Bilingual Housing Case Manager in San Diego, California at SAN DIEGO YOUTH SERVICES

San Diego Youth Services seeks a Bilingual Housing Case Manager in the TAY Academy program to be based in San Diego. This is a full-time & non-exempt position reporting to the Program Manager.

San Diego Youth Services: Who we are

San Diego Youth Services has helped improve the lives of more than 834,000 homeless, runaway and vulnerable youth since its beginning in 1970. We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing to more than 16,000 youth every year at 100+ community and school locations. Through prevention, early intervention and treatment, we also help youth before they need higher levels of care or become homeless.

We aim to:

1. Meet the basic needs of youth. Hunger, poverty and youth homelessness are on the rise for many youth and their families today. We help meet these basic needs for youth. What could be more vital than food and shelter? We provide safe places to live and long-term solutions through shelter, foster homes, community centers and housing.
2. Create positive connection. We help youth focus on positive life changes and healthy relationships as part of providing needed resources and services. San Diego Youth Services has long provided foster homes and adoption support services for families considering adopting a youth in the foster care system.
3. Help youth develop life skills. In addition to a range of safe and stable housing options, we offer support to help youth develop the independent living skills necessary to become self-sufficient and keep off the streets.
4. Promote overall health and well-being. Early intervention and care for the whole child are critical. We provide a broad continuum of services to help youth overcome trauma and challenges that put them at risk, including case management, counseling, mental health treatment and educational support and resources.
5. SDYS has a staff of approximately 250 employees and 80 volunteers working across San Diego County and an annual budget of approximately $24 million.

You can learn more about us at www.sdyouthservices.org

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION:

This position is responsible for providing comprehensive trauma-informed services to youth in drop-in center and residential sites to ensure that standards relating to inclusivity and safety are maintained. The Housing Case Manager provides supportive services focused on obtaining and stabilizing housing. Encourages participant motivation, skill building and permanency; provides housing system navigation and removal of barriers.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Welcome and orient participants to TAY Academy services through intake and needs assessment. Support Drop-In Center operations through on-site milieu coverage, assist with daily program operations, crisis intervention, de-escalation, recreational opportunities and facilitate youth support groups and provide supportive services to youth.
2. Work collaboratively to address participant needs that include assessing for housing readiness, navigating housing resources and supporting youth through processes to obtain and maintain housing; Engage in advocacy for youth needs, and provide independent living skills education and referrals as applicable.
3. Support participant connection with informal and formal resources and networks in the community. Engage participants’ safe networks to identify appropriate housing options. Including family reunification and/or transition to self-sufficiency. Serve as an advocate when navigating resources.
4. Engage in landlord liaison activities to enhance housing opportunities and maintain stability. Establish and maintain active and ongoing communication with potential housing opportunities to include free market landlords, property management companies, housing agencies, community housing programs, and shared housing networks.
5. Assist youth in identifying, obtaining, and maintaining stable housing. Conduct prevention and diversion interventions to ensure youth’s homelessness experience is brief and non-recurrent. Conduct assessment and referral to shelter and the coordinated entry system through administering the TAY VI-SPDAT to participants, if needed.
6. Teach youth basic knowledge about housing searches, application completion, and tenant-landlord laws including renter's rights, Fair housing laws and Housing First model. Teach youth independent living skills including those associated with communal living and managing roommate relationships
7. Partner with youth to create and follow through on housing transition plans. Support intake and interview procedures for youth enrollment into the program, including arranging the moving of youth in and out of housing placements. Transport participants when necessary.
8. Monitor participant progress and maintain accurate records including data entry into approved databases and manage other pertinent housing records. Assist with data collection for reports.
9. Conduct ongoing outreach and education to youth, community organizations, landlords, housing authorities and providers. Participate in multi-disciplinary teams to assist youth in obtaining/maintaining housing placements.

SDYS EXPECTATIONS:

• Adhere to and uphold the rigorous standards of SDYS as mandated by its mission, purpose, guiding principles and standards of quality.
• Maintain confidentiality and privacy standards of service partner protected health information and other applicable information and material in accordance to agency and center policies, and applicable regulations and laws including HIPAA.
• Welcome and support SDYS volunteers and assist them in accomplishing their services whenever applicable.
• Effectively communicate with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Receive and give supportive feedback to foster equity and inclusion in working relationships.
• Recognize, nurture, and learn from strengths in co-workers.
• Maintain warm, welcoming and safe work environments.
• Possess flexibility to accomplish job responsibilities in several work environments, whether it be from home, on the road, or in an office.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or another closely related field. Bilingual (English/Spanish) required. At least two years’ experience working with at-risk transition aged youth (ages 18-24) who have experienced homelessness, preferred. Knowledge of the Coordinated Entry System, housing programs and community housing landscape. Experience with residential and housing services (i.e. case management, resource linkage, housing navigation, voucher systems).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must have own, reliable transportation and must be able to provide transport to youth as needed in the community.

STRATEGIC IMPACT:

Support efforts to end youth homelessness in San Diego and increase youths’ capacity to live self-sufficient lives.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Hourly Pay Range: $23 - $25

FULL-TIME STAFF BENEFITS:

• PTO: 18 days PTO + 2 floating holidays + 12.5 paid holidays (32.5 paid days off)
• 403b with 2% employer match
• Medical, dental, vision, pet insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• $2,000 annual bonus for staff who are fully bilingual in Spanish
• $1,500 annual bonus for staff with proficiency in Spanish

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on SDYS website.

SDYS offers a comprehensive benefits package to full time employees that includes generous PTO, personal holidays, health, vision, dental, life insurance, parental leave and a 403(b)-retirement plan with matching contribution. SDYS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer.

All are welcome at San Diego Youth Services.

As an organization working to meet the basic needs of youth, create positive connections, help youth develop life skills, and promote overall health and well-being, SDYS believes its practices and actions must reflect the highest level of commitment to access, equity, and social justice.

The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent that our members invest in their work represents not only part of the SDYS’ culture, but the SDYS’ reputation and achievements as well. SDYS remains open to feedback from all communities it touches and knows that input from those with direct experience of issues will make the SDYS more effective in achieving its goals.

SDYS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. In compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act as amended, all new employees must verify their eligibility to work in the United States.

SDYS is proud to be a kindness certified company.