Housing Advocate -Streetwork Project

 

Streetwork Project is an innovative outreach-counseling program for homeless youth in Harlem, which utilizes a comprehensive harm reduction approach that informs all facets of client work. The Housing Advocate will provide advocacy services to adolescents and young adults impacted by homelessness, poverty and mental illness, many of whom are involved in street activities (gangs, violence, drug use/sale and survival sex). The main client-base for this position will be homeless young people with serious and persistent mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The Housing Advocate will work with clients on accessing shelter and permanent housing. The core of the shelter assistance will be supporting clients with referrals to and advocacy within youth shelters (DYCD), domestic violence shelters (DV), and adult homeless shelters (DHS) including both singles and family shelters.  The core of the housing assistance will be the completion of supportive housing applications, completion of applications for housing vouchers (including but not limited to Section 8, City FHEPS, HASA), assisting clients who have vouchers in locating and moving into appropriate housing which includes landlord outreach and engagement, and New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) applications.  This will include advocacy with DHS (the NYC Department of Homeless Services) and HRA (the NYC Human Resources Administration) and will necessarily include advocacy for acquiring and navigating cash assistance and disability-income programs. The Housing Advocate  will be a technical resource on individual cases with case managers and other staff members and provide trainings to Streetwork staff (and other Safe Horizon program staff) as well as conduct relevant outreach and Know-Your-Rights workshops for clients.

 

• Learn and integrate a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, using an anti-oppressive lens, into your work with clients.

• Advocate with agencies that administer public benefits & housing resources on behalf of Streetwork clients;

• Complete HRA2010e applications for supportive housing;

• Complete psychosocial assessments for housing and other benefits;

• Complete NYCHA applications and conduct assessments for NYCHA priority eligibility;

• Develop a comprehensive knowledge of the city’s various shelter systems and the eligibility criteria for all systems; be able to assess client eligibility for various shelters

• Assist clients in accessing shelter, including youth shelters, domestic violence shelters, adult singles shelters, and family shelters;

• Advocate with government agencies and public officials (including testifying to the City Council as needed) about the systemic needs of homeless youth and young adults; 

• Work in collaboration with Social Workers, case managers, youth advocates and consulting psychiatrist to assist clients in applying for housing and benefits;

• Provide supportive counseling to target population in relation to housing and benefit cases;

• Provide in-house individual crisis intervention and emergency assessments;

• Perform client escorts with clients to housing and benefits-related appointments on a flexible schedule as needed;

• Assist clients in acquiring necessary documentation for housing applications, including identity and income documents;

• Assist clients in maintaining housing through assistance with rental and utilities arrears, and referrals to housing legal services as appropriate;

• Educate clients on their rights and responsibilities as shelter residents and/or as tenants;

• Coordinate and escort clients to apartment interviews;

• Develop, facilitate and coordinate client groups related to housing and benefits including informational sessions, independent living skills, and know-your-rights trainings;

• Assist clients in maintaining housing and benefits assistance as appropriate and needed;

• Develop, facilitate and coordinate trainings for staff members on housing and shelter matters;

• Provide technical assistance to staff members on housing and shelter related matters;

• Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and current documentation and provide reports as needed;

• Support drop-in daily flow as needed;

• Provide intakes as needed;

• Participate in weekly supervision;

 

Interacts with:                      

All Streetwork program sites and staff

All internal Safe Horizon programs & departments that can comprehensively support the client and case plan

All external agencies and organizations that can provide appropriate services to the client

                                                      

• Strong case advocacy skills;

• Strong skills in writing psychosocial assessments and other substantial written documentation required for housing and shelter assistance;

• Strong attention to detail;

• Ability to handle multiple project simultaneously and prioritize responsibilities;

• Experience advocating with city and federal governmental and non-governmental agencies to meet concrete needs of individuals with serious mental illness;

• Knowledge of shelter, housing, and benefit systems in New York City;

• Ability to assist case managers and other staff with matters related to applications and advocacy;

• Basic fluency in mental health diagnoses;

• Experience working with individuals who use substances from a non-judgmental approach

• Understanding of harm reduction philosophy & experience working within a harm reduction framework;

• Non-judgmental approach and ability to empathize with others;

• Compassionate approach to others and openness to new ideas;

• Dynamic energy, able to multi-task and negotiate multiple demands on attention;

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills;

• Genuine interest in working with disenfranchised youth and young adults;

• Ability to participate and contribute to staff meetings related to client matters, systematic issues & issues of oppression;

 

• Bi-lingual Spanish

• Demonstrated ability to work independently

• Understanding of harm reduction and housing first perspectives

 

High School Diploma/High School Equivalency or Bachelor’s Degree in social services, creative arts, liberal studies or any field related to working with youth, or equivalent relevant experience.  Relevant work or lived experience with issues related to homelessness, youth work, survival economies, and systems assistance.

 

 Required:

• Experience advocating for financially impoverished and/or individuals experiencing homelessness to access shelter, housing, and/or benefits resources;

• Experience working in a low-threshold manner with marginalized individuals;

• Significant experience completing substantial written documentation for clients to access resources;

• Basic understanding of computer systems for managing case records

 

Desirable:

• At least 1 year working with the homeless population, youth, or harm reduction