Safechoice (SC) Shelter Generalist

Status: Full time

Hours:  40 hours/week

Company Sponsored Time: We have a 4-day, 32-hour work week, and YWCA will provide this role 8 hours of Company Sponsored Time for you to use on Fridays to maintain work-life balance while maintaining pay at 40 hours a week. 

Pay Range:  $26.04 + $1/hour shelter differential and $1/hour bi-lingual differential available 

Benefits: Visit our Benefits and Perks Tab by Clicking Here 

Mission:

We’ve identified the day-to-day responsibilities linked to each position. In addition to the position specific responsibilities provided below, each YWCA Clark County employee must share responsibility for upholding and modeling the organization’s core value on a daily basis:

• Gain approval for, track, and participate in activities that meet the organization's 1% for Social Change initiative. 
• Incorporate the YWCA’s commitment to social justice by understanding how racism, sexism, classism, and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions. Seek opportunities for continued learning about racial, gender and class equity.
• Assure that participants, staff, volunteers, and community partners are treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background.
• Provide leadership and direction to program staff, ensuring YWCA’s commitment to racial and gender justice is embedded in program decisions and operations. 
• Think through the lens of racial equity and its intersections with poverty. Use the core principles of
• anti-racism and grounding those principles in all daily tasks

Direct Services and Program

• Provide 24-hour back up support for shelter staff on a rotating basis, with colleagues.
• Manage shelter schedule updates or changes and secure shift coverage for call outs while on back up shifts and communicate schedule updaes to supervisors as needed.
• Provide support and shelter program training for SafeChoice staff, volunteers and interns.
• Work closely with the Director of Shelter Services to assist in completing reports for the shelter program.
• Make program expenses in line with contract requirements and track expense.
• Collaborate with community partners and share information on available housing resources with SafeChoice.
• Provide domestic violence trainings to community members and provide presentations on SafeChoice Shelter services to various groups. Engage in community education and policy advocacy regarding domestic violence and homelessness.
• Provide a survivor-centered, empowerment-based approach to advocacy, effectively supporting survivors and families in identifying their own needs and goals and increasing survivor safety.
• Respond to survivors on domestic violence hotline calls, complete phone screens, intakes, housing assessments and provide in person advocacy based case management.
• Address safety and housing barriers for shelter participants, supporting persons with exiting to safe and permanent housing. 
• Advocate and provider services for survivors as needed in the shelter program and help to maintain a survivor centered program.
• Work independently to complete assigned tasks and provide training support to staff and volunteers in collaboration with other shelter leadership staff.
• Maintain knowledge of best practices for serving survivors in shelter programs, such as Empowerment Based Advocacy, Domestic Violence Housing First Model, Active Engagement and Trauma Informed Care.
• Utilize strong de-escalation and empowerment skills to best support survivors and families impacted by domestic violence and to minimize the effects of secondary trauma.
• Be present for and appropriately participate in staff meetings as required.
• Establish and maintain a record of impeccable dependability with regards to punctuality, following call-out procedures, and adhering to the policies, practices, and guidelines set by the organization and SafeChoice.
• Ability to be flexible with the schedule and day-to-day tasks, and prioritize appropriately.
• Maintain a calm and professional demeanor while working in a high-stress and unpredictable environment, including flexibility in last minute shift coverage changes.
• Maintain appropriate personal/professional boundaries with participants and co-workers to maintain clear, open, and unbiased lines of communication.
• Supervise volunteers and interns, in collaboration with other staff persons.
• Maintain records and data collection for federal, state, and other appropratie funding sources. 
• Enter data into Empower DB, Homeless Information Management System (HMIS), Infonet or other databases as required by funding.
• Routinely lift up to 20 pounds, sit or stand for long periods of time. 

There is a strong social justice component to all program positions within YWCA, requiring critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty and other forms of oppression. Knowing the core principles of anti-racism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values. 

Required Experience 

• Six months experience in a social service position, preferably domestic violence advocacy or housing focused services for persons impacted by trauma.
• Ability to commute throughout Clark County to fulfill job responsibilities.
• Experience with Empower DB, Infonet and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) or other direct service databases. 

Required Knowledge

• Understanding of intersecting oppressions, empowerment, and the dynamics of domestic violence.
• Knowledge of trauma and best practices for creating a trauma-informed environment for survivors receiving services. 
• Has a strong working knowledge of racial equity and commitment to advance anti-racism and inclusion framework in programming, policies and practices
• Proficient in MS Office products.

Additional preferred experience:

• Six months of experience providing effective coaching, guidance, leadership, supervision to staff and/or volunteers.
• Six months of experience working in shelter or residential services for persons impacted by trauma.

General Requirements

• Complete and pass a background check;
• Complete the training requirements, pursuant to WAC 388-61A-1085;

Strong ability to lead: Generalist make sure daily work gets done and support co-workers with training.

Ability to work in a team: modify the way a challenge is resolved if it is in the best interest of the organization and participants to do so. 

Strong organization skills: maintain a strategic focus while simultaneously managing multiple projects, deadlines, goals, and program needs. 

Strong problem-solving skills: resourceful and able to resolve challenges while knowing when it’s time to stop and ask questions or seek additional guidance. 

Strong technological skills: effectively use common software programs (like MS Office, Excel, Online scheduling tools and PowerPoint) to fulfill position related expectations. 

Strong soft-skills: adapt work and communication style to mitigate unnecessary tension, improve efficiency, increase morale, and make programmatic improvements with little or no prompting.