Part Time Warming Center Assistants

The Salvation Army•Lockport, NY

About The Position

The Warming Center Assistant provides supervision and monitoring of guests and the warming center program, supporting a safe, secure, comfortable, and welcoming environment consistent with a low-barrier approach to care for people experiencing homelessness. The program is co-located with the Lockport Corps and operates seasonally during the cold winter months, seven days per week. Assistants help manage the program, address guests’ immediate basic needs, support daily operations, and connect guests with community resources and services. These are temporary, seasonal, part-time opportunities.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
One to two years of experience working in human services with people experiencing homelessness or poverty, or people with substance use disorder or mental health conditions.
Ability to achieve and maintain CPR certification.
Ability to defuse crisis situations both independently and within team settings.
Ability to document program events and carry out scheduled or spontaneous tasks.
Ability to apply training and skill-building information.

Nice To Haves

Additional education and training.

Responsibilities

Supervise program guests and explain program policies, rules, and potential consequences for violations.
Address immediate basic needs and orient guests to the warming center program.
Provide basic-needs supplies, such as snacks or meals, linens, containers for belongings, and hygiene supplies.
Provide conflict resolution, crisis intervention, and support as needed.
Assist community providers and social services with guests’ individual service needs.
Promote activities that build competence in activities of daily living and independent living skills.
Plan, conduct, and monitor guest group meetings and other activities.
Maintain statistical accountability, daily logs, and an up-to-date daily log and census.
Complete shift-specific tasks, including chore assignments, cleaning, laundry, and intake sheets.
Maintain shift-to-shift communication in the staff journal.
Answer the telephone and respond to inquiries.
Provide resources and referrals.
Conduct facility safety checks at least once per night, including checks of sleeping and resting areas.
Record maintenance or repair needs in the communication journal and immediately address immediate safety concerns.
Monitor the fire, security, and alarm systems.
Commit to a work schedule at least two weeks in advance; on-call duties may be required in addition to scheduled hours, depending on program operations.
Attend mandatory staff meetings and required training sessions.
Collect basic intake information from each new guest.
Demonstrate cultural competence and apply that understanding in daily responsibilities.