Housing Navigator

Description

Department: Behavioral Health & Wellness

Program: Independent Living Skills / Housing Navigation

Job Type: Full-time, non-exempt

Location: Trolley Trestle

Pay rate: $25 per hour

Schedule: Must be available to work evenings, weekends, and holiday shifts

# of Openings: 1 

Who we are

SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) transforms communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families. For more than 50 years, we’ve worked throughout San Diego to provide safe shelter, transitional housing, intervention prevention programs, mental health support, and many other services that meet the ever-changing needs of our communities.

Our organization is dedicated to offering high-quality services and ensuring all services align with the community's needs. To best serve our communities, SBCS partners with various grassroots organizations throughout California to develop innovative strategies that enhance services, empower clients, and ensure that culturally appropriate and trauma-informed care is offered. SBCS provides a wide range of services tailored to meet each client's unique needs. At SBCS, our client-centered approach highlights the importance of respect, empathy, and compassion when interacting with all community members. 

As a mission-driven organization, our work is centered around providing exceptional, face-to-face support to our clients and community members to foster trust, accessibility and personal connection that are critical to our mission. 

About YOU

You are an advocate and champion of nurturing communities where families can pursue their dreams and fulfill their potential. 

You are dedicated to and energized by engaging directly with individuals and communities. 

You care deeply about the well-being and prosperity of ALL children and youth throughout San Diego.

You want to become a part of an energetic and effective team, and contribute your expertise, creativity, and insights to a unique role encompassing program management, development, and direct counseling services for at-risk children, adolescents, and families. 

About our organization

SBCS is home to a committed team of 470 dedicated employees and volunteers who diligently serve all of San Diego County. Having offered services for 52 years, SBCS is committed to providing hope and support for numerous young children, individuals, and families facing adversity. With an annual budget of $68 million, SBCS continues to be a beacon of assistance in the community. 

Competitive and Sustainable Employee Pay Package:

SBCS offers competitive pay and additional benefits for full-time employees, including generous vacation time, holidays, health, vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, an employee assistance program, discount programs, public service forgiveness loan, and an excellent retirement plan with matching contributions. 

Program:

SBCS' Housing Navigation program strengthens current and former foster youth ages 18-21 who are at-risk of or currently experiencing homelessness. Available services include: help with accessing and maintaining supportive housing; assistance with securing additional services, benefits and resources. 

Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Youth in Transition Program Director/Coordinator the Independent Living Skills Housing Navigator will provide housing navigation services for youth ages 18 to 21 with priority given to youth in the foster care system. The program is intended to determine what barriers the youth have to finding or maintaining housing and work with all resources to equip targeted youth with the tools and knowledge to help them overcome those barriers. Housing Navigator will work with youth in all regions of San Diego County: East, Central, North Central, North Inland, and South.

Duties:

• Provide supportive housing case management, outreach, and engagement, assistance with housing placement and stabilization services.
• Collaborate with HHSA Child Welfare Social Workers regarding Housing Navigating Services
• Collaborate with ILS and/or THP case worker(s) and attend Child & Family Team Meetings 
• Guide and Support eligible youth through the housing search process
• Assist clients in obtaining all necessary documentation required to obtain permanent housing (i.e. government issues photo identification, Social Security card, proof on income, etc.)
• Participate in the housing needs assessment process to identify barriers to housing.
• Assist youth in completing housing applications and other required paperwork.
• Work with the Child Welfare Social Workers involved with the youth to assure youth are actively working towards their goals to remove barriers to permanent housing.
• Assist youth in their communication with prospective landlords or/and roommates.
• Develop strong working relationships with community partners who may help youth advance their goals.
• Access assistance with establishing positive rental and credit history, eviction counseling, and building qualities which improve their status as a prospective tenant.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with staff, volunteers, and the community.
• Maintain database listings of up-to-date community resources.
• Link clients to appropriate internal/external resources
• Respond to crisis situations and de-escalate situations as needed.
• Attend all agency required meetings and trainings.
• As other duties assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social science, psychology, required OR a minimum of 4 years of experience providing housing navigation services as an equivalency. 
• Shared life experience and/or relevant case management experience focused on at-risk young adults (ages 16-24), preferred.
• Two years’ experience providing direct service to high-risk youth/street youth. 
• One year of experience in housing subsidy programs, preferred.
• Knowledge of adolescent development  
• Must be willing to develop or possess working knowledge of trauma-informed care practices.
• Ability to work with diverse populations, possess cultural competency, and maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients.
• Must be computer literate.
• Able to use sound judgment in decision making and problem solving. 
• Ability to work with individuals in crisis, homelessness, foster care, and/or mental health issues.
• Must effectively collaborate with clients, families, county and providers. 

Condition of Employment

• Employment may be conditioned upon satisfactory completion of certain background clearances which may include a Department of Justice criminal background check requiring my fingerprints (Live Scan), screening through the National Sex Offender Public Website, drug test, tuberculosis (TB) test, and such additional clearances as may be required under the program. 
• Candidates/employees who have received a conditional offer of employment will be required to undergo testing for controlled substances, (including THC and CBD), in accordance with the County of San Diego's drug and alcohol policy and the federal Controlled Substances Act.
• Candidate is required to have reliable transportation; therefore the candidate must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check. Candidate must also possess and maintain a current valid California driver’s license and valid auto insurance policy.

Physical Demands:

• Mentally and emotionally: Ability to work under deadlines, various projects and dealing with clients in crisis and difficult situations.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position during shift. 
• Moves throughout the building. 
• Moves, raises, or lowers (includes upward pulling) an object or equipment up to 50 lbs. 
• Transports an object, from 20 to 50 lbs. across the facility, for various needs.
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves away from the force. 
• Ability to exert force upon an object so that the object moves toward the force (includes jerking) 
• Ascending or descending stairs and ladders when applicable. Body agility is emphasized. 
• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling when ascending, descending, traversing.  
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles. 
• Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with objects or office machinery. 
• Communicating: Expressing or exchanging ideas. Communicating is important for those activities in which workers must impart information to clients or to the public, and in those activities in which they must convey detailed or important instructions to other workers accurately, or quickly. 

The statements contained herein describe the scope of the responsibility and essential functions of this position but should not be considered to be an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time unless restricted by a negotiated contract.

Accessibility Accommodation

SBCS is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, parental status, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Program – Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

At-Will Employment Status

Please note that all employment with SBCS is at-will, which means your employment may be terminated at any time by you or SBCS, without cause or advance notice. The terms and conditions of any employment may also be modified.

Salary : $68