Family Advocate in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at HOPE SOUTH FLORIDA INC

HOPE South Florida extends far beyond physical resources, and offers a HOPE-filled community, keeping families together, providing compassionate care, and guiding and equipping those in need on a path to holistic life change. Families and individuals benefit from HOPE South Florida’s continuum of care that builds steady progress through rapid re-housing, meals, showers, case management, employment assistance, and other services designed to transform lives.

Your passion:

You absolutely love to see people succeed, demonstrating a very high level of compassion, guidance, and exhortation for those families whom you serve. You are resourceful and diligent, actively seeking housing placement for families experiencing homelessness. You desire to help families build resilience and independence, connecting them with individualized support, services, and specialized care. You serve intentionally with the love of Christ.

You are:

• Convinced a relationship with Jesus changes everything in a person’s life.
• Committed to keeping your family as your first ministry.
• Dedicated in your personal study of God’s Word.
• Consistently placing a high priority on worship and your personal prayer life.
• An excellent and generous steward of your personal finances.
• Obedient to God to take a Sabbath and make space for soul-keeping.
• Deeply compassionate towards people who are in need or hurting.
• A part of a healthy friendship community and accountability circle.
• Willing to give up personal pleasures and freedoms in order to live a life above reproach and that is aligned with our Team Member Handbook.

You Will

• Serve as the family’s advocate, fighting for their best possible outcomes and goals.
• Provide direct case management and housing placement services to families who participate in the rapid re-housing program.
• Conduct initial interviews/assessments/intake with individuals/families in the program office or in their home and identify family housing barriers.
• Gather and document necessary information for program eligibility and housing plans.
• Develop and implement a housing plan with each family to ensure that adequate services are received to aid families in attaining and maintaining housing stability. Each case plan must include measurable goals, objectives, and progress notes. Provide support, encouragement, and accountability to the family in their daily activities to fulfill their case plans and maintain successful employment.
• Collect and document all required family and program data for Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and reports for the HOPE Executive Team, board of directors and grantors.
• Ensure the confidentiality of all family information.
• Provide field-based aftercare case management as well as maintain office presence and attend meetings with staff colleagues and collaborative partners as needed.
• Ensure that services rendered are in a manner consistent with HOPE’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values.
• Attend trainings and workshops to promote professional growth.

You have

• A bachelor's degree in psychology, human or social services, social work, or a related field from an accredited college or university.
• One year of experience in the homeless/social services field, with an emphasis on housing placement experience preferred.
• The ability to understand and empathize with families in need.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills including interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate clearly and interact well in person, through email, over the phone, and Zoom meetings.
• Flexibility with the ability to prioritize, organize, multitask and complete projects on time and follow-through efficiently.
• The ability to give biblical guidance over the phone and one-on-one.
• A strong work ethic and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• A calm and levelheaded demeanor when faced with pressing needs or difficulty in the moment.
• The ability to keep confidential matters confidential.
• Spiritual maturity with gifts of administration, service and exhortation.
• Possession of a valid Florida Driver’s License and car insurance.
• Independent travel in the field.
• Successful completion of a level 2 background check and drug screening.
• Knowledge of homeless housing resources and community services.
• Knowledge of housing placement and case management methods, procedures, and documentation.
• Knowledge of external requirements that impact the residents such as the U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), Department of Health, Department of Children and Families, and Broward County Public Schools, etc.
• Knowledge of relapse prevention strategies, life-skills, related to household stability, employability, and workplace expectations.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, landlords, provider agencies, governmental organizations, and members of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Demonstrate high standards of personal performance in terms of accuracy, attention to detail, and thoroughness.
• High level of organizational skill, attention to detail, and the ability to manage and prioritize projects at one time.
• Ability to establish goals and objectives, and to implement an appropriate plan of action for each family.
• Ability to establish priorities, meet deadlines, develop, and manage families' care plans, and other work assignments.
• Ability to problem solve in a proactive, creative manner, using sound judgment based on information.
• Ability to work both independently and as a team player forming positive, collaborative relationships with team members and partners of HOPE South Florida.

It would be incredible if:

• You are bilingual.
• You know all of the best local spots to shop on a budget!
• You love to meet new people and find them interesting.

What you are required to know:

• We are an EEO employer.
• You may have to bend, sit or stand for prolonged periods of time, lift, pull, push and/or move up to 35 lbs.
• You may have to work evenings and/or weekends to assist with special events or emergencies.

Work Schedule:

• Monday through Friday 8:30 - 5:30PM
• Staff culture is important to what we do. To love like family, we require all staff to attend all staff meetings, department meetings and serve with a willing heart especially at all major events.