The Resident Advocate is an essential staff position primarily responsible for covering the daily operations of the Shelter program, including welcoming and orienting new residents to the program, providing crisis intervention and conflict resolution services to residents, and daily enrichment activities to improve shelter stay.  This position is also responsible for back up coverage on the 24-hour hotline and back up coverage for operation activities such as readying a room for occupancy, accepting and distributing donations, and light housekeeping. Shelter Residents are traumatized both by the intimate partner violence they experienced, and the sudden experience of homelessness.  Families may also have unrelated trauma experiences from their lives.  The Resident Advocate must be comfortable engaging traumatized people in a sensitive manner and must be comfortable working in a Voluntary Services program model.  This is an essential staff position that reports during weather emergencies and some holidays. There are two part time 30 hours shifts; Monday- Friday 6pm - 12am or Wednesday- Sunday 4pm - 12am.

Primary Responsibilities:

·         Welcomes new residents, complete paperwork, and orient residents to building and program.

·         Provides supportive listening, crisis intervention and conflict resolution to residents.

·         Regularly walks through building and engages residents in conversation, encouragement, and support.

·         Educates residents on community and agency resources and helps make connections to said resources.

·         Educates residents on intimate partner violence, safety planning, and life skills through one on one interaction and through informational materials and bulletin boards.

·         Distributes material goods in accordance with shelter procedure such as clothing, medications, bus tokens, and personal hygiene supplies.

·         Opens the computer lab and provides guidance and assistance to special event and ongoing volunteers.

·         Acts as back up to Operations Assistant on room turnover including cleaning/ preparing rooms.

·         Answer 24 hour hotline as back up to Contact Center.

·         Screens and accepts new residents into the Emergency Shelter program.

·         Completes daily documentation of activities through agency software system and paper system.  Is responsible for specific data entry tasks related to statistics and funding requirements.

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Experience/ Requirements:

·         Associates degree in Human Services or 1 year of experience in victim centered advocacy or residential program.

·         Excellent oral and written interpersonal skills with a strong ability to relate to a diverse range of individuals including victims, children, donors, and community professionals.

·         Be able to work in a fast paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.

·         Ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds.

·         Knowledge of local human service resources.

·         Experience with conflict resolution/ mediation.

·         Ability to pass a criminal background check.