ATX IHou ARCH Guest Services Practitioner

Description

Term: Full-time, hourly

Pay: $20-$23/hour health insurance, paid time off, and other benefits

Location: Austin, TX

Reports To: Guest Services Manager

Organization Description:

Urban Alchemy is a nonprofit organization with the mission of transforming people and places through respect, compassion, and love to heal communities challenged by the intersection of extreme poverty, mental illness, addiction, and homelessness. The name Urban Alchemy references the process of spiritual and social transformation that our staff engage in – both internally and in practice with all members of the public. Since our founding in 2018, Urban Alchemy has grown into a thriving social enterprise with over 1,100 employees. We provide community outreach and engagement, temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, mobile bathrooms and showers, and street cleaning services. Urban Alchemy currently operates in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, Austin, Texas, and Portland, Oregon. Over 95% of Urban Alchemy employees, including leadership, experienced incarceration and/or homelessness. For more information visit our website.

Project Description:

The Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) is a shelter located in downtown Austin serving up to 130 adult men. The ARCH serves as interim housing for people experiencing homelessness. The shelter is not meant to be permanent housing, but a place for individuals to stay while working to exit homelessness. The facility includes a large common-use room, showers and locker rooms, laundry facilities, offices, and a health clinic. The second floor houses a large commercial kitchen and dining room where the ARCH serves meals. Guests of the ARCH have access to a variety of social services designed to meet their needs.

Position Summary:

Guest Services Practitioners Services provide outstanding care and customer service to guests of Urban Alchemy residential sites. Guest Practitioners are expected to engage with guests to create a warm and comfortable setting. They are responsible for a variety of tasks including checking in guests, helping ensure compliance with community guidelines, resolving guest concerns and complaints, performing wellness checks, monitoring the facility, ensuring the health and safety of all guests, de-escalating tense situations, and responding to emergencies. As a Guest Services Practitioner, you will be part of a 24/7 team that provides information, referrals, and support to guests while ensuring their facility is always well-run and maintained.

Qualifications

Duties and Responsibilities:

Position Specific:

• Conduct intake with new guests and provide an orientation to the facility and community guidelines.
• Greet guests warmly as the enter the facility and check them in and out according to site policies.
• If required by a pandemic or other concerns, conduct symptom checks of everyone entering the facility.
• Inform everyone entering the facility of the policy forbidding weapons; store any items that are not allowed in the facility.
• Check personal belongings as needed and in accordance with Urban Alchemy’s policies and procedures.
• Coordinate guest placements within the site location and track available beds.
• Distribute and coordinate basic needs items and services for guests such as meals, laundry, linens, toiletries, bus passes, locker assignments and mail.
• Effectively communicate information about on-site services and amenities.
• Provide information and referrals to services in the community.
• Answer calls and in-person questions responding with courtesy, compassion, respect, and dignity.
• Provide emotional support to guests and other people experience homelessness.
• Maintain a working knowledge of safety measures and tools, including emergency plans.
• Monitor all entrances to the premises to ensure that no unauthorized individuals enter premises.
• Monitor cameras and address any issues observed in accordance with site policies and procedures.
• Perform ongoing interior and perimeter checks to ensure the facility is clean and secure.
• Perform regular wellness checks to ensure guests have not succumbed to overdose or medical conditions.
• Use harm reduction principles and trauma-informed care when engaging with guests.
• Help address stressful situations by assessing the cause, determining the appropriate response, and de-escalating conflicts or heightened emotions in accordance with Urban Alchemy’s best practices.
• Work collaboratively with other team members and person in crisis to quickly assess the needs of individuals experiencing mental health crisis and respond accordingly.
• Respond to health emergencies as needed, contacting 911, providing first-aid, administering Narcan for opioid overdose reversals, and taking other steps in accordance with Urban Alchemy’s policies.
• Know and adhere to Urban Alchemy’s critical incident policies, including reporting requirements.
• Day to day maintenance of record keeping, incident reporting, and updating guest files.

• Maintain timely and thorough administrative and guest records in accordance with site policies.
• Engage with surrounding neighbors and other stakeholders to maintain a good community relations.
• Practice self-awareness and cultural humility as member of diverse team; be conscientious and sensitive to power and other interpersonal dynamics with other team members.

Project Specific:

• Help prepare rooms for meetings and special events.
• Support custodial staff and food services staff as needed.
• Assist with laundry according to site policies and procedures.
• Enter data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
• Work flexible hours and/or shifts, weekends, and on-call shifts.
• Will support all staff with meeting the needs of guests.

• Will work primarily at the ARCH but may be assigned to work any Urban Alchemy location.
• Must always wear an Urban Alchemy uniform and ID badge.
• Lead Guest Services Practitioner will also assist with scheduling and supervision.

General:

• Will treat all Urban Alchemy guests, staff and stakeholders with compassion and respect.
• Use emotional intelligence to effectively engage and connect with others.
• Adhere to established procedures to provide a safe working environment including complying with OSHA, state, and local regulations as well as Urban Alchemy’s policies.
• Attend orientation and any additional training required by Urban Alchemy or our funders.
• Must wear an Urban Alchemy uniform and ID badge.
• Must carry all required safety and communications equipment.
• Follow all Urban Alchemy’s policies and procedures, including all safety guidelines.
• Will complete other duties as assigned in service to our guests and stakeholders.

Position Requirements:

Position Specific:

• Maintain ethical and professional standards and boundaries.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
• Work well in a team environment with diverse populations while providing excellent customer service.
• Ability to work in a high-stress, dynamic environment while maintaining a calm demeanor.
• Ability to listen actively and communicate information and resources based on the guests’ needs.
• Understands barriers that guests might be facing to advocate for them as needed.
• Ability to read, understand, and follow instructions, procedures, safety procedures.
• Willing to execute tasks in a timely fashion.

• Communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to comfortably interact with guests and staff.
• Time management skills to coordinate complex tasks in the most efficient manner.
• 1 years working in a similar position preferred
• High school diploma, GED, or professional training preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Project Specific:

• General knowledge and ability to use computers to enter data into HMIS.

General:

• Must be prepared to deal with challenging circumstances related to serving people struggling with poverty, mental health, addiction, and/or homelessness.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain background clearance based on Urban Alchemy’s policies.
• Requires the ability to use a smart phone or tablet to enter data.
• Excellent at being reliable, punctual, and dependable.
• Must by 18 years of age or older.
• Lived experience with incarceration and/or homelessness strongly preferred.
• Driver’s license and a good driving record preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Staff are expected to work in all weather conditions.
• Physical stamina to handle a full shift of being active and working on the building.
• Work may involve exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, smoke, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises.
• Must be able to assist physically disabled guests if there are mobility issues.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 25lbs.
• Standing: 3-6 hours per day.
• Walking: 3-6 hours per day.
• Sitting: less than 3-6 hours per day.
• Bending at Waist: less than 3 hours per day.

Statement of Non-discrimination:

Urban Alchemy shares a special bond with society’s most vulnerable because we see ourselves in their struggle. When doing our work, we recognize the humanity in those who are struggling and treat them how we once wished others had treated us. People who have been incarcerated, experienced homelessness and/or come from marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply because we believe they have unique skills and abilities to engage with people who are struggling. Urban Alchemy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment 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. Urban Alchemy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type.

How to Apply:

If you have questions, please email hr@urban-alchemy.us and indicate the position you are interested in. You can apply for this position by visiting: https://www.paycomonline.net.

Salary : $20 - $23