Per Diem Residential Aide - Washington D.C. - Friendship Place

Description

Per Diem Residential Aide

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 community involvement. 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 person-centric 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 promotes transparency and ethical practices among our team and those we serve. All individuals in our organization are expected to perform their job duties in a manner consistent with our core values. These include the following: Excellence and Innovation, Finding Ways to Say "Yes," Caring at the Core, Agents of Change, Support, Empowerment and Development, Building Relationships, Integrity, and Accountability.

Summary: The Per Diem Residential Aide is responsible for assisting with daily operations and meeting the needs of residents at multiple shelters, ensuring a safe, clean, and supportive environment for all clients. The Per Diem Residential Aide does not have a regularly scheduled shift but will fill in for staff absences or during periods of peak workload. The Per Diem Residential Aide must be adaptable, dependable, and comfortable working in diverse settings. Shift opportunities will be at varying locations and will include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Per diem employees will be offered to cover open shifts as needed.

Essential Competencies:

• Warmly greet and direct residents and building guests.
• Monitor security cameras in the building and ensure staff/participant/building safety by appropriately responding to any security issues.
• Become familiar with the Housing First Model, HSRA, and HIPAA to inform job duties and program philosophy.
• Develop rapport with each resident through routine contact and communication.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of residents by providing routine wellness checks.
• Monitor residents' medical and psychiatric needs while reporting any concerns to the case management team, case manager supervisor, and division director promptly.
• Provide crisis intervention as needed and contact emergency response teams such as Mobile Crisis, MPD, the fire department, and paramedics when necessary.
• Complete incident reporting when necessary and communicate any incidents, allegations, security breaches, or sensitive situations to chain of command on resident and program outcomes, including areas for improvement.
• Demonstrate empathy and flexibility in responding to residents' needs and requests.
• Work collaboratively in a team environment to address crisis needs.
• Attend and participate in supervision meetings, staff meetings, agency training, and professional training and conferences as required.
• Follow all agency policies and procedures and enforce program rules.
• Maintain strict confidentiality at all times.
• Seeks out opportunities for professional development.
• Maintain compliance with trainings, background clearances, and meeting attendance at all times.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Shift Availability:

• Ability to work beyond the designated 8-hour shift and display flexibility with last-minute shift needs.
• Must be available for at least 1 shift per month,
• Must be available for at least 1 holiday in Spring/Summer and 1 holiday in Fall/Winter.

Background & Qualifications:

• HS Diploma, GED or equivalent
• 3 years of general work experience, including one year of experience in direct human service. (Educational experience may be waived if the candidate can document having experienced homelessness)
• Associate's and/or bachelor's degree with 6 months of direct human service experience (Preferred)
• Must have or be able to obtain a First Aid/CPR/AED certification that includes a hands-on skills testing module. May be called into action to perform life-saving measures. Friendship Place will provide First Aid/CPR/AED training.
• Must possess strong intra- and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively express ideas, needs, and observations both verbally and in writing. This includes the ability to communicate clearly and respectfully with clients, colleagues, and supervisors, as well as to document interactions and incidents accurately, professionally, and in a timely manner. The employee should demonstrate active listening, emotional awareness, and the ability to adapt their communication style to different individuals and situations.
• Bilingual in Spanish is a plus.
• Experience working with individuals with mental health concerns or addiction preferred.
• Ability and willingness to work in a diverse and challenging environment.
• Ability and willingness to work as a team player.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word; ability to learn database programs.
• Ability to maintain healthy and professional boundaries.
• Ability to travel to all sites for shifts.
• This role involves working closely with individuals who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. At times, the work may involve exposure to emotionally sensitive or challenging situations. Employee must be compassionate, self-aware, and able to maintain healthy boundaries while supporting others in a respectful and trauma-informed way.

Physical and Environmental Requirements: Position will operate in a site-based service environment. Program participants live on-site in apartment-style accommodations. Employees must be able to sit for extended periods, perform repetitive motions, and maintain proper posture and positions. Employee must be able to operate a motorized vehicle. Some lifting may be required (up to lbs).

This role involves working closely with individuals who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. At times, the work may involve exposure to emotionally sensitive or challenging situations. Employees must be compassionate, self-aware, and able to maintain healthy boundaries while supporting others in a respectful and trauma-informed way.

Working conditions: Program participants live on-site in apartment-style accommodations, and employees will work within that building. Employees may be exposed to bodily fluids and wastes (e.g., blood, urine, feces, vomit) and drug paraphernalia. This may include exposure to needles, contaminated surfaces, and individuals who may be under the influence of drugs. (Appropriate PPE and training on how to use it are provided.)

Background checks: The selected candidate will be required to complete and pass background checks specific to contract requirements that will include a criminal history background check and fingerprinting, FBI Background Check, a DC Metropolitan Police Background Check, a State-of-Residence Police Background Check, DC Child Abuse Registry (CFSA), a National Sex Offender Registry Check, Drug Panel and Alcohol Screening, and a Tuberculosis Test. Friendship Place shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and guidance, including guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("CDC") and public health and licensing authorities. It is also consistent with contract requirements and other protocols that will provide for our employees' and clients' optimal safety and health.

Direct & Indirect Reports Direct: None