Organization Summary

The Hope Partnership Inc 

2420 Old Vineland Road Kissimmee, FL 34746

Hope Partnership believes everyone deserves a safe place to call home. We empower our neighbors to overcome barriers that cause poverty and homelessness by providing both direct services and advocating for social change to strengthen our community and build hope.

Position Summary

The SSVF Outreach Advocate will serve as a member of our Outreach team, working collaboratively with community partners to move those experiencing homelessness toward housing.

The SSVF Outreach Advocate’s primary job is to identify and reach out to veterans living through homelessness in Osceola County through direct street outreach activities. In identifying highly vulnerable homeless veterans, the SSVF Outreach Advocate will develop rapport, administer assessment tools, and facilitate housing solutions or placement into appropriate housing programs. This involves working closely with partner organizations and other government agencies to obtain the necessary documentation for each client. The SSVF Outreach Advocate will be expected to work in the field through street outreach, and complete office work by submitting documentation in a centralized homeless management information system.

Reports to: Outreach Manager

Salary: $35,000-40,000 plus benefits

Responsibilities and Duties

The SSVF Outreach Advocate must possess the ability to work with minimal supervision and exercise good judgment; strong verbal and written communication skills; data management, problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and interpersonal skills; ability to follow assigned workflows and procedures; ability to handle multiple tasks and manage competing demands; standard office computing skills required.

Client Care Responsibilities

• Assist clients with accessing resources, making referrals, and completing assessments; guide and support veterans through the housing search process
• Empower clients and provide assistance with goal planning and case management
• Assist in obtaining housing readiness documentation such as ID, social security card, income verification, and medical appointments
• Assist with landlord applications for permanent housing and in preparing/obtaining needed documentation
• Assist with a wide variety of support services including health, mental health, substance abuse treatment, benefits, employment, transportation, etc
• Monitor each veteran’s individual needs/housing plan
• Adhere to housing first and harm reduction models of advocacy with clients
• Practice motivation interview and trauma informed care principles
• Listen with sensitivity to other people’s feelings, needs, and point of view; demonstrates tact and courtesy in expressing options and ideas
• Assist veterans with transition to housing case manager, supports in new area of residence, and continue monitoring the veteran’s engagement with needed services during initial transition to permanent housing

Street Outreach Responsibilities

• Develop rapport and trusting relationships with clients where they live (streets, woods, etc), with a focus on connecting individuals to community, health and mental health care, and housing resources
• Travel to client’s locations, usually outside, to provide outreach and navigation
• Locate the regions of Osceola County where people are living through homelessness and identify the specific needs of these communities

Community Partner Collaboration

• Work cooperatively and cohesively with other members of the staff team, including participation in staff meetings, staff trainings, Hope Partnership events and Veteran’s Registry Meetings.
• Work cooperatively with partner organizations to ensure a high level of care for clients.

Hope Cares Day Responsibilities

• Help prepare the Hope Partnership’s property for a weekly community event.
• Engage in client care and street outreach duties at the event.

Data Entry Responsibilities

• Complete data entry in a timely manner.
• Assure that all duties are properly tracked and recorded for grant reporting.
• Keep highly organized files for each client and enter appropriate data into theregion’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field or 2 years of equivalent social services experience
• Veteran preferred
• Bi-lingual English/Spanish preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of VA, state, county, city, and other community resources
• Demonstrated knowledge of case management and in-field homeless services best practices including motivational interviewing, and trauma informed care preferred
• Works effectively with people of varying racial, ethnic, cultural, educational and socio-economic backgrounds
• Has basic understanding of severe mental health, physical health, and substance abuse issues
• Listens with sensitivity to other people’s feelings, needs, and point of view; demonstrates tact and courtesy in expressing options and ideas
• Displays appropriate, professional, healthy boundaries and exercise mature judgment and understanding of safety concerns
• Adapts well to changing priorities and challenging individuals
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Detail oriented with strong time management and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing experience preferred
• Possesses a valid Florida driver’s license and a clean driving record
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time
• Ability to work outside for extended periods of time
• Ability to move, lift, push, pull, and place objects weighing less than or equal to 10 pounds without assistance
• Able to pass a background check

Physical Demands, Environmental Conditions, Equipment

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disability to perform the essential job functions. Employee is required to: walk and climb stairs; reach with hands and arms; be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; carry and lift; climb hills; walk through wooded areas; bend, stoop or kneel; operate a computer keyboard; able to complete all forms in personal writing; make and receive telephone calls; use copier.Outreach Advocates will be subjected to extended outside environmental conditions while conducting various levels of outreach to persons experiencing homelessness. In addition to working in a typical office environment, the Outreach Advocate will engage individuals through street outreach in wooden environments, highly trafficked streets and sidewalks, other places unfit for habitation, and will be dealing with challenging individuals. Street outreach is conducted consistently. It is an opportunity for theOutreach Advocate to experience the day-to-day challenges of Osceola County neighbors experiencing homelessness and identify their needs.

Trauma-Informed Care Commitments

Hope Partnership is in the process of becoming a Trauma-Informed Care certified organization. We acknowledge the effects of trauma on all of our lives and particularly on those who experience poverty and homelessness. This understanding impacts how we view and interact with ourselves, each other, our clients and as an organization. In our commitment to be trauma-responsive, Hope Partnership and team will follow these eight commitments to facilitate healing from trauma.

• Nonviolence- Assures all members of the community are safe; does not harm others.
• Emotional Intelligence- Recognizes and anticipates the influence that emotions have on behavior., and uses that information to guide practice
• Open Communication- Practices awareness in communication with others; discusses issues directly and openly.
• Social Responsibility- Shares responsibility for doing good work, adhering to the rules of the community, and being accountable for their own behaviors and actions.
• Democracy- Encourages community members to share in decision-making; participates in decision-making processes.
• Social Learning- Creating an environment that encourages collaboration and learning from our mistakes without shame.
• Growth and Change- Believe individuals and systems can grow and heal; work to push beyond comfort zones through inquiry, self-reflection, or assessment, and acquiring knowledge.
• Equity & Cultural Humility- Recognizes that unjust systems cannot be separated from experiences and effects of trauma, centers equity in the pursuit of individual and institutional healing.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $35,000.00 - $40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Kissimmee, FL (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Kissimmee, FL: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person