On-Call Engagement Specialist(s)-Shelter Staff

Job Title: Shelter Engagement Specialist (Shelter Staff) 

Department: Social Services

Reports to: Shelter Manager

Hours: All shifts available- Morning, Swing, and Overnight: 8-10 hour shifts

Status: On-Call

Compensation:  $ /hour, DOE 

Location: East Multnomah County: Gresham Women's Shelter

Want to Help Make a Difference?  Human Solutions in the processing of being renamed as "Our Just Future", counters the forces that keep people and communities in poverty by building relationships and assets that create opportunity - today and for future generations.  

We partner with people and communities impacted by poverty so they can achieve long-term housing and economic security. We invest in affordable housing and community assets that contribute to strong, inclusive neighborhoods. We advocate with our community for policies and investments that expand housing and economic opportunity, eliminate wealth inequality and end poverty.

East Portland/East Multnomah County, Oregon is our home and the heart of our investments, advocacy and programs.

Human Solutions envisions vibrant, healthy neighborhoods where all people can share in the security, hopes and advantages of a thriving, supportive community. Human Solutions operates as a nimble, financially strong organization driven by our passion, strategic goals and guiding principles.

Diversity, inclusion and equity are fundamental values for Human Solutions, both internally and externally. HSI has an Anti-Oppression Diversity Committee, which serves as a sounding board for new internal policies and procedures to make sure that we're taking into account diversity and inclusion. It also helps with diversity-related projects, such as coordinating staff diversity trainings and providing ongoing input into our equity work.

Human Solutions is working to end homelessness and poverty in our community because everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

SUMMARY
  Provide direct service shelter staffing at the Chestnut Inn Women's Shelter, Gresham Women's Shelter, or Lilac Meadows Family Center. The shelters are intended to provide a safe and warm space for families and women, trans-women, non-binary, gender fluid/queer individuals experiencing homelessness. HSI shelters are low-barrier access for people who would otherwise be sleeping outdoors or in vehicles. Staff are to monitor the milieu to support participants with their independent living as they work to transition to more permanent housing solutions. Shelter can be an extremely high stress environment- participants may experience acute mental health needs, behaviors associated to trauma response, drug and alcohol use, and emergency health episodes that require an increased crisis response. Engagement Specialist work together to problem solve, act quickly, and be thoughtful with their response. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential:

• Work with the Shelter Managers, Volunteer & Donations, and Kitchen team, Engagement Specialists, and other agency department to ensure that the shelters are safe and welcoming to a broad diversity of individuals experiencing homelessness; inclusive of people of all races, nationalities, languages, ages, abilities, gender, and families of all configurations.
• Conduct full intakes and orientation with patience and in a Trauma-Informed manner to all new participants on a daily basis, including but not limited to reviewing Participant Agreements and Guidelines, shelter expectations, and emergency procedures.
• Provide ongoing services, connection to resources, and assistance in navigating social service systems to all participants as detailed on their individualized service plans.
• Distribute and prepare meals as needed.
• Offer blankets, bedding and other needed items in a fair and equitable manner to participants as needed.
• Assist staff, volunteers, community groups, and help them to have a positive volunteer experience in our shelter environments.
• Enforce shelter guidelines through Verbal Warnings, Written Warnings, Behavior Agreements, and Behavior Contracts.
• Hold participants accountable and conduct Exclusions and Exits from the shelter program when appropriate to do so.
• Notify police, fire, and emergency medical or other emergency personnel if warranted by events at shelters.
• Interact with participants, staff, and volunteers in a strengths-based, trauma-informed manner and always using an Equity Lens in decision making processes.
• Complete detailed and accurate Incident Reports that may be shared with the shelter team, agency upper management, JOHS contractors, and County/City officials.
• Maintain accurate, complete, up-to-date daily documentation of participants served and their basic demographic information. Enter data into ETO (Efforts to Outcomes) and ServicePoint (under supervision). Submit reports and proper documentation in a timely manner to the Quality Assurance Team.
• Provide regular fire and safety watch walk-throughs and record these on a form provided by the fire marshal.
• Record each shifts significant activity in each shelter's communication log. Read over previous shift's log entries to stay on top of shelter occurrences and provide consistency.
• Debrief extensively with coworkers between each shift, during the overlap time.
• Provide constructive feedback, open communication, and clear intention in order to provide the best shelter experience to participants and each other. Maintain an open-minded perspective to hear and accept feedback and redirection when appropriate.
• A desire to seek and offer solutions – Does the candidate handle conflict in a positive way, offering solutions and not only complaints?
• Frequently clean and sanitize shelter common areas, including doing laundry for communal bedding and towels, clearing beds to make them available for the next referral, fully turn over shelter rooms once participants exit to a defined standard.
• Process participant belongings when they leave shelter due to an exit or exclusion. 
• Take out garbage and recycling when they fill up to the outside receptacles. 

Secondary

• Submit maintenance request to Shelter Manager or Maintenance Specialist, follow up to ensure that hazards and safety concerns are addressed. 
• Restock bathrooms and hygiene supplies so that they are always accessible to participants. 
• A desire to learn and grow, taking opportunities to go outside of their comfort zone of  shift duties they're used in order to keep a safe and healthy environment. 
• Meet with supervisor and participate in department staff meetings and monthly all staff trainings as scheduling permits.
• Assist each participant in obtaining information about internal Housing Program as well as other agencies that may be able to help them access housing or other services, including but not limited to housing specialists, Rent-Well classes, mental and physical health services, benefits, culturally specific resources, and employment support services.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and abilities required.

Knowledge of:

• Social and economic issues creating poverty, working successfully with practices and techniques related to people experiencing homelessness in our region.
• Community resources and agencies providing social services needed by the homeless population.
• Basic principles of HIPAA, DV/SA confidentiality requirements, crisis de-escalation, Assertive Engagement, Child Development, Mental Health First Aid/ Suicide Prevention, impact of Drug and Alcohol dependency, Harm-reduction practices, Restorative Justice, LGBTQIA+ inclusive best practices, and Trauma-Informed Care.

Ability to:

• Stay self-motivated and be proactive in completing daily tasks
• Deliver shelter services in a compassionate and humane way.
• Show consistent work attendance as shifts depend on full staffing patterns.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with shelter participants
• Empower and support individuals experiencing homelessness and low income persons in life choices and change.
• Work cooperatively with other providers, volunteers, and staff.
• Develop and maintain productive working relationships within Human Solutions
• Be culturally sensitive to diverse client populations
• Prepare and maintain clear, accurate, complete and timely records
• Maintain strict confidentiality and professional boundaries with all households served
• Understand and follow complex written and oral instructions, guidelines and procedures
• Represent Human Solutions professionally, accurately and effectively
• Work independently and at the same time be a vital and contributing part of a team.
• Follow Multnomah County COVID-19 guidance for shelter settings

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• At least one year experience in a social services and knowledge or awareness of low-income or people experiencing homelessness and the barriers they confront.
• Experience with crisis intervention and customer service.
• Any bi-lingual fluency preferred but not required.
• General computer, word processing and spreadsheet skills.

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. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move repetitively up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds with long periods of standing. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

TO APPLYPlease have resume with cover letter and contact information (Name, phone and email) for three professional references ready upon applying. Letters of reference are not necessary, simply the names and contact information of people who can provide a professional reference. 

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