Summary of Position: The Shelter Support Specialist supports the overall
operation of the Shelter Programs.
Specific Duties:
- Assist participants with accessing basic needs, including clothes, food,
hygiene products, etc
- Verbally de-escalate situations with and between participants
- Ensure that the environment is safe and community-oriented by
helping the participants adhere to general and program-specific rules
- Engage and collaborate with participants to explore their case
management needs and make appropriate referrals
- Collaborate with case managers and other program staff (i.e., program
manager, nurse, behavioral health specialist) to create and implement
service plans to ensure coordination of care for participants
- Develop an environment of community and respect among our
participants by actively partnering with them to address barriers to
success in their pursuit of housing
- Manage any sound or activities indoors and outside the premises at
any time of the day that will interfere with the peace, comfort or
disturb the quiet enjoyment of other residents, staff, volunteers,
and/or neighbors
- Arrive on time and prepared for shift; Complete assignments and tasks
thoroughly and in a timely manner
- Attend and participate in meetings and trainings as expected and
required by the agency, including regular supervision and team
meetings; daily check in and debriefs; agency meetings; multi
disciplinary case consultation meetings; and internal and external trainings
- Ensure the maintenance of a clean environment, both in general
communal areas and individual participant rooms
Maintain appropriate data including shift logs and incident reports relevant
to service provided into designated systems such as HMIS, SmartSheets,
and Microsoft Teams
- Develop and maintain strong and professional relationships with
fellow staff and participants through effective, and cross-functional,
communication and collaboration
- Adhere to the Core Values and Code of Conduct for Connections for the
Homeless
- Available to work all shifts and holidays as assigned
For nearly 40 years, Connections for the Homeless has served and catalyzed our community to end homelessness, one person at a time. Each year we provide eviction prevention, shelter, and housing services to 4,000 people from across north suburban Cook County. Beyond providing direct services we also operate a robust advocacy and community organizing program to address the root causes of homelessness. The COVID pandemic accelerated our growth in the depth and breadth of services we offer and the organizational infrastructure to sustain this highly impactful organization. Connections is a radically reshaped organization deeply committed to demonstrating our core values in all relationships with participants, colleagues, donors, partners, and volunteers.
Join our dedicated team at Connections for the Homeless, where we blend a commitment to making a difference with a competitive rewards package. Our full-time employees enjoy a range of benefits, consciously crafted through an equitable lens, to support their well-being and professional growth.
At Connections for the Homeless, we recognize that supporting our employees is essential in achieving our mission. We are ready to invest in you as you make a difference in our community. We can't wait for you to join us!