Housing and Aftercare Advocate

Summary of the Role

This position is responsible for building positive relationships with guests and assisting them toward ending their experience with homelessness. Contact is initiated by a lead or referral to MTM Housing from a MTM service provider or one of our Community Partners. The advocate will provide supportive empowerment services in the areas of physical health, emotional health, employment/training, money management, transportation, housing, life skills and social support for individuals entering into the MTM Housing to help ensure their continued success towards independence and permanent housing.

Job Plan

· Assist in recruitment efforts through being proactive and providing education to guests, MTM staff and Community Providers on MTM Housing and other resources available to prepare individuals for the next step in their journey to ending homelessness.

· Collaborate with services providers and guest, identify needs, create goals, provide empowerment services to guest before, during and after their time in MTM Housing.

· Schedule frequent one-on-one appointments with guests to assist with, review and set new goals. Providing hand on support as needed such as: housing searches, educating on public transportation, completing Housing Choice Voucher paperwork, completing applications, resume building, budgeting, etc.

Housing and Aftercare Advocate

Classification: Full Time

Reports to: Director of Guest Services

Effective Date: October 2024

· Oversee the day to day management of the houses through regular house and bedroom checks. Performing coaching with guests on areas of growth and communicating any maintenance needs to the facility services team.

· Oversee payment of program fees, employment verification, savings verification

· Identify and establish relationships with community providers that assist with barriers individuals who are experiencing homelessness might face in order to refer guests.

· Perform regular communication with guest service providers to collaborate on guests needs and progress. Act as resource for services providers if assistance is needed.

· Manage guest's compliance in MTM Housing expectations and when needed provide coaching, support, and accountability to help guest's get back on track.

· Assist and encourage creating community within the houses and development of other healthy social supports with guests through facilitating house meetings, partnering with local churches, mediating conflict, hosting organized events, etc.

· Serve as a liaison between MTM and housing agencies such as; private landlords, transitional housing, sober living housing, permanency supportive housing, etc.

· Provide advocacy and mediation when needed between landlord and guests to develop and a plan to obtain and/or maintain housing.

· Manage guest case records in guest's case file, Resident Tracker and Homeless Management Information System.

Qualifications

· Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite

· Bachelor's degree in social work or human services, or equivalent years' experience in a related position

· Detail-oriented, highly organized

· Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including business writing

· Valid driver's license

Working Conditions

· Regular standing, walking, climbing, crouching, bending, pushing, or pulling

· Understand, speak, read, and write fluent English

· Ability to communicate verbally and to accurately hear, with hearing correction

· Ability to see 20/20, with vision correction

· Able to lift up to 35 pounds occasionally, and up to 20 pounds regularly

· Able to use fine motor hand functions

· Frequently exposed to varying temperatures, below 32 degrees to above 80

degrees