Emergency Shelter Resident Advocate

Job Title: Resident Advocate (RA)

Department: Emergency Shelter Services

Reports To: Emergency Shelter Program Manager

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Approved Date: October 2023

Approved by: Rex Brien, Vice President of Programs

SUMMARY

The primary role of the Resident Advocate (RA) is to ensure the safety and security of shelter residents, guests and volunteers while providing a supportive and welcoming environment. RA’s ensure compliance to the policies, procedures, and protocols of the agency and building. The RA is also required to perform daily effective environmental scans of the facility to ensure cleanliness of the building, track activities of visitors, volunteers, and residents, as well as communicate needs effectively to the team. RA’s will support the daily operations of the shelter, participate in daily resident staffing and documentation, perform resident intakes, track daily progress notes, mediate conflict between residents, and model healthy boundaries and communication.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities:

• Responsible for daily shelter operations that promote a welcoming and safe environment for residents, guests, and other visitors to the facility.
• Conduct intakes with new residents to include review of shelter policies, tour of facility and provision of personal care items. Ensure data is entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) accordingly.
• Maintain a safe shelter environment by de-escalating or responding to crisis situations in a professional and respectful manner, in accordance with Trauma-Informed Care and Harm Reduction best practices.
• As part of a housing-focused shelter, provide and connect residents with information regarding services offered at the facility through housing-focused case management and other community resources as part of efforts to offer residents solutions to resolving their homelessness as quickly as possible.
• Collaborate with case managers on service updates or needs for residents via documentation, email and/or verbal communication.
• Communicate with program leadership regarding pertinent resident issues.
• Monitor supplies such as bedding and towels and prepare rooms for new residents.
• Assist shelter residents with accessing services offered at facility to include daily meals, toiletries, cleaning supplies and other needed items.
• Complete required written and electronic documentation in a timely manner including, but not limited to, incident reports, shift reports, various logs, and data entry.
• Work together with other shelter staff to maintain a clean and safe environment by performing various cleaning tasks and submitting maintenance requests as needed to ensure appropriate health and safety standards are met.

Safety and Security

• Collect and forward all incident reports to the SAMMinistries shelter management team.
• Complete daily rounds of the building and accurately record finding or report immediate concerns to supervisor.
• Ensure compliance and quality assurance through routine review and maintenance of logs, files, and reports.
• Carries hand radio or cell phone and responds immediately to all calls and takes appropriate action in coordination with SAMM management.
• Respond to visitors, volunteers and residents’ requests, complaints, and inquiries.
• Ensure all visitors, volunteers and residents sign in and out.

Environmental Scans

• Recognize and respond to any significant changes in residents’ behavior or demeanor and report to SAMMinistries management team, case manager and other appropriate professionals, as necessary.
• Maintain an adequate inventory of supplies and distribute to residents as per policy.
• Complete rounds of all areas of the facility to ensure compliance with facility guidelines and policies.
  1. During rounds, scan and recognize necessary program improvements and make suggestions to supervisor.
• Conduct room and campus health and welfare checks weekly or as needed.

Practical Demonstrations of Life Skills

• Assist in ensuring that all residents are aware of all emergency procedures (fire, tornado, & other emergencies)
• Treat residents with respect and use de-escalation techniques in a trauma informed way in situations of high stress for residents.

Other

• Conduct intake and orientation for new residents.
• Attend all mandatory departmental meetings and/or training.
• Ensures that all resident data is entered daily.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None

REQURIED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Knowledge in community-based programs
• Ability to gain working knowledge of SAMMinistries policy and procedures
• Ability to act as a representative of SAMMinistries to the public
• Ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to prepare and maintain accurate records
• Ability to use Trauma Informed Care techniques
• Ability to use Harm Reduction techniques
• Ability to operate and work effectively in Microsoft Office programs
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Ability to professionally handle crisis situations

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Associate degree in social service, Community Health Worker Level I Certificate or related field or three years work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness and mental health.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Bilingual (English/Spanish) is preferred.

REASONING ABILITY

Must be sensitive to the dynamics associated with homeless families and individuals. Must be able to react swiftly and effectively to crisis situations. Must possess good conflict resolution skills. Logic and ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Driver's License. Successful completion certification in CPR/First Aid/AED Trauma Informed Care Harm Reduction and Housing First will be required within sixty (60) days of hire. Additional Training in: Motivational Interviewing, Time Management, HMIS Training.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Normal walking requirements include the ability to move in and around personal workspace and to and from other areas including walking up and down stairs several times each day.
• This position requires that most of the work hours are spent walking around and monitoring multiple floors.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, e.g., office equipment, file boxes, donations, etc.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment for this position is primarily indoors, with occasional outdoor activity required for supervision/participation in community events. Operating an agency motor vehicle may also be required on occasion. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Required to work flexible hours to include evenings and weekends. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This position requires on-site face to face contact with clients and program staff.

EEO

SAMMinistries provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, SAMMinistries complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation