Lead Residential Advocate

Position Title: Residential Advocate

Job Type: FullTime

Reports To: Assistant Director

Classification: Regular PartTime (NonExempt)

Location: Washington DC 20020

Hours: Monday through Friday 7 AM 3 PM. Schedule includes evenings holidays and weekends may be required to support operations and to respond to emergencies.

About Us: Friendship Place is a nonprofit organization serving the Washington DC region empowering individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives with the involvement of the community. Friendship Place offers the most effective model for addressing homelessness with innovative customized programs with positive demonstrable results and a lasting impact on the community and beyond. Our programs are personcentric and individualized to meet the needs and goals of individuals families youth/young adults and Veterans experiencing homelessness. We provide outreach hospitality health care case management housing job placement services and advocacy. We have established a national presence and are known for sharing best practices in the field

Our Core Values: Friendship Place is a Person First Organization that believes in promoting transparency and ethical practices among our team and those we serve. All individuals in our organization are expected to carry out their job tasks in a manner that is consistent with our core values. This includes the following:

• Excellence and Innovation
• Finding Ways to Say Yes
• Caring at the Core
• Agents of Change
• Support Empowerment and Development
• Integrity and Accountability

Summary: The position provides support to participants in bridge housing who are transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. The bridge housing model seeks to stabilize participants and coordinate with external providers to house participants within 90 days. The Valley Place approach embraces a Housing First model and philosophy. The Residential Advocate works to empower participants to rebuild their lives relying on their own strengths and using wraparound resources in a holistic participantdriven process

The lead advocate Is a senior level position within the advocate team. This person will have knowledge and skills related to the position that can be used to help teach assist and guide other advocates as they do their job. The lead advocate position will not be the direct supervisor of the other advocates but rather will work in conjunction with the Assistant Director of Valley Place.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for initial training of new advocate staff during the advocate shift
• Collaborate with Assistant Director to ensure adequate coverage 24/7 by advocate staff
• Provide supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness with serious mental illnesses addictions medical concerns etc.
• Deliver facetoface contacts to participants and work in conjunction with case managers and external providers
• Demonstrate empathy and flexibility in responding to participants needs and requests fostering wellness and independence
• Engage participants and assess individual needs preferences and strengths
• Monitors the residents units and grounds of Valley Place at all times to ensure the security and safety of each resident
• Provides appropriate oversight of the participants at the bridge housing site and enforces program policies
• Provides deescalation services to the participants as needed and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and residents in conjunction with other staff and onsite security
• Assists in the planning and organization of sitebased programming and recreational activities and events for individuals at Valley Place
• Reports unusual incidents to the appropriate parties and completes written incident reports within the required 24hour timeframe
• Reports observations to case management staff to support the participants in progressing towards goals
• Performs weekly and as necessary inspections of units
• Distributes food during meal services and discards waste
• Participates in multidisciplinary meetings and regular supervision
• Attend professional trainings and conferences as needed
• Assist with cleaning and preparation of units as needed to ensure readiness for new participant intakes including basic sanitation
• Coordinate shift transitions and ensure effective communication of participant issues safety concerns and program needs across shifts
• Model traumainformed care and professional boundaries in all interactions; mentor advocate staff in best practices
• Serve as the primary point of contact for advocate staff during assigned shifts providing realtime guidance problemsolving and support in crisis situations
• Perform light stocking and organization of building supplies ensuring common areas and staff spaces remain orderly and adequately equipped
• Perform all other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Minimum high school diploma or equivalent.
• 1 year of experience working with vulnerable families and/or youth is preferred
• General knowledge of working in a homeless shelter or residential facility preferred
• Understanding of adult rehabilitation services and a personcentered approach
• Experience working with individuals experiencing chronic homelessness
• Experience with addictions mental health and cooccurring disorders
• Strong written and verbal skills
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse environment
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work as a team player
• Strong commitment to mission including racial equity and social justice

Physical and Environmental Requirements: Position will operate in a sitebased service environment. Program participants live on site in apartment style accommodations and employees will provide both in home and officebased services. Some services may be provided to participants in the community on an as needed basis. Employee must be able to sit for extended periods of time with repetitive motion and positions. Employee must be able to operate a motorized vehicle. Some lifting may be required (up to 2025lbs).

Background Checks: The selected candidate will be required to pass a drug and alcohol screening criminal history background check and fingerprinting including FBI and Metropolitan Police Clearance and additional screenings

Direct & Indirect Reports: None

Specific Requirements: Must have reliable transportation

Other Details:

Application Deadline: This job is open until filled or the hiring manager determines they can no longer accept applications.

Compensation: The starting pay range is between $17.50 and $19.01 per hour. The salary is based on a step system. A candidates starting pay determination is based on meeting the basic position requirements and current completed education credentials and work experience. Please Note: The step system is set and not open to pay negotiation.

Benefits: We offer an excellent benefits package including lowcost health insurance health reimbursement flexible spending accounts employerpaid dental vision short and longterm disability life insurance 403B defined contribution plan matching employee assistance programs professional development employee resource groups 14 paid holidays 15 days of vacation and 10 days of sick leave during 1st year of employment and much more! (Benefits are prorated for parttime employees).

COVID19: All Friendship Place employees regardless of their vaccination status must continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID19 in accordance with the agencys COVID19 protocols and applicable law and guidance. This includes but is not limited to wearing masks in congregated settings washing their hands or using hand sanitizer often monitoring their daily health and staying home if they are exhibiting COVID19 symptoms (or if they are otherwise prohibited from reporting to work by health provider under CDC state and local guidance). Since the public health and legal landscapes regarding this policy are subject to frequent changes Friendship Place reserves the right to amend or cancel this policy at any time at its sole discretion consistent with applicable law CDC guidelines and the DC Department of Health.

Location: Washington DC

Interview Process: Phone screening panel style interview final interview.

Website:

Equal Opportunity Statement: We support all qualified individuals within our workforce without regard to race color religion gender sexual orientation gender identity and expression age national origin marital status citizenship disability veteran status personal appearance familial status family responsibilities political affiliations matriculation credit and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Friend Place is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment its services programs and activities. To request reasonable accommodation contact human resources at

How to Apply: Interested applicants should apply via the organizational website. All of our current career openings can be found by visiting Description