Housing Advocate

ORGANIZATION:

Area Agency on Aging and Community Action Agency for Northwest Indiana, founded in 1965, the
NWICA Mission is to ensure the people who experience financial hardship find opportunities, resources,
and respect. We do this by helping individuals of all ages and families, through direct services and
referrals.
Serving residents in Lake, Porter, Jasper, Newton, LaPorte, Pulaski, and Starke Counties

FUNCTION:

Reporting to the Manager of Homeless Resources, the Housing Advocate works one-on-one and in small
groups with individuals and families, providing in-depth assessment and NWICA services and
implementing case management techniques, to assist families toward self-sufficiency. Responsible for
acting as a resource to assigned families, facilitating assessment of need, goals, helping to recognize
barriers to stability, and assisting with the development of strategies for meeting families’ needs and
strengthening their support network.
The Housing Advocate is expected to be an active participant in the agency’s mission, vision, and values
and an active participant in promoting and fulfilling the ethical standards of professional case
management and Family Support principles. He/she shall work to ensure that consistent, reliable,
responsive, and high-quality services are provided to the agency’s constituents, partners, and
customers. He/she will demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative, and flexibility and will maintain positive
working relationships with all agency personnel, will be inclusive and communicative with all staff, and
will establish herself/himself as a primary resource within the agency for consumer empowerment and
self-sufficiency/independence.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
• Intake - Interview families and develop and maintain relationships which encourage families to talk
comfortably about their personal/family situation. Gather information necessary to assess family
needs and determine eligibility and appropriateness for agency services, as well as other
programs/services beneficial to the client/family and provide orientation to those services.
• Assessment – Assist families to identify barriers which prevent them from meeting their basic needs
and determine potential solutions for overcoming these barriers. Help families to recognize and use
their strengths in working toward their goal(s) by developing action plans.
• Referral & Follow-up - Identify resources within the agency and/or community capable of providing
assistance to the family in meeting their needs. Inform and assist the family in the process to apply
for and receive services and make appropriate referrals.
• Provide Family Development Services - One-on-one instruction/informal coaching to families, based
on their Action Plan which may include:
• Providing assistance to appropriate family members so they can obtain additional
training/education which will lead to employment or employment which has higher wages
and/or better benefits.
• Providing assistance, to appropriate family members, in job seeking/keeping skills which
will lead to employment thereby helping the family to become more self-sufficient.
• Encouraging the development of good self-esteem and teaching techniques/methods to
promote positive self-esteem in other family members.
• Providing parenting education in the areas of child development, parent/child
relationships, communication, guidance and supervision, etc.
• Teaching/encouraging, as appropriate, basic health/hygiene/housekeeping standards to
promote healthful, sanitary living conditions.
• Teaching home management skills including meal planning, cooking, budgeting, etc.
• Instruction/facilitation of classes/workshops/groups which may include skill development
in Job Readiness, Job Seeking/Keeping, Parenting, Budgeting, Stress Management, SelfEsteem, Meal Planning/Nutrition, Time Management, Leadership Development.
• Record Keeping/Reporting – Ensure that adequate program and participant records are maintained
and that reports, and paperwork are completed, as required. This includes factual records,
documentation of progress and observations critical to case management, keeping accurate
attendance records, travel records, monitoring reports, terminations, follow- ups, etc.
• Agency/Community Contact – Establish and maintain effective working relationships to assure
successful coordination efforts with community resources, including human service agencies,
organizations, schools, employers and individuals, and accept referrals from them: Utilize other
potential resources to the advantage of families.
• Interpret various state and federal manuals used to implement agency programs.
• Carry out mandated reporter responsibilities as required by the Child/Elder Abuse/Neglect law of the
state of Indiana.
• Attending meetings and training as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Ability to understand the vision and values of NWICA and to implement the mission, purpose,
and goals.
• Be aware of and comply with all policies and procedures of NWICA, upholding organization
values and client confidentiality.
• Knowledge and respect for diverse cultures/lifestyles and the problems of poverty in the
community.
• Ability to handle program and client information in a confidential manner.
• Knowledge of and compliance with Indiana Workforce Development Assistance program
regulations and ability to communicate these to other individuals and organizations involved
with the program.
• Knowledge of eligibility requirements of agency and community programs.
• Ability to facilitate curriculum(s) as needed such as financial literacy.
• Knowledge of all social and health resources in the community and ability to make effective
referrals to such resources.
• Knowledge and understanding of the empowerment and family support approach (Strengths
Model) to family case management.
• Ability to conduct family support activities, i.e., case management services, in a variety of
locations, including client homes, office, training site and/or appropriate neutral sites.
• Ability to conduct and/or review and interpret all required interview and assessment
instruments.
• Knowledge of basic techniques of interviewing and assessing a client’s situation as well as their
family situation, utilizing a standard agency process/procedure.
• Ability to establish and maintain a mutually respectful relationship with low-income community
residents, co-workers, employers, public officials, representatives of funding sources, etc.
• Knowledge of Indiana’s child/elder abuse and neglect laws and procedures and indicators of
child/elder abuse & neglect.
• Ability to implement concepts learned from training.
• Knowledge of office equipment such as copier, fax, scanner, multi-line phone, and computer.
• Ability to work effectively as a team leader/member.
• Ability to accurately perform functions related to employer reimbursement, budgeted amounts,
etc.
• Ability to communicate effectively and follow written and oral instructions.
• Good grasp of the English language (spelling, punctuation, grammar).
• Ability to attend work site regularly to perform job duties and responsibilities.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to use agency software.
• Ability to organize time effectively and set work priorities.
• Ability to accurately complete paperwork in a timely manner.
• Ability to plan, organize, initiate and supervise activities for groups of workshop participants.
• Skill in presenting curriculum/information in an entertaining/informational style which will
maintain the interest of the participant(s). The goal being the participant learning/retaining the
subject matter.
• Ability to deal with confrontation and stressful situations in a constructive and professional
manner.
• Ability to be a self-starter and work independently of direct supervision.
• Knowledge of assigned geographic area, business community and labor market.
Knowledge of the local labor market, occupations in demand and required qualifications.

MINIMIM QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or similar human-services related field preferred
or work experience in a related field.
• At least one year’s experience in applying case management and asset-building techniques and
practices with individuals and families
• Excellent writing skills and effective communication skills with staff, clients, service providers and the
general public.

BENEFITS:

• 401K 

• Paid Personal Leave

• Vacation
• Sick Leave

• 14 Paid Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program 
• FSA
• Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance (Cigna)
• Life Insurance 

• Short-Term Disability