Youth Services Advocate (Housing Case Manager)

Background

Youth Empowered Society (YES) prevents and eliminates youth homelessness through the synergy of youth/peer and ally partnerships. The organization’s vision is that all of Baltimore’s youth will easily access supportive services and stable housing to become powerful in their own lives. Our drop in center is a safe space where youth can find a sense of community and access basic needs, support services, and housing case management. As we expand and deepen our programming to serve more youth with warmth, compassion, and care, we are eager to add staff who can help us meet our mission.

Role

The Youth Services Advocate (Case Manager) functions as an integral member of the YES team, reflecting the essential value that youth, peer and ally partnerships provide the organization with its strength and uniqueness. The Youth Services Advocate assists young adults ages 14-25 at risk of or currently experiencing homelessness with building skills, overcoming functional barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing, and accessing community resources and social service linkages. The Youth Services Advocate provides direct youth-centered and strengths-based support that encourages youth and supports them in accomplishing self-determined goals, with the ultimate goal of equipping them to thrive and be powerful in their own lives.

Responsibilities

Case Management

• Build authentic, caring relationships with youth and meet with them at office/drop in center, and/or in community on a regular basis
• Provide support and resources to empower participants to reach goals related to housing, employment and other self-identified needs, including but not limited to:
  • Enrolling youth in the Coordinated Access System to access housing across the city (more in “Housing Navigation” below)
  • Supporting other services such as accessing shelter; enrolling in high school, GED programs, and college; accessing public benefits; connecting to job training and employment;
  • Connecting to health, mental health, and substance abuse care;
  • Identifying pregnancy/parenting resources and accessing childcare.
• Facilitate referrals to and from community organizations
• Regularly evaluate progress on case goals, and complete follow up tasks to ensure continued progress towards goals

Housing Navigation

• Assist eligible youth to collect their documentation of income, forms of ID, proof of disability, and proof of literal homeless (all components of Coordinated Access process)
• Serve as leading member of case management team for Coordinated Access, by supporting all steps involved and staying diligent about follow up tasks for youth to ensure continued progress and completion (getting on city housing list)
• Serve as main Coordinated Access liaison with Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services and attend case conferencing bimonthly

Drop In

• Manage and supervise participants in the drop in space, which may look like:
  • Handing out food, clothing, hygiene items, etc.
  • Facilitating basic needs support like showers, laundry, or meals
  • Leading a life skills or peer mentorship group
  • Assisting with youth-choice activities like computer use (often for job or training applications, etc.)
• Directing/liasioning with volunteers to support drop in services
• Being responsible for opening or closing and associated operational support

Reporting

• Note all client interactions in client files in a timely manner
• Maintain case notes of participant meetings and record participant services in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)
• Ensure program compliance with client documentation/reporting standards with agency policy/procedures
• Ensure confidentiality of all client records and information
• Report monthly, quarterly and annual statistics to appropriate funding sources
• Work with the YES staff team to continually improve systems to track and transmit youth outputs and outcomes

Networking & System Work

• Attend regular meetings with other service providers to share information and resources
• Work with colleagues from other agencies on joint projects as approved by supervisor
• Advocate for systems change and engage/support youth in advocacy efforts as appropriate

Other

• Work closely with YES’s team to study and continually develop our trauma-informed / resiliency / strengths-based approach to our work, practiced through the lens of race equity
• Advocate with youth, staff, and community partners for equity and opportunity in matters of housing, employment, education, etc. for youth/young adults experiencing homelessness

Desired Qualifications

• Those with lived experience of homelessness prioritized
• A Social Work or related degree and/or previous equivalent experience expected
• Experience working with youth and/or adults or families experiencing homelessness
• Desire to support youth and young adults in a fast-paced environment and belief/investment in redistributing power to them
• Advanced oral and written communication skills
• Commitment to advancing racial equity across systems in Baltimore
• Strong belief and demonstrated experiences with Housing First, Trauma Informed Care and Harm Reduction philosophies
• Teamwork oriented and service oriented with welcoming and collaborative demeanor
• Must have and maintain a valid state driver's license, maintain automobile insurance coverage and have access to an automobile, or have the ability to obtain and maintain reliable transportation