Housing Advocate - Valparaiso, United States - Northwest Indiana Community Action

Northwest Indiana Community Action

Verified Company

Valparaiso, United States

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

ORGANIZATION:

Area Agency on Aging and Community Action Agency for Northwest Indiana, founded in 1965, the
NWICA Mission is to ensure the people who experience financial hardship find opportunities, resources,
and respect. We do this by helping individuals of all ages and families, through direct services and
referrals.
Serving residents in Lake, Porter, Jasper, Newton, LaPorte, Pulaski, and Starke Counties

FUNCTION:

Reporting to the Manager of Homeless Resources, the Housing Advocate works one-on-one and in small
groups with individuals and families, providing in-depth assessment and NWICA services and
implementing case management techniques, to assist families toward self-sufficiency. Responsible for
acting as a resource to assigned families, facilitating assessment of need, goals, helping to recognize
barriers to stability, and assisting with the development of strategies for meeting families' needs and
strengthening their support network.
The Housing Advocate is expected to be an active participant in the agency's mission, vision, and values
and an active participant in promoting and fulfilling the ethical standards of professional case
management and Family Support principles. He/she shall work to ensure that consistent, reliable,
responsive, and high-quality services are provided to the agency's constituents, partners, and
customers. He/she will demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative, and flexibility and will maintain positive
working relationships with all agency personnel, will be inclusive and communicative with all staff, and
will establish herself/himself as a primary resource within the agency for consumer empowerment and
self-sufficiency/independence.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

Intake
Interview families and develop and maintain relationships which encourage families to talk

comfortably about their personal/family situation. Gather information necessary to assess family

needs and determine eligibility and appropriateness for agency services, as well as other

programs/services beneficial to the client/family and provide orientation to those services.

Assessment
Assist families to identify barriers which prevent them from meeting their basic needs

and determine potential solutions for overcoming these barriers. Help families to recognize and use

their strengths in working toward their goal(s) by developing action plans.

Referral & Followup
Identify resources within the agency and/or community capable of providing

assistance to the family in meeting their needs. Inform and assist the family in the process to apply

for and receive services and make appropriate referrals.

Provide Family Development Services
Oneonone instruction/informal coaching to families, based

on their Action Plan which may include:

Providing assistance to appropriate family members so they can obtain additional

training/education which will lead to employment or employment which has higher wages

and/or better benefits.

Providing assistance, to appropriate family members, in job seeking/keeping skills which

will lead to employment thereby helping the family to become more self-sufficient.

Encouraging the development of good selfesteem and teaching techniques/methods to

promote positive self-esteem in other family members.

Providing parenting education in the areas of child development, parent/child

relationships, communication, guidance and supervision, etc.

Teaching/encouraging, as appropriate, basic health/hygiene/housekeeping standards to

promote healthful, sanitary living conditions.

Teaching home management skills including meal planning, cooking, budgeting, etc.
Instruction/facilitation of classes/workshops/groups which may include skill development

in Job Readiness, Job Seeking/Keeping, Parenting, Budgeting, Stress Management, SelfEsteem, Meal Planning/Nutrition, Time Management, Leadership Development.

Record Keeping/Reporting
Ensure that adequate program and participant records are maintained

and that reports, and paperwork are completed, as required. This includes factual records,

documentation of progress and observations critical to case management, keeping accurate

attendance records, travel records, monitoring reports, terminations, follow
- ups, etc.

Agency/Community Contact
Establish and maintain effective working relationships to assure

successful coordination efforts with community resources, including human service agencies,

organizations, schools, employers and individuals, and accept referrals from them: Utilize other

potential resources to the advantage of families.

Interpret various state and federal manuals used to implement agency programs.
Carry out mandated reporter responsibilities as required by the Child/Elder Abuse/Neglect law of the

state of Indiana.