Part Time Shelter Assistant

Position: Shelter Assistant

Reports to: Shelter Manager/ Evening Shelter Supervisor

Accountable to: Guest/Residents/ Volunteers/ Shelter Assistants

Employment Type: Part-Time, Non-Exempt

About us:

Founded in 2000 as a winter-only, overnight shelter for women, The Delores Project has grown to offer low-barrier, housing-focused 24-7 shelter for unaccompanied adult women, transgender and nonbinary people, supportive housing for formerly chronically homeless individuals with a disability, and a robust suite of wrap-around services including on-site behavioral healthcare. The organization also provides community-based aftercare services for clients who have transitioned from homelessness to housing.

At The Delores Project, we believe community and belonging are essential to healing from the trauma of homelessness and this is one way we differentiate ourselves from many other homeless service providers. In addition to a shelter, we are a community that not only meets people’s basic needs and provides access to housing resources, but we also provide clients with a supportive community in a fully therapeutic environment so they can begin to heal from the trauma of homelessness and are more successful in maintaining housing and stability once they graduate from our programs. We are client-centered and strengths-based in our approach and practice of harm-reduction and trauma-informed models of care in all our programs. Our engagement with one another is rooted in our values of hospitality, integrity, collaboration, transparency, accountability, respect, and dignity for each community member, including staff and volunteers. Those who share these values, are passionate about working with people in crisis, and ending homelessness may be a great addition to our diverse and talented team.

Job Description:

Shelter Assistants (SA) serve as front-line team members in our 24-7 shelter, managing all day-to-day operations. SAs work directly with guests in teams of two to ensure the safe, peaceful, and effective operations of our 50-bed shelter.

Shelter Assistant Role & Responsibilities:

• Practice Trauma Informed Care;
• Doing phone screens with potential guests and filling beds over the phone;
• Perform intakes and orient new guests;
• Complete shift paperwork and documentation, including the shelter log;
• Conflict resolution, mediation, and de-escalation between guests;
• Ensure the physical and psychological safety of the shelter;
• Perform basic housekeeping duties, including meal preparation and service, supervision of shelter chores, and house laundry;
• Support and provide good customer service to meal service volunteers;
• Coordinate community activities and gatherings for guests;
• Facilitate twice-weekly house meetings;
• Attend required training and mandatory team and all-staff meetings;
• Respond to medical crises, including the use of AED machine, performing CPR and/ or administering Narcan when necessary, and calling for emergency medical response.
• Practice and modeling of healthy professional boundaries with and for guests;
• Work collaboratively with shift partner, making decisions, completing shift duties, and having hard conversations with guests together;
• Delivering verbal or written reminders when guests do not meet community agreements;
• Evicting guests who are engaging in unsafe behavior or violating community agreements;
• Working collaboratively with rehousing and behavioral health staff to best meet the needs of guests;
• Assist Supportive Housing staff with crises and/ or safety and security challenges;
• Continuously monitor guest's belongings and dorm cleanliness and organization;
• Other duties as assigned by supervisors

Requirements

• Degree in relevant field (human services, social work, marketing/ communications, human resources, finance, nonprofit management, etc. depending on role);
• Lived experience relevant to, or shared identities, with those The Delores Project serves including Indigenous people, communities of color, LGBTQIAI individuals, those with disabilities, and transgender and nonbinary people;
• The desire to work as part of a team- to make decisions creatively and collaboratively and to act in the best interest of one another and the organization;
• Lived or work experience with people who have been victims of trauma, those with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, those with traumatic brain injuries, and/ or disabilities;
• High emotional intelligence and self-awareness, commitment to assuming the best intent of others;
• Prior training in mental health first aid, de-escalation, vicarious trauma, harm reduction, and crisis intervention;
• Ability to be non-judgmental of other people’s identities and life choices;
• An understanding of professional boundaries and how to model and maintain them with colleagues and people with diverse needs and from diverse backgrounds;
• Ability to positively and professionally represent The Delores Project to a diversity of stakeholders;
• Ability to speak Spanish or American Sign Language fluently;
• Good problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills, and the ability to take initiative and work independently;
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic and ever-changing work environment, ability to switch priorities and gears as necessary;
• Willingness to engage in continuous learning and conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging;
• Ability to pass a background check (TDP is a second-chance employer and encourages all interested candidates to apply);
• Schedule flexibility based on the needs of the role/ team/ organization, including some evening and weekend hours when necessary and the ability to attend quarterly all-staff meetings on Saturday mornings.

Benefits:

The Delores Project offers a generous benefits package including 15 paid holidays, birthday pay, generous Paid Time Off, medical/ dental/ vision/ life/ mental health insurance, an optional flex-spending account, free RTD Ecopass, and an optional Simple IRA/Roth IRA with a 3% employer match.

Working Conditions:

This position works with and supports a residential environment including walking, standing, sitting, lifting up to 30 pounds, carrying, pushing, pulling, bending, reaching, balancing, stopping, and kneeling. Work also includes manual dexterity for typing and operating a computer, holding, grasping, and turning objects. Work also requires the ability to speak and use normal or aided vision or hearing. Hazards may involve exposure to common household chemicals, loud noises, and exposure to illness and/ or unsanitary hygiene.

Pay information: $24.04 per hour $1 evening differential for hours worked from 4 pm-12 am

Schedule:

Every other Saturday 8am-4:30pm

Sundays 4pm-12:30am

Mondays 4pm-12:30am

Approximately 17-25 hours per week.

The Delores Project is an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants. People with disabilities, BIPOC individuals, Hispanic/ Latinx individuals, Indigenous people, LGBTQIA candidates, and/ or those with lived experience of homelessness and poverty are strongly encouraged to apply.

All applications must be submitted by Thursday, January 9th, 2024.