Ambassador - Home Free

Mission Statement

Through the use of social and restorative justice principles, Five Keys provides traditionally underserved communities the opportunity to improve their lives through a focus on the Five Keys: EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, RECOVERY, FAMILY, COMMUNITY.

Five Keys Overview

Five Keys is a nonprofit organization that operates an extensive network of programs across California. With a presence in 14 counties and over 120 locations, Five Keys focuses on various initiatives aimed at empowering individuals and families to overcome poverty and inequity. The organizations programs encompass a wide range of services, including public charter schools, restorative justice programs in jails and prisons, shelters, permanent supportive housing, and the development of new housing and support programs. At Five Keys, the overarching objective is to uplift individuals and families by providing them with essential resources. This includes education, housing, employment, and the necessary tools to sustain their progress. By offering these fundamental elements, the organization aims to create positive and lasting change in communities, making them better places for everyone.

HOME FREE BACKGROUND

Our Home Free residence is located on Treasure Island (in San Francisco) and will be the first of its kind in the nation: transitional housing for criminalized survivors of domestic violence. We will house up to 12 formerly incarcerated mature women who have survived domestic violence, spent long and excessive sentences in prison, and are reestablishing their lives. We recognize that the reintegration needs of mature women who are survivors of domestic violence and related trauma are different and thus this is a call to action to be responsive to those survivors for reentry housing and related programs. After long periods of incarceration, the survivors have missed out on cultural and technological changes in society, have been away from family, and have been separated from the workforce for decades. Home Free will provide safe and vibrant co-housing that underscores each woman's worth, humanity and dignity for their successful reintegration. This will be a place for the women to create pathways to their own independence, success and happiness

Our Core Competencies

A well qualified candidate has the capacity to communicate effectively, collaborate with others while building positive relationships, demonstrates strong problem solving skills, has a dynamic learning mindset, and remains committed to a high level of cultural and social awareness. A successful candidate will work well under pressure, observe appropriate boundaries and operate with a high degree of emotional intelligence.

What it's really like to join our agency…

At Five Keys, culture matters. Culture is at the very core of everything we do and impact on a daily basis. We've made a commitment to building an inclusive culture that seeks collaboration over hierarchy to create empowered work teams. We serve vulnerable populations daily and we strive to approach everyone with compassion, patience and a trauma informed approach. We choose to push past discomfort to have difficult conversations to impact the greater good. This allows us the opportunity to collaboratively create an inclusive culture and transform the world around us.

BENEFITS

We offer very low monthly costs for medical, dental, and vision insurance, along with generous time off! Various pre-tax flexible spending accounts and retirement account 403(b) are available. We provide annual reimbursements up to $100 towards gym membership, smoking cessation, and weight loss programs. Annual athletic event participation and annual massages are reimbursed up to $50. Other Company-paid benefits, including free wellness-related apps, an Employee Assistance Program, and a comprehensive mental health care platform, are available to you and your dependents.

JOB SUMMARY

The primary role of our Housing Ambassador is to provide for the health, safety and well-being of Home Free residents on overnight, swing, and occasional weekend and/or holiday shifts. This position will report to the Home Free Program Manager and, at times, may collaborate with the Program Coordinator. This role will primarily be to support and intervene in an emergency so that the live-in participants are safe and secure.

The Housing Ambassador is a position which will be essential to creating a safe and supportive community for the Home Free participants. The Housing Ambassador will be on site in a separate unit that is also the Home Free Office. We are looking for someone who insists on maintaining a positive attitude and enjoys supporting a diverse group of people. If this job is for you, you love talking with people and doing a broad array of activities in any given day or week. You enjoy keeping everything organized and find new ways to improve how we do things. You are attentive to detail with keen follow-through skills. You organize, schedule, communicate and collaborate. You are comfortable with people from every walk of life, including previously incarcerated individuals. You've got great energy and you're willing to work hard and go the extra mile to take care of our participants.

This position will cover graveyard shift on Sunday and Monday; Swing shift on Thursday and Friday; and Day shift on Saturday

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• The primary role of the Home Free Ambassador is to ensure the safety, security and well-being of the participants as well as the complex after hours and on occasional weekends, swing shifts, and holidays
• Respond to any emergencies or participant needs after hours and contact the Program Manager when needed
• Ability to assess and respond to all immediate participant needs, requests and/or complaints in a timely, effective and respectful manner
• Maintains congenial relationships with all participants, is understanding of and sensitive to cultural backgrounds, economic status, those with special needs, and adheres to Fair Housing and Equal Housing Opportunity requirements
• Respects and follows house rules and informs Home Free Program Manager of concerns, violation of any rules and agreements of any residents
• Monitor facility and participants after business hours
• Interact with residents while maintaining boundaries in accordance with Five Keys Home Free policy
• Enters information into the log upon arrival and end of shift
• De-escalation of potential client conflicts
• Inspecting the facilities to maintain security and program compliance
• Answering phones, taking messages, attending to requests for information in a professional manner according to Home Free procedures
• Completing and submitting maintenance requests to the Program Director regarding failed equipment and needed repairs
• Responding to all participant requests and questions in a professional and courteous manner.
• Immediately reporting any problems to the Program Director in accordance with Home Free policies and procedures
• With direction from the Program Director, manage site-specific emergencies or crises
• Provide crisis intervention taking direction from Program Director
• Attending and participating in the daily shift change meetings communicating all issues and concerns to staff coming on the next shift
• At the end of every shift, ensuring paperwork is complete and work space is cleaned and organized
• Encouraging participants to engage in groups, activities, and services
• May also be responsible for occasionally facilitating groups, workshops, and client meetings
• Commit to attending all staff meetings and trainings, even when outside of regular work hour.s Participation in all applicable staff trainings and staff meetings is crucial to the success of every Five Keys employee
• Other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills
• Advanced problem-solving skills; tactfully address and resolve questions/concerns
• Working knowledge and experience of the Home Free project planning and implementation
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Excellent decision-making and leadership capabilities
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Must have basic computer skills
• Must have excellent verbal communication skills
• Possess a strong knowledge of social services
• Will maintain professional, respectful, honest interactions with participants, staff, and outside agencies
• Must be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and be sensitive to a diverse participant and staff population

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Must hold either a High School Diploma, GED equivalent, OR actively working toward a diploma
• Possess prior paid experience working with homeless populations that use harm-reduction models
• Prior work with people dealing with mental health, disabilities, or substance abuse issues is preferred
• First Aid/CPR certification preferred

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must wear provided PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and adhere to all safety guidelines and requirements, when needed
• Since this program is specifically for women only, we require that all applicants are female
• Frequent talking and hearing conversations
• Long periods of walking, sitting at a desk and/or computer station
• Lifting items that weigh up to 25 lbs.; reaching, bending, carrying and stooping within the daily routine of tasks and activities

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

This position is contingent upon:

• Submitting proof of clear TB results. Results dated within 60 days prior to hire date are acceptable

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Moderate to high noise level
• Some personal safety risk working in underserved communities

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES

At Five Keys, we understand that when our employees grow, the agency has a greater capacity to thrive and accomplish its mission. It is for this reason that we remain committed to providing ongoing professional development opportunities for all of our employees. These include but are not limited to: conferences, staff development training, and coaching plans that allow incumbents to grow into new positions within and across programs within the agency (i.e., programs, schools, housing).