Homelessness Prevention Social Worker
In this full time position, the social worker is a member of a team of social service professionals in Arlington as a part of the Human Services Network (HSN) providing critical outreach, homelessness prevention, supportive housing and programs to strengthen low-income, high-risk households. The HSN members are: Housing Corporation of Arlington, Arlington Health and Human Service Department, Arlington Council on Aging, Arlington Youth Counseling Center, Arlington Police Department’s Jail Diversion Program, the Arlington Public Schools Social Worker Department, Arlington Food Pantry, Arlington Housing Authority, Arlington Public Library, Somerville Homeless Coalition, and Mount Auburn Hospital Department of Social Work.
You will be working in HCA’s highly acclaimed Homelessness Prevention Program. The responsibilities of the Social worker fall into two primary areas: direct client services and program coordination. Supporting direct client services, the Social Worker (SW) will work primarily with low to moderate income households providing intake, assessment, case management, referral and follow-up. The SW will screen for multiple needs and implement protocol for emergency assistance, rental assistance or household support services, including DV and benefits screenings. The SW will create and maintain electronic and hard copy files of all assigned households and manage a regular schedule of appointments, case reviews, and team meetings.
Every calendar year the SW will organize two First Time Home Buyer Workshops and four Financial Workshops. These seminars and events are designed to build greater stability, economic empowerment, and household well-being. The SW will work with banks and other providers to support and register participants in appropriate workshops. This position requires flexible scheduling at times to support the organization that includes some evenings and weekends.
Essential duties and responsibilities:
• Outreach and Eviction Prevention
• Engage households facing housing instability and work with them to increase housing stability and to develop greater self-sufficiency.
• Work with Arlington residents and HCA tenants by providing housing counseling services and case management services.
• Manage intake and assessment for diverse households.
• Prepare agendas and run the monthly meeting of the Human Services Network.
• Oversee administrative staff to maintain minuets and database input.
• Maintain up to date and accurate case records. Fully document all services in on-line database
• Generate and analyze reports: support program, report to funders and prepare for funding proposals.
• Make referrals for specialized services
• Represent agency at meetings as necessary and other tasks as assigned • Respond to emergency situations
• Develop resiliency techniques for disasters and other emergencies • Develop individual housing resiliency plans for housing clients
Qualifications:
• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of four years’ experience in case Management and/or working with homeless or high-risk households
• Computer competence and agility a must with experience in case management database use
• Willingness to engage in ongoing professional development
• Experience and knowledge in affordable housing and homeless services sector
Skills required:
• Self-starter with initiative
• Collaborative and team supporter
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Detail oriented with ability to manage multiple responsibilities
• Computer agility with knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel, Google, and general database technologies.
• Ability to work with at-risk populations without personalizing other’s stress
• Ability to work with volunteer groups and coordinate multiple activities
• Strong sense of professionalism, healthy boundaries and personal limits
• Ability to identify and implement best case management practices for the agency.
Hours: 40 hours per week. Competitive salary plus benefits.
Send resumes to:
Pamela Hallett, Executive Director
phallett@housingcorparlington.org
Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA) is a 501-c3 not-for-profit community development corporation in Arlington, Massachusetts. HCA acquires, rehabilitates, and manages affordable housing for people with limited incomes. HCA currently owns 93 units of affordable housing, has a pipeline of 57 additional units and oversees the work of the management company. In addition, HCA runs the Homelessness Prevention Program which provides grants to households facing homelessness. In the past 10 years, HCA has assisted over 800 Arlington households in avoiding homelessness. We seek a seasoned professional to become part of our small, efficient staff. This person will need intelligence, flexibility, and discipline, openness to learning, an ability to work independently and with ambition to accomplish all the goals laid out.
To find out more see housingcorparlington.org
