Residential Support Specialist - Part time - Dunbar Tower

Avalon Housing • Ann Arbor, MI

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Avalon Housing is a nonprofit supportive housing provider that pairs affordable housing with services to help people remain stable and thrive in their homes. Using a Housing First approach, its services teams support tenants experiencing homelessness and may help address mental illness, substance use disorders, chronic medical conditions, and other needs through direct services or connection to community resources.

Residential Support Specialists are 24-hour front-line support staff who monitor the front desk, answer tenant and visitor questions, and provide hands-on assistance as needed. This part-time position is based at Dunbar Tower in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It includes a weekly on-call shift, compensated at hourly rates plus a bonus. New employees must begin training within their first 30 days; some training may occur outside regular shift hours, and all training time is compensated.

Depending on the location, the role may include assisting tenants with activities of daily living such as meal preparation, prompting, medication administration, shopping, and other hands-on support. The position requires a valid Michigan driver's license and reliable transportation.

Requirements

• High school diploma.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Satisfactory background check and clear legal standing.
• Two years of experience in supportive housing or another social-services setting, or lived experience of homelessness or supportive housing.
• Ability to work well with multicultural communities.
• Complete relevant specialized instruction during the orientation period.
• Demonstrate proficiency and certification in essential first aid during the orientation period.
• Complete training on individual plan of service (IPOS) implementation during the orientation period.
• Complete coursework on infectious disease safety and prevention protocols during the orientation period.
• Capability to execute IPOS guidelines, implement crisis procedures, and accurately document service delivery.
• Participate in client medication administration, including completing Washtenaw County medication training, maintaining certification, completing internal training, administering medication, and maintaining proper documentation.
• Ability to work flexibly as required by programs and staffing needs.
• Valid Michigan driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Ability to sit for long periods, drive a vehicle with passengers, communicate by talking and hearing, lift and carry items weighing up to 25 pounds, and operate computer hardware systems.

Nice To Haves

• Basic understanding of homelessness and characteristics of the homeless adult population.
• Experience with mental illness and chemical dependency.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse populations in a non-judgmental way.
• Capacity to respond to crisis situations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to recognize appropriate boundaries with clients.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Positive and enthusiastic attitude and strong commitment to helping people in need.
• Interest and experience working with individuals who are difficult to engage in traditional programs; tolerance and ability to engage people at their current stage of change; knowledge, acceptance, or experience with harm-reduction principles.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Check visitors in and out, answer phones, and monitor security systems.
• Maintain resident safety and security by monitoring general access areas and enforcing program rules.
• Intervene in crises, respond to emergencies, and initiate appropriate action, including contacting emergency response systems.
• Coordinate services for tenants and contact outside service providers as necessary.
• Work cooperatively with onsite staff and visiting service providers, and refer tenants to clinical and other staff as appropriate.
• Initiate maintenance requests.
• Attend staff meetings, retreats, and professional training sessions.
• Depending on location, assist tenants with activities of daily living, including meal preparation, prompting, medication administration, shopping, and other hands-on assistance.
• Take a weekly on-call shift.
• Complete required training, including training that may take place outside regular shift hours.

Benefits

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick, and personal time allowances; accrual depends on hours worked.
• A paid holiday every month.
• Life insurance and short-term disability coverage, with premiums fully covered by Avalon for employees working 16 or more hours per week.
• 403(b) retirement plan through Vanguard, available to all employees.
• Life/AD&D and short-term disability plan.
• Employee Assistance and Wellness programs.
• On-call shifts are compensated at hourly rates plus a bonus.
• All training time is compensated.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED