Shelter Support Specialist

For nearly 40 years, Connections for the Homeless has served and catalyzed our community to end homelessness, one person at a time. Each year we provide eviction prevention, shelter, and housing services to 4,000 people from across north suburban Cook County. Beyond providing direct services we also operate a robust advocacy and community organizing program to address the root causes of homelessness. The COVID pandemic accelerated our growth in the depth and breadth of services we offer and the organizational infrastructure to sustain this highly impactful organization. Connections is a radically reshaped organization deeply committed to demonstrating our core values in all relationships with participants, colleagues, donors, partners, and volunteers.

Join our dedicated team at Connections for the Homeless, where we blend a commitment to making a difference with a competitive rewards package. Our full-time employees enjoy a range of benefits, consciously crafted through an equitable lens, to support their well-being and professional growth.

At Connections for the Homeless, we recognize that supporting our employees is essential in achieving our mission. We are ready to invest in you as you make a difference in our community. We can't wait for you to join us!

Summary of Position: The Shelter Support Specialist supports the overall operation of the Shelter Programs.

Specific Duties:

• Assist participants with accessing basic needs, including clothes, food, hygiene products, etc

• Verbally de-escalate situations with and between participants

• Ensure that the environment is safe and community-oriented by helping the participants adhere to general and program-specific rules

• Engage and collaborate with participants to explore their case management needs and make appropriate referrals

• Collaborate with case managers and other program staff (i.e., program manager, nurse, behavioral health specialist) to create and implement service plans to ensure coordination of care for participants

• Develop an environment of community and respect among our participants by actively partnering with them to address barriers to success in their pursuit of housing

• Manage any sound or activities indoors and outside the premises at any time of the day that will interfere with the peace, comfort or disturb the quiet enjoyment of other residents, staff, volunteers, and/or neighbors

• Arrive on time and prepared for shift; Complete assignments and tasks thoroughly and in a timely manner

• Attend and participate in meetings and trainings as expected and required by the agency, including regular supervision and team meetings; daily check in and debriefs; agency meetings; multidisciplinary case consultation meetings; and internal and external trainings

• Ensure the maintenance of a clean environment, both in general communal areas and individual participant rooms including:

Patrol the property (including the interior of the building and the exterior grounds) at least twice per shift to ensure the maintenance of a clean and safe environment, both in general communal areas and individual participant rooms

Keep the indoor and outdoor premises and surrounding public property within a two-hundred-and-fifty-foot radius of all property lines free from rubbish, litter, debris, and other waste materials

Maintain appropriate data including shift logs and incident reports relevant to service provided into designated systems such as HMIS, SmartSheets, and Microsoft Teams

• Develop and maintain strong and professional relationships with fellow staff and participants through effective, and cross-functional, communication and collaboration

• Adhere to the Core Values and Code of Conduct for Connections for the Homeless

• Available to work all shifts and holidays as assigned

The following qualifications are requirements for the position:

• High school diploma or equivalent experience

• At least one year of professional experience in a behavioral health or social service setting

• Computer literacy in Microsoft Word and Excel and in client database usage

The following qualifications are highly desirable:

• Self-starter with the ability to multi-task and think creatively

Other requirements:

• Able to work independently and with diverse populations

• Effective speaking, writing, and interpersonal skills

• Remain on Organization premises during breaks/meal periods and until their replacement arrives, when necessary

• Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds and stand for extended periods of time

• Must submit to a criminal background check and submit to, or provide evidence of, a recent test for tuberculosis

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $17.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Morning shift
• Nights as needed
• Overnight shift
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person