Residential Engagement Specialist

Description

Residential Engagement Specialist

About Us:  Volunteers of America is a national, faith-based nonprofit organization founded over 125 years ago. VOA Illinois is one of the oldest affiliates of the Volunteers of America family delivering strength-based trauma-informed, gender-responsive and culturally sensitive programs and services at the highest standards of excellence to our clients. We have never stopped reinventing our services and we continue to innovate based on our communities’ evolving needs. VOA Illinois, a certified “Great Place to Work,” fosters an organizational culture focused on faith, innovation and collaboration. Year after year VOA IL expands and promotes from within, holding a workforce with over 50% having experienced promotion. Check out our careers page to find more opportunities at PAYCOMONLINE.NET. 

Position Type:  This is a Full-time, in-office position and requires a 40-hour week on average. May include occasional weekend and/or evening hours as assigned. The location of this position will be based out of Lincoln Square.

Environment:  Physical demands include sedentary work, operating a computer and other office productivity machinery with frequent communication with clients and colleagues of VOA Illinois and others involved in the care and custody of clients. The individual hired must also be able to move, traverse and travel in the community in a vehicle, provide services within scattered-site community settings where client’s reside, assist clients in and out of a vehicle if necessary and transport clients in the community. This position requires over 50% of duties to be performed in various community settings, travel outside of the office is required.

Core Competencies:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to meet or exceed the following;

• Drive engagement and communication with clients that embodies empathy, patience and emotional intelligence.
• Advocate for clients using active listening to determine resources and meet various needs.
• Assist in management of daily living tasks for residents in community-based scatted site placements which include but are not limited to: meal distribution, grocery and supply distribution, wellbeing checks, medication monitoring, and transportation of clients.
• Perform tracking and administrative tasks.
• Utilize an Electronic Health Record to track client interactions and attendance.
• Collaborate with VOA colleagues, outside organizations or vendors, etc. to connect clients and obtain necessary resources.
• Display discipline in managing time and attention to assigned caseload, tasks or projects.
• Exercise prudent stewardship of agency resources.
• Exhibit cultural competence while serving clients of diverse backgrounds and commit to expanding knowledge and understanding of different communities and people groups.
• Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior at all times.
• Engage with trauma-informed care approach and practice principles.
• Recognize and display ability to de-escalate and resolve conflict as necessary.

Program Overview:  The Haven on Lincoln is a program designed to assist individuals experiencing homelessness who also experience comorbid or tri-morbid conditions including mental health diagnoses, substance use disorders, and chronic or acute health conditions. This program provides transitional housing placement, holistic case management, behavioral healthcare, and primary healthcare to clients with the goal of creating stability, positive health outcomes, and achieving permanent housing placement suited to their needs.

Essential Functions:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The functions listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required for the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Support operational control and program services to ensure the safety and security of the residents, facilities, and staff.
• Complete and maintain required daily documentation regarding participant conduct/needs/observations, and Unusual Incident Reports prior to shift end.
• Provide distribution of meals, groceries, and general supplies daily to each resident of the scattered site model within the community sites where they are located.
• Complete wellness checks for each resident daily.
• Observe the resident rooms during wellness checks and report any unsanitary conditions or damages.
• Monitor inventories and usage of supplies for participants and inform Manager of Resident Services of purchase needs.
• Monitor participant’s compliance with established rules.
• Supervise location of residents using established location tracking form.
• Administer, document and count participant medications each shift. Inform Program
  Director of any issues with medication counts.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Communicate to Manager of Resident Services any identified issues regarding the safety and security of the residents and scattered-site housing locations.
• Represent the interests of the agency, the program, and the program participants in all activities by upholding VOA Illinois’ mission and values.

Other Duties:  As assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: 

This position requires a minimum of a High School diploma or equivalent with some experience in Social Services.

Volunteers of America of Illinois provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available and will be provided to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Generally, the individual with a disability must inform VOA of IL that an accommodation is needed. 
 

Job Type: Full-time 

Salary : $19 - $22