Job Details

Shelter Staff – ECHO Village

ECHO Village is an innovative solution to unsheltered homelessness in Rhode Island, designed as a safer more dignified alternative to congregate shelters. ECHO Village will allow adults experiencing homelessness to reside in individual sleeping enclosures with robust wrap-around services as they transition into permanent housing. The unique nature of this program, coupled with the service delivery model and expertise of House of Hope CDC, will make this an ideal shelter program for those who have struggled to find safety, security, and positive outcomes in traditional shelter models.

Shelter Staff provides front-line direct services and operational support to ECHO Village guests. Primary tasks include ensuring the safety of program guests and the property, forming helping relationships with guests, and accomplishing tasks related to the routine and daily operations of ECHO Village. As a Housing First agency, all services are person-centered and person-directed, using a harm reduction, trauma-informed framework to address client needs.

As this is a program requiring around-the-clock support, schedules may include nontraditional work hours and days, including early morning, evening, and weekend hours. Additionally some positions will require awake overnight shifts.

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

• Engage in relationship building/rapport building with guests.
• Ensure the safety and security of ECHO Village guests; additional support will be provided by an overnight professional security firm.
• Conduct perimeter checks and safety inspections of ECHO Village property with support from overnight professional security while documenting observations and issues.
• Engage in immediate conflict de-escalation with ECHO Village guests.
• Assist Village guests with check-in and intake to ECHO Village operation procedures.
• Provide basic needs assistance to ECHO Village guests.
• Clean and prepare units for newly arriving ECHO Village guests.
• Provide general upkeep and maintenance of common areas and amenity spaces
• Provide supportive services to ECHO Village guests on an as-needed basis in consultation with case management staff
• Provide emotional support, assist with problem-solving, facilitate referrals to community resources, general advocacy, and crisis intervention activities for guests.
• Complete appropriate documentation of services and activities, including but not limited to attendance, security checks, shift reports, incident reports, and interactions with guests.
• Be considerate of each guest's privacy and confidentiality, respect the racial, religious, cultural, and linguistic background of each resident, and help to promote the continuance of their cultural identity as much as possible.
• Be a liaison to families, representatives of social services, and other agencies for constituents.
• Participate in scheduled supervision, team meetings and actively seek guidance as needed.
• Attend all housing first training modules and core competency training modules.
• Attend, prepare, and actively participate in all HOH departmental required trainings and or staff meetings within the building or other training facility.
• Follow all policies and procedures of the House of Hope CDC.

Required qualifications include:

• Patience, creativity, flexibility, compassion, and sensitivity to persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations in diverse environments.
• Demonstrated suitability to work with disadvantaged and challenging individuals and families in a diverse environment.
• Knowledge of community resources such as physical and mental health services, accessing benefits and employment, addiction, and housing supports.
• Sound judgement and problem-solving skills, including assessing risk factors and recognizing emergency and crisis situations.
• Ability to recognize emergency and crisis situations, take action, and seek intervention when needed.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team.
• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and maintain constituent/worker boundaries.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• An ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with constituents, community providers, superiors, co-workers, and associates.
• Ability to structure and manage time, develop work priorities independently, and meet program expectations regarding documentation standards.
• Present a neat and professional appearance, display identification as required by the position, and abide by all House of Hope policies and procedures.
• Bilingual applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Applicants with lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

The House of Hope CDC is a nonprofit organization serving Rhode Island since 1989. At House of Hope CDC, we affirm safe, stable housing as a basic human right. We address the trauma of homelessness by empowering constituents, delivering high impact innovative services, diversifying housing options, and advocating for policies to counter structural inequalities.

House of Hope CDC promotes equal opportunity in all aspects of employment. We are committed to diversity and inclusion in the selection process.

To apply, email resume to info@thehouseofhopecdc.org, please include "ECHO Village – Shelter Staff" in the subject line.