills and confidence to support long-term stability in independent housing.
Provide welcoming, client-centered orientations that clarify expectations, support, and their rights within the home.
Reinforce expectations through supportive, non-punitive conversations and collaborative problem-solving, honoring young adult voices in shaping community norms.
Provide individualized, hands-on coaching in core independent living skills (e.g., cooking and nutrition, budgeting and shopping, organization and cleaning, time management, transportation support, and medication reminders, as appropriate).
Collaborate with participants to create weekly household and activity schedules that build ownership and agency.
Facilitate group activities that promote connection, learning, and shared responsibility.
Track skill development through monthly, client-centered assessments that emphasize strengths and growth.
Develop and support Individualized Service Plans (ISPs) and Housing Stabilization Plans that reflect each person’s goals, strengths, identity, culture, and lived experience.
Provide warm, supported connections to education, employment, healthcare, behavioral health, and community resources.
Advocate alongside participants to reduce barriers to services, documentation, benefits, and housing, including accompaniment to appointments as needed.
Coordinate regularly with internal teams and external partners to ensure integrated, seamless care.
Build trusting relationships through empathy, consistency, and healthy boundaries, recognizing the impact of trauma on attachment and connection.
Provide one-on-one support focused on emotional well-being, problem-solving, and goal progress.
Model positive communication, conflict navigation, and self-advocacy.
Participate in feedback loops (e.g., surveys, listening sessions) and adjust practice based on youth input.
Conduct regular walk-throughs to maintain a safe, welcoming, and comfortable living environment.
Support participants in maintaining shared spaces through modeling, encouragement, and collaborative problem-solving.
Facilitate community meetings that promote shared voice, mutual respect, and communication.
Document daily activities, incidents, and facility needs with clarity, neutrality, and respect.
Use grounding, co-regulation, and de-escalation strategies to support clients during moments of distress.
Participate in required crisis and trauma-informed trainings and maintain emergency readiness.
Engage in post-incident debriefs to support learning and continuous improvement.
Complete incident reports within required timelines, ensuring compassionate and dignified documentation.
Accurate and timely data entry that aids Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) reporting and case record reviews.
Accurate and timely submission of case records.
Serve on a quarterly case record review committee for Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) reporting.
Serve on department or program Performance and Quality Improvement PQI Committee responsible for monitoring goals and reporting.