Job description

To be considered, please submit a cover letter that specifically addresses how your experience relates to this position.

Organization Summary: Established in 1993, Operation Dignity (OD) is a nonprofit organization that operates emergency, transitional, and permanent housing programs in Alameda County. Our mission is to create pathways to health and housing for the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our community, with a special focus on veterans and people living in encampments. We help participants reach their housing goals by providing a continuum of service from comprehensive street outreach and shelter to permanent supportive housing. Among our core values are meeting people where they are while cultivating a strong peer community, inclusive of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and disability.

Position Summary: Operation Dignity’s Mobile Outreach Program provides field engagement, harm reduction supplies, case management counseling, and service referrals to people who are homeless and unsheltered. Mobile Outreach uses a strengths-based approach, valuing clients’ skills, resilience, and inherent worth. The Outreach Specialist role is a unique opportunity to learn about homelessness, which is a priority at the state and local grassroots levels. The Outreach Specialist position is an entry-level position providing opportunities to learn, grow, and develop with a nonprofit at the forefront of this work in Oakland.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Mobile Outreach

• Provide outreach, support, and services at homeless encampments in Oakland, Emeryville, and surrounding areas.
• Act as the “eyes and ears” for the homeless community, as the liaison between the homeless community and city and county agencies.
• With the assigned team, regularly visit and provide services to encampments in a specific area of Oakland and surrounding areas. Build rapport and relationships with assigned encampments and respond to ad-hoc requests from City liaisons.
• Complete Coordinated Entry System (CES) assessments and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) enrollments for clients, and update records for clients in HMIS.
• Refer clients to comprehensive services, including mental health, legal assistance, entitlement benefits, health care, detox programs, substance abuse treatment, and recovery programs. Outreach Specialists will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with a Clinician (or Clinician in Training) and Mental Health Specialists on the team.
• Provide clients with resource information about immediate shelter options and housing resources, supporting them to transition from the streets into safe and supportive housing.
• Participate as needed in coordination activities, including meetings with City agencies and other nonprofits.
• Notify homeless individuals about the abatement schedule and advocate for encampment residents, including if they need more time to vacate the area.
• Maintain clean and operational outreach vehicles following current cleaning and sanitation protocols.
• Coordinate client transportation to various sites throughout the city.
• Wear and maintain appropriate protective gear during encampment cleanings and closures.
• Other duties as assigned.

2. Communications and Record-Keeping

• Complete a site profile of the residents at homeless encampments, including the number of homeless individuals and their key characteristics (race, age, disability, income level).
• Update Encampment Management Team (EMT) reportbacks after each site visit.
• Help create a positive, productive, and supportive outreach team environment.
• Engage in effective communications with community partners.
• Participate actively in weekly outreach meetings with the City; Coordinated Entry meetings at the City and County level; and other coordination meetings as needed.
• Maintain a strict level of confidentiality and discuss clients only in a private setting to support their goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Relevant experience providing outreach to homeless individuals is preferred by not required.
• Ability to create a compassionate, patient, and empowering connection with highly marginalized and homeless populations, including individuals with mental health and substance abuse concerns.
• Ability to remain calm in crisis situations, think well on one’s feet, and promote solutions in a volatile and ever-changing street environment.
• Team player, able to share resources on behalf of each client and effectively contribute to the outreach team.
• Cultural competency, able to establish effective professional relationships with culturally and racially diverse staff and clients.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated, able to take initiative on behalf of agency and clients.
• Strong ability to fulfill the documentation and reporting requirements for the program. Training is provided.
• Personal life experience with homelessness, recovery, addiction, or mental health preferred and/or strong understanding of these issues.
• Be able to lift 50 lbs, able to lift, bend and be on feet for several hours for clean-up efforts.
• California Driver’s License with clean driving record, able to drive an outreach vehicle/truck.
• Compliance with State and County Public Health orders on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters.

Operation Dignity is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To be considered, please submit a cover letter that specifically addresses how your experience relates to this position.

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary

Pay: From $23.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
Operation Dignity has a COVID Prevention Program as required by law.

Application Question(s):

• Are you in compliance with State Health Orders requiring COVID-19 vaccination and boosters?

Experience:

• Social work: 1 year (Preferred)
• Data collection: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person

laviolettawines.com.au is the go-to platform for job seekers looking for the best job postings from around the web. With a focus on quality, the platform guarantees that all job postings are from reliable sources and are up-to-date. It also offers a variety of tools to help users find the perfect job for them, such as searching by location and filtering by industry. Furthermore, laviolettawines.com.au provides helpful resources like resume tips and career advice to give job seekers an edge in their search. With its commitment to quality and user-friendliness, laviolettawines.com.au is the ideal place to find your next job.