Job description

All applicants MUST include a cover letter explaining your interest in the position, and how your experience (work, volunteer, or personal) is applicable to the role. Previous experience in this work is not necessary. We are looking for candidates with an authentic interest in learning how to make an impact in the lives of people experiencing homelessness.

Job Title: Street Resource Specialist

Organization: First Street Mission

About Us:

First Street Mission values approachability, reliability, and solidarity as fundamental to our mission of reducing the harm caused by broken systems.

You’ll be joining our newly launched street and in-home outreach program—a natural next step for our organization, which for over 70 years has served our neighbors experiencing homelessness from our location in downtown Fort Worth.

Primary Impact:

In this role you will work with the outreach team to walk an assigned section of central Fort Worth and actively engage with individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, to provide them with nonjudgmental services such as case plan development, housing placement, identification services, benefits applications, and assistance in navigating healthcare services. Additionally, the outreach team coordinates the Healthy Homes Outreach program by training a team of volunteer health advocates to make in-home visits to build relationships and provide wrap-around support for community members vulnerable to eviction, homelessness, and social isolation.

Organizational Culture:

First Street Mission is an organization made up of staff and volunteers who are dedicated, creative, flexible, collaborative, and person-centered. We strive to create an environment where employees are empowered to access the knowledge and partnerships they need to work both autonomously and collaboratively.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Minimum education: High School diploma
• Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination required
• MSW or BA/BS/BSW in human services/social work/or a related field
• OR 2+ years of relevant experience, such as previous work with individuals experiencing homelessness, trauma and/or mental health services, benefits applications, or community resource navigation
• Excellent computer skills
• Effective communication skills, particularly in situations requiring a trauma-informed or harm reduction lens
• Must be able to respond and adapt in a dynamic environment
• Willing to comply with background check and character references
• Able to walk long distances while carrying 15+ pounds of supplies

Supervision:

First Street Mission values team member empowerment and autonomy, therefore every full-time team member reports directly to the Assistant Director.

Working Conditions:

This is a full-time position (36hrs per week), 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday-Thursday. Some weekends and evenings required. You will spend much of your time outside, all year. It is required to walk daily while carrying work supplies, such as a laptop. You will be required to work in wooded areas, and may encounter mosquitos, animals, and poisonous plants. Additionally, contact with dogs is expected. You will also participate in in-home outreach visits as needed for volunteer training and partner collaboration.

Key Areas of Impact:

Program Launch

Pilot First Street Mission’s outreach programs, including Street Outreach and Healthy Homes Outreach. This includes the opportunity to test out multiple outreach modalities, develop personalized areas of expertise, and create essential collaborations with partner agencies.

Street Engagement

Build trusting relationships with individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness and persons at risk of homelessness based on mutual respect, accessibility, and nonjudgmental support. You will be empowered to take the time necessary to build these relationships with those experiencing severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI), people who use drugs, those who have been recently incarcerated, non-English speakers, and everyone you encounter.

Housing Assessment, Navigation, & Support

Serve on a team collaborating with the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition and the Continuum of Care. Demonstrate expertise in Coordinated Entry, HUD assessments, and homelessness data management.

Specialized Expertise in Case Management

Practice a comprehensive approach to homelessness response and prevention and provide specialized services in a few areas of expertise such as benefits services, ID services, healthcare navigation, and other essentials. On-the-job training time will be provided to develop these specializations.

Healthy Homes Outreach Coordination

Collaborate with volunteer advocates to identify housed clients’ goals based on the social determinants of health model and provide clients with optional interventions and supportive services to meet these goals. Examples of this include addressing food insecurity, housing navigation, benefits applications, transportation support, and healthcare referrals.

Team Collaboration

All team members at First Street Mission take a collaborative approach and support other team members and programs when needed. This means you will staff seasonal large events, participate in volunteer recruitment and engagement, and provide coverage for other areas of the Mission’s work.

All applicants MUST include a cover letter explaining your interest in the position, and how your experience (work, volunteer, or personal) is applicable to the role. Previous experience in this work is not necessary. We are looking for candidates with an authentic interest in learning how to make an impact in the lives of people experiencing homelessness.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $21.00 - $24.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
COVID-19 vaccination is required

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Fort Worth, TX 76102: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Application Question(s):

• All applicants MUST include a cover letter explaining your interest in the position, and how your experience (work, volunteer, or personal) is applicable to the role. Previous experience in this work is not necessary. We are looking for candidates with an authentic interest in learning how to make an impact in the lives of people experiencing homelessness.

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: In person

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