Outreach and Housing Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

We are excited to add to our team!  

Join us in partnering with young people to build a foundation that promotes safety, opportunities, and well-being in their lives.

Project Oz is looking for a full-time case manager to assist youth, ages 18-23 who are experiencing housing instability, achieve self-sufficiency by providing a safe, stable, and supervised living environment. Using a trauma sensitive approach, you will provide day-to-day case management, street outreach, assess developmental needs and conduct training in life skills, substance use prevention, and health while increasing client opportunities to obtain basic education or employment.

Our staff are driven by purpose, passionate about  working with young people, and value a workplace that is supportive, compassionate, and fun.  We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Starting salary is typically $48,000 (44,000 plus approximately 4,000 of additional on-call pay)
• Low-cost health insurance
• No-cost dental & vision insurance 
• Generous vacation and sick time, plus 13 paid holidays
• Cell phone reimbursement or agency-issued cell phone
• Generous retirement plan
• Professional development and advancement opportunities
  
• Mileage reimbursement or use of agency vehicles
  
• Flexible work schedule, with possibility of some remote hours
  
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible spending plan
• Eligible for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program
  

Role Specific Duties:

• Maintain a caseload of 6-9 housing clients and 10-15 outreach clients by providing direct and regular contact.
• Conduct street outreach activities to educate homeless youth regarding shelter and placement options, etc.  This involves frequenting areas where youth are known to socialize or congregate. 
• Teach clients basic life skills to gain and maintain self-sufficiency (e.g. safety, health, decision making, communication, money management, and anger management).
• Supervise the educational or vocational efforts of a client to obtain basic knowledge such as GED, diploma or trade certification needed obtain marketable skills.
• Attend school or community activities that involve a client.
• Help youth obtain gainful employment by providing interviewing skills, training and guidance in resume preparation, completing job applications, and job retention.
• Teach clients basic job skills to obtain and/or maintain employment (e.g. communication, timeliness, responsibility, valuing diversity, work ethic, honesty, teamwork, and positive employee relations).  
• Provide parenting skills and education to youth with children.
• Function as neutral advocate to address parent and/or youth concerns. 
• Confirm clients are addressing their physical and mental health and, if applicable, the health of the clients’ child(ren).  
• Reduce or prevent drug use through substance prevention training.
• Identify problematic behaviors to avoid criminal activity, domestic abuse, and child abuse or neglect.
• Conduct site visits to assess living conditions and track client progress as well as program compliance.
• Build positive relationships and troubleshoot with landlords, neighbors, employers, and family members.
• Provide documentation of case management activity including preparing and monitoring individual case plans and assisting in data collection as needed.
• Assist youth in crisis or youth who are runaways, locked-out, homeless, or living on the street.
• Is available, as scheduled, to provide 24-hour crisis intervention services.
• Assume rapid response duties to crisis calls at all Safe Place locations by carrying a crisis cell phone on designated weekdays and weekends. The rotation schedule varies. 
• Communicate with clients, co-workers, supervisors, and others, understanding that someone may have been exposed to trauma.
• Provide referrals and linkage to appropriate agencies as needed.
• Debrief appropriate staff on cases opened, interventions utilized, case status, case plan, and case documentation at the completion of on call duties.
• Provide appropriate documentation of care contact through case notes and monthly data entry and service reports.
• Complete all required forms and progress notes and submit agency reports, forms, and logs by agreed upon dates.
• Participate in community outreach, panels, and other committee meetings as directed by leadership.
• Act as a representative of Project Oz and as a community resource person.
• Attend all required staff meetings and weekly Youth Services meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor, Program Director or executive team.
• Act as a Mandated Reporter as outlined by DCFS rules and regulations.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field.
• Reliable personal transportation, valid Illinois driver’s license, and satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance. May transport clients in own vehicle.
• Must be flexible, able to respond to crisis calls within designated time frames, and able to travel and work weekend and evening hours as needed.

  Preferred:

• Related professional experience working in a human services program and with people of diverse backgrounds.

• Ability to recognize trauma symptoms and support healing and recovery for youth exposed to trauma.
• Knowledge of childhood trauma and/or experience working with youth that have been exposed to trauma.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and mediation skills.
• Ability to solve practical mathematical problems.
• Knowledge of Microsoft® Teams software and/or Outlook, Excel, and Word.

Additional Details:

• Background checks – Must pass required criminal and character background checks.
• Must possess valid Illinois driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving history along with documentation verifying current automobile insurance. May transport clients in own vehicle.
• Mandated Reporter - Act as a Mandated Reporter as outlined by DCFS rules and regulations.
• Training – Job involves CPR and other crisis-intervention related training.
• Travel – Job may require travel via commercial transportation and/or driving motor vehicles. Must occasionally drive in heavy traffic and/or inclement weather conditions.
• Physical Requirements – Must be able to stand, walk, and sit. May occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Hours – Job may require irregular work hours and travel outside of normal business hours. Must be flexible and able to respond to crisis calls within designated time frames.