Community Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Community Advocate

The Housing Authority of the City of Camden (HACC) is seeking a full-time Community Advocate as part of the Public Housing Program.

Join our team today and immerse yourself in a rewarding career for years to come!

Provides comprehensive case management services and seamless coordination with community and supportive service activities that promote economic self-sufficiency and enhance the quality of life for residents of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden.

Services will include conducting holistic family assessments, trauma informed care services, coordination of resident goal-oriented activities, case management, advocacy, and referrals to appropriate resources. The person in this position reports to the Director of Housing Choice Voucher Program.

The Community Advocate is responsible for providing comprehensive case management, referral, and seamless coordination with community and supportive service activities for assigned clients as such on the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs.

The scope of the program will focus on the residents located at the HACC Ablett Village community. These services will include case management to assigned clients, that promote economic self-sufficiency through education and employment training opportunities for the work-abled population ages 16-62, health and wellness activities that enhance the quality of life for all residents, comprehensive youth services, housing placement services, and acting as an intermediary between the client and the agency providing services.

The Community Advocate will work independently, except when support staff is necessary, to identify appropriate strategies and assist families with social services under the Housing Authority's Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs.

The ideal candidate for this role should have superior organizational skills, great attention to detail and motivational qualities.

Hourly range : $21.50 - $23.50 / hr ($44,720.00 - $48,880.00yr)

Successful candidates will be subject to satisfactory drug and criminal background screenings before hiring.

Please note that we are an equal employment opportunities employer.

Required Qualifications and Education : The minimum educational qualification required to be a Community Advocate is a High School graduate or possession of a GED. An Associate’s degree from a recognized college or university in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or other relevant field preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. A minimum of three years of work experience as a case manager, service connector, or other relevant direct practice with low-income households, experience with services that provides assessments, referrals and follow-up of individuals or any acceptable combination of experience and training.

Working knowledge of applicable HUD rules and regulations as evidenced by applicable HUD Certifications. All appointees must have a valid Driver’s License.

The Housing Authority of the City of Camden offers a competitive starting salary. Interested and qualified candidates may apply in confidence by submitting a cover letter, resume and compensation requirements to the Career Center located in the ADP link below.

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF CAMDEN

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION TITLE : Community Advocate

DEPARTMENT : Housing Choice Voucher Program / Public Housing /

Resident Initiatives

REPORTS TO : Director of Housing Choice Voucher Program & Director of Initiatives

Employment Status : Full-time

40 hours per week

Union Status : Non-Union

FLSA Status : Non-Exempt

SUMMARY : Provides comprehensive case management services and seamless coordination with community and supportive service activities that promote economic self-sufficiency and enhance the quality of life for residents of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden.

Services will include conducting holistic family assessments, trauma informed care services, coordination of resident goal-oriented activities, case management, advocacy, and referrals to appropriate resources. The person in this position reports to the Director of Housing Choice Voucher Program.

The Community Advocate is responsible for providing comprehensive case management, referral, and seamless coordination with community and supportive service activities for assigned clients as such on the Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs.

The scope of the program will focus on the residents located at the HACC Ablett Village community. These services will include case management to assigned clients, that promote economic self-sufficiency through education and employment training opportunities for the work-abled population ages 16-62, health and wellness activities that enhance the quality of life for all residents, comprehensive youth services, housing placement services, and acting as an intermediary between the client and the agency providing services.

The Community Advocate will work independently, except when support staff is necessary, to identify appropriate strategies and assist families with social services under the Housing Authority's Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following but are not limited to the job specifications contained herein. Additional duties or job functions may be required as deemed necessary by supervisory personnel.

• Conduct intake and assessments for enrollment into the case management program.
• Conduct home visits, office visits, community site visits to collect information from residents.
• Interview assigned residents to identify and evaluate their individual needs; individual and family direct service plans formulated; resources are identified and acquired; and accurate records are maintained.
• Assist residents with developing Individual Development Plans (IDP) and Individual Training and Services Plans (ITSP) to provide motivation to participating families in order to help them attain agreed upon goals.
• Counsel residents regarding support service benefits to maximize their receipt of available resources.
• Works with residents to assess, develop, implement, monitor, and recommend modifications to IDP / ITSP using a multidisciplinary process.
• Reviews the service plan to document significant changes in the client's condition or situation and whether resources are appropriately meeting need; works with community contacts to ensure coordinated service delivery.
• Maintains accurate, up to date and complete records of all clients and collateral contact and is responsible for individual monthly and quarterly reporting of necessary client data.
• Identify gaps in services, advocate on behalf of residents, coordinate, and monitor service delivery for an assigned caseload.
• Utilize knowledge of the local community to assist residents with navigating a variety of partner social service organizations and public agencies.
• Advocating on client’s behalf to ensure social services are provided timely and fairly.
• Conducts a comprehensive assessment to determine resident assets, deficits and needs in psychosocial and health areas and to determine the need for case management services.
• Maintain privacy and confidentiality of all household information given.
• Attend community supportive services meetings with critical partners and other social service entities.
• Ability to create, implement and facilitate specific group meetings as assigned by Supervisor.
• Actively participate in CNI program meetings, committees and other meetings related to the project.
• Be available to occasionally work nights and / or weekends, and travel.
• Develop and implement recruitment and community outreach strategies, including dissemination of recruitment materials, building, and maintaining individual relationships with appropriate community members, and conducting community presentations.
• Provide individual counseling, mentoring, and coaching.
• Complete weekly and quarterly reports
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
• Represent the agency at appropriate committee, task force and other public and private meetings.
• Provides assistance to passengers onto and off vehicles.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS :

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE : The minimum educational qualification required to be a Community Advocate is a High School graduate or possession of a GED. An Associate’s degree from a recognized college or university in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, or other relevant field preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered. A minimum of three years of work experience as a case manager, service connector, or other relevant direct practice with low-income households, experience with services that provides assessments, referrals and follow-up of individuals or any acceptable combination of experience and training.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS : An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check and a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES : None.

LANGUAGE SKILLS : Ability to read a limited number of two- and three-syllable words and basic numbers. Ability to speak simple sentences.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS : Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.

REASONING ABILITY : Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed and involved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Requires frequent standing, stretching, bending, stooping, squatting, walking, pushing, and pulling, and lifting of objects weighing up to 25 pounds or more. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT : 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. Essential functions are regularly performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NEW JERSEY RESIDENCY LAW : Pursuant to “New Jersey First Act,” N.J.S.A. 52 : 14-7 (P.L. 2011, Chapter 70), effective September 1, 2011, all newly hired employees of State and local government must reside in the State of New Jersey, unless exempted under the law. If you do not reside in New Jersey, you have one year after the date of hire to relocate your residence to New Jersey. If you do not do so, you are subject to removal from your office, position, or employment.

This job description is not an employment agreement, contract agreement, or contract. Management has an exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice.

I, __________________________________________ have read the above job description for my position, I fully understand the contents, and I shall perform these duties to the best of my ability.

Employee Signature ____________________________ Date : ______________

Salary : $44,720 - $48,880