Housing Specialist | Franklin County

Why Work for Gandara: 

Explore the career pathways in Behavioral Health, Substance Use and Recovery, Community Based Clinical services, Adolescent and Family services, Adult Residential, Maintenance and Administration! Whether that is in an entry level or leadership role, Gandara will provide the tools and resources to better enhance your career growth. The opportunities are presented with the ability to transition your skills and experience in meeting the organizations mission. There is grand landscape of opportunities that supports the community we serve, so Join the Gándara team today!

Benefits: 

• Retirement Plan 403(b)
• Health, Dental, Vision, Pet and Life Insurance
• Paid vacations
• Paid holidays
• 8 discretionary days
• Mileage Reimbursement

Additional Benefits:

• Career Growth Opportunities
• Culturally Diverse population
• Student Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
• Clinical Licensing Support

Job Title: Housing Specialist

Work Location: Greenfield, MA

*Bilingual Candidates Encouraged to Apply 

*EOE M/F/D/V

*Union/Non-Union

Job Summary:

This position works with Gandara’s Young Adult Housing Services program to assist young families and young adults experiencing housing instability to shorten the amount of time they are unstably housed and obtain permanent housing. The Housing Specialist will work with individuals or families for 12 months to maintain housing stability. The Housing Specialist will create housing, employment, and/or educational plans with the young families/ adults and refer for appropriate services and supports as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Works with the Franklin County Young Adult Housing (YAH) Coordinator and the Supportive Housing Services Manager to ensure overall professional services are delivered.
• Solicit/receive referrals and engage new participants in a timely manner so that participants experience the least amount of time of homelessness necessary or avoid homelessness altogether and enter into potentially permanent housing.
• Establish positive professional working relationships with families and individuals served and provide respectful strengths-based helpful feedback to participants regarding service plan progress
• Be knowledgeable of wraparound resources that relate to housing services for homeless families.
• Work with residents around establishing a housing/resume history, overcoming CORI challenges, maintaining an income and developing good practices of self-care.
• Teach skills necessary, such as transportation, budgeting, etc that enable independent functioning as needed.
• Provides aftercare outreach and assistance as needed.

• Coordinate with the 3- County CoC and other nonprofit agencies to assist participants with obtaining appropriate services, including apartment search assistance, moving assistance, childcare, transportation, and other resources needed to transition from unstable living situations to housing.
• Actively seek appropriate housing with participants; conduct housing inspections to ensure units meet health and safety standards; and oversee application, interview, and lease signing process.
• Complete substance abuse, educational, job readiness assessments with participants and develop service plans with participants to achieve goals as necessary.
• Provide in-home individualized case management, advocacy, safety planning, and planning for housing, employment, and/or education to participants, including, but not limited to, the following activities: Assist participants in finding permanent housing, develop parenting skills, work closely with landlords, meet with participants 2-3 times weekly, monitor the progress of participants in accordance with tools provided and adjust as needed for 12 months.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent required. Associates degree and/or 3 years of experience in homeless services. preferred. Lived experience of housing insecurity or teen parenting strongly preferred.
• Experience working with pregnant and parenting young adults required.
• Knowledge of housing requirements, range of services available and community resources preferred.

The Gándara Mental Health Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training