CSC Youth Navigator

POSITION SUMMARY:

The youth navigator has an essential role in the Covenant House Florida Resource Center. The youth navigator supports young people who are seeking a pathway of independence and stability. The support is available to young people at CHF’s resource center as they move through the system from front door access to resource referral and stable housing. The Youth Navigator will connect youth who are experiencing homelessness or seeking services to resources and support by educating and guiding them through systems of care based on needs, youth choice, and individualized care plans.

All CHF staff work together to facilitate safety and comprehensive programming for youth in our programs. Referral Specialists facilitate the day-to-day operations and duties, provide essential supervision and support, including triage of door and phones, assessing safety, preventing, and managing crises, upholding programmatic policy and procedure, documentation, light cleaning and building maintenance, as well as being a positive adult role model that relentlessly engages with our youth.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Covenant House Florida reserves the right to unilaterally modify, remove, or add to any of the following:

1. Build rapport with youth and act as a positive role model and safe adult while maintaining and facilitating healthy boundaries.

2. Serve as the Welcome Center point of contact doing triage via the phones and for youth who walk-in for services (i.e. providing new youth tours of the Resource Center, directing them to food, hygiene items and other available resources).

3. Use Motivational Interviewing, to encourage and support safe, empowering, and appropriate alternatives to entering the homelessness services system if possible and help immediately secure safe and reliable shelter when needed. This includes navigating opportunities to use diversion funds.

4. Provide education about youth homelessness and about services available in the region and ensure that youth experiencing homelessness have easy and fast access to our network of services and support.

5. Complete internal and external referrals to support youth in their individualized needs.

6. Crisis prevention and intervention while adhering to agency protocol for responding, reporting, and seeking support.

7. Enter data from youth calls, walk-ins, required assessments and referrals into data entry systems (ETO and HMIS)

8. Continuously monitors current community resources available to youth and share resources with colleagues and youth.

9. Participate in relevant CoC meetings including but not limited to Youth System Navigation team meetings and youth housing prioritization meetings.

10. Sort and organize incoming mail for the center and program participants.

11. Maintain safety awareness of situations and spaces. Ensure that work areas are clean, organized and secure before, during and at the end of the shift. Report all maintenance concerns to the Shift Supervisor.

12. Be a proactive and involved team member by participating and encouraging youth to participate in CHF sponsored activities.

13. Be timely and present at all scheduled meetings, trainings, and shifts.

14. Complete the end of shift checklist to ensure the facility is prepared for next shift.

15. Perform day to day operations and duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION: Associates degree preferred in a field of human services, or two years of related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and lived experience of homelessness with the willingness to learn and grow skills.

EXPERIENCE: Experience in providing case management or general support to youth preferred. Requires a valid driver's license with own personal transportation.

SCHEDULE: Tue, Wed, Sat 10am-6pm, Thu, Fri 11am-7pm. Requires flexibility with weekly work schedule to meet the needs of youth.

SKILLS: Must be well organized and have strong verbal and written communication skills. Must have strong customer service skills. Must be masterful with conflict resolution techniques. Must be computer literate (Word, Outlook, Excel, etc.) Must be a self-starter and team player with the ability to work with other staff members, youth, vendors, and the community.

TRANSPORTATION: Valid FL driver’s license and good driving record, preferred. May need to transport clients/staff if required using agency transportation.

WORKING CONDITIONS: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work occasionally in outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs. on occasion, bend, sit and stand for prolonged periods of time.

SUPERVISORY DUTIES: This position does not perform supervisory duties.

EQUIPMENT USED: Must be able to utilize basic word processing, email, and internet programs. Must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in written form.