Homeless Outreach Specialist Jobs

Salary: $17.83 - $22.29 hourly (GS.06)

Work Hours: Monday-Friday, this is a part-time, regular position working 28 hours per week.

*Schedules and hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*

FLSA Status: This is a Non-Exempt position.

Department: Office of Homelessness & Supportive Housing

Summary
Incumbents in this classification are responsible for running basic office functions for the Homeless Program as well as finding homeless individuals and families by meeting them on the streets, in camps, and other remote areas of the city, building a relationship with them, and assisting them in finding permanent housing. This is a full time position. Typical responsibilities include: Collaborating with local service providers; build and maintain relationship with landlords; driving and walking to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas; collect donations of household goods; perform office management such a paperwork and scheduling; driving to homeless service provider agencies to meet with homeless individuals and families; building a relationship with homeless individuals and families; filling out paperwork with homeless individuals and families; submitting paperwork to correct agency; following up daily with both the homeless individual and agencies to ensure paperwork is being processed in a timely fashion; attending weekly meetings and making daily reports to Homeless Program Coordinator; coordinating appointments with landlords and driving homeless individuals and families to look at permanent housing.

SERIES LEVEL: This is a stand-alone position.

Examples of Duties
The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities.

Coordinate with area service providers as to the location of homeless individuals and drive personal vehicle and walks out to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas to visit with homeless neighbors.

Finds, identifies, and works to establish a relationship with homeless individuals and families on by name lists.

Learns background of homeless individuals and families living in Chattanooga (noted on a by name list), makes a plan to find each person on the list.

Works a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the program, staff and clients and to be responsive to changing environmental conditions which may impact homeless people.

Drives personal vehicle and walks out to remote homeless sites in the wilderness, under bridges, and in rural and urban areas to visit with homeless neighbors. Finds, identifies, and works to establish a relationship with homeless individuals and families on by name lists.

Assist with caseload of homeless individuals and families while working to place them into housing.

Through visits with individuals experiencing homelessness, identifies new homeless individuals and families and gathers appropriate information to add them to relevant by name lists.

Regularly visits homeless service provider agencies to build relationship with agency staff and individuals experiencing homelessness seeking services there, in order to effectively pass on necessary communication to homeless individuals and families on by name lists.

Researches resources offered locally in order to match homeless individuals and families with appropriate services, agencies, and case management.

Assesses, performs intakes, and works with people to address barriers to housing, creating individualized case plans to achieve goals; provides follow-up case management.

Follows up and coordinates with agency staff regularly to ensure individuals and families proceed quickly into permanent housing.

Coordinates with landlords and drives individuals and families to look at possible housing opportunities in affordable housing units.

Coordinates and drives personal car to transport individuals and families to necessary appointments that will help facilitate quickly getting individuals and families into housing.

Attends weekly housing group meetings to report on progress and be assigned new tasks.

Reports on progress daily to Homeless Program Coordinator.

Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience working with and engaging with vulnerable populations. Currently or previously experienced homelessness. Your experience can be documented as work experience on your application and/or resume. And/OR high school diploma and equivalent social work or a related field with one (1) year of any combination of relevant education, training or experience sufficient to perform the essential duties of the job will be considered.

Associate's degree preferred.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:

Driver's License; valid car insurance; personal cell phone required for communication. Smartphone is preferred for mobile documentation.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

Knowledge of: motivational interviewing and practices; working with persons in crisis situations; local homeless service providers and resources for homeless individuals and families.

Skill in: prioritizing work; prioritizing needs of individuals; analyzing basic data and reports; creative problem solving; situational awareness; handling multiple tasks simultaneously; collaborating with external partners; and, excelling in communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, outside agencies, homeless neighbors and others, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction; techniques of Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, or other similar program, to safely interact with people who may be mentally ill, abusing substances, or otherwise confused, aggressive or hostile; leadership to coordinate work amongst other team members.

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Ability to work as a team member.

Ability to relate well with clients and staff.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Position includes transporting homeless individuals and families and meeting homeless individuals and families in remote areas of the city. This may include visiting locations that may feel dangerous, encountering living conditions that many might feel uncomfortable in, and walking, climbing, crawling, etc. to get to locations.

This position can be psychologically demanding and you may experience vicarious trauma.

Many individuals experiencing homelessness are also experiencing mental health and/or substance abuse issues, which can make communication difficult.

This program is committed to housing individuals and families experiencing homelessness as quickly as possible, and providing wrap around services for the individuals and families, regardless of current circumstances of the individuals and families.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Positions in this class typically require: Some strenuous walking, being outside in all types of conditions, lifting up to 50 lbs, frequent bending, lifting, kneeling, sitting, crawling, climbing. Walking on uneven surfaces.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Active to Very Active Work: Incumbents expected to work in the outdoors in all weather conditions including rain, heat, cold, humidity. Work is frequently outside of the office and includes frequent travel. Frequent walking will be required. May encounter poor living conditions May encounter some potentially hazardous environments.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

All employees must maintain Tennessee residency from the date of hire. This position requires a pre-employment background check, and drug screening.

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

230364 MH