Housing Advocate -Streetwork Project

About the role

The Housing Advocate will provide advocacy services to adolescents and young adults impacted by homelessness, poverty, and mental illness, often involved in street activities such as gangs, violence, drug use, and survival sex. The primary client base will consist of homeless young people with serious and persistent mental illness or substance use disorders. The advocate will work with clients on accessing shelter and permanent housing.

Responsibilities

• Advocate with agencies administering public benefits and 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 eligibility criteria
• Absorb and integrate a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, using an anti-oppressive lens, into work with clients
• 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 psychiatrists 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
• Aid clients in acquiring necessary documentation for housing applications, including identity and income documents
• Aid 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
• Aid 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

Requirements

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 projects 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 and 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; desirable: bi-lingual Spanish; demonstrated ability to work independently; understanding of harm reduction and housing first perspectives; education: 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; experience: 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.