Transitional Housing Advocate

Location: On-site/Remote Hybrid at confidential address in San Francisco 

Compensation: Full time. Anticipated rate $25-27 per hour. Pay rate will be determined in part depending on years of experience related to essential duties and responsibilities. Generous health benefits and vacation package, including medical, dental, vision, and alternative healthcare coverage, generous vacation and sick leave, a 403(b) plan/retirement account, commuter transit benefits, and more.

Date Posted: 4/3/2024

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Summary

The Transitional Housing Advocate is responsible for survivor centered advocacy, empowerment and case management for survivors of domestic violence during their transition from domestic violence shelter into stable independent housing. The role involves DV advocacy, housing location assistance (identifying and securing appropriate housing for survivors), housing stabilization, economic empowerment (identifying and supporting financial literacy, income building, skills building and job searching), and teamwork with other advocates and entities.

Organization Description

Founded in 1988 and voted the Most Inspiring Nonprofit by SF Weekly’s Best of San Francisco in 2019, Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence by promoting the social, political and economic self-determination of women and all survivors of violence and oppression. Our staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to teamwork and positive change to strengthen grassroots communities and the movement to end gender-based violence. AWS is a local, regional, and national leader in its field, known for its commitment to cultural responsiveness, multilingual engagement, shared leadership, building effective collaborations, and movement-based services and cultural change programs. We value equity, gender justice, language and cultural responsiveness, integrity, compassion and sustainability. Our approach is survivor-centered, trauma-informed, intersectional, margin-to-center, ethically collaborative, and committed to movement-building.  Learn more about the Asian Women’s Shelter at www.sfaws.org. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Collaboration (15%)

• Work in conjunction with other advocates in AWS’s Housing Team and Shelter Team to identify and support survivors who can enroll in AWS’s Transitional Housing Program.
• Work in conjunction with AWS Shelter Team advocates to coordinate transitional case management for continuum of services before and after survivors’ transition out of shelter.
• Maintain collaboration with subcontracted partners of AWS’s Transitional Housing Program.
• Build and sustain effective relationships with other entities in service to survivors’ growth and well-being, including landlords, property managers, partner agency staff, business owners, hiring managers, etc.
• Contribute to the AWS Housing Team’s efforts to expand a network of housing opportunities including recruiting and retaining landlord partners.

Case Management - General (30%)

• Build and maintain rapport with and provide emotional support and advocacy to survivors in AWS’s emergency shelter and Transitional Housing Program.
• Create and implement case plans with clients.
• Maintain regular contact with and provide supportive services to clients after their transition out of shelter, during the time that they receive rental assistance through the Transitional Housing Program, and for three months following the end of rental assistance. 
• Coordinate clients’ access to other AWS programs and services for which they are eligible.
• Provide or arrange essential language access through AWS’s Multilingual Access Model (MLAM), or other means if as necessary.
• Follow all record-keeping and documentation requirements for case management.
• Participate in regular AWS housing team meetings, clinical consultations, and other Direct Service team meetings as appropriate.
• Provide client transportation and accompaniment as appropriate to appointments.

Case Management – Housing Specific (30%)

• Develop housing stability plans with enrolled clients.
• Partner with survivors to identify available units, assist households in navigating application and leasing processes (including assisting applicants in resolving screening barriers, and executing VAWA compliant lease addenda), and assist clients in understanding landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities and requirements of their specific lease. 
• Coordinate site visits for clients to view housing and meet landowners; facilitate all necessary communication and documentation with landowners.
• Implement all processes to provide rental assistance to tenant households, following AWS protocols and any other applicable requirements.
• Help survivors prepare for, move-in to, and retain new housing.

Case Management – Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment (15%)

• Support survivors to meet their financial literacy, income building, and economic empowerment goals, including connecting clients to money management services, budgeting, and banking services.
• In collaboration with other advocates, plan and implement financial literacy and economic empowerment workshops for survivors.
• In collaboration with other advocates, expand a network of employment and job training opportunities for survivors.

General Shelter Support & Program Development (10%)

• Contribute to a welcoming and supportive environment for shelter residents and other clients.
• Participate in and contribute meaningfully to staff retreats, staff meetings, professional development trainings, and program/organizational development.
• Demonstrate regular, predictable attendance and focus.
• Support ad hoc organizational needs as possible and appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university; or one to two years related education, experience and/or training related to Social Work, Gender Studies, Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Psychology, Public Health, or related field.  Baseline knowledge and awareness of issues related to cultural marginalization, poverty, housing, economic inequity, issues related to immigration and language access, gender oppression, etc.  Experience building collaborations with other service providers preferred.  Experience in project coordination, establishing priorities, time management, and effective verbal and written communication preferred.

Language Skills: Ability to read, write and interpret documents such as program reports, procedure manuals and curricula and outreach materials.  Ability to write routine reports, and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of employees or program participants of the organization. Bilingual/bicultural preferred.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of and ability to perform using Internet software (Chrome, Safari), MacOS (Apple operating system), Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Google Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, etc.), eSignature tools (Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign), accounting and expense/budget management software (QuickBooks, Divvy), online payroll service (ADP), databases (Apricot), and remote collaboration tools (Basecamp, Zoom, TeamViewer, Dropbox, etc.). Knowledge of basic office equipment should include internet and email, copy and fax machines, telephone and smartphone. 

Certificates, Licenses, Registration:  

• A valid California driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, and safe driving record sufficient to insurance companies’ standards and proof of auto insurance are required for any driving for work duties.
• California Domestic Violence Counselor Training & Certification (Training requirements can be completed post-hire through AWS’s training program).
• Housing Quality Standards Inspector Certification desired (can be acquired after hire).
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination, unless granted reasonable accommodation for religious or medical reasons.

Other Qualifications

• Must be available to work occasional evenings and weekend days.

Physical Requirements

• The work environment includes settings of an office and shelter/communal living environment, and community meeting spaces. The noise level in these settings is usually noisy.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear.
• This position engages in work that requires time spent sitting, standing, walking up and down stairs, with a significant number of hours each day spent sitting, looking at a screen, using a computer and keyboard, phone, and/or video conferencing.
• The work of the organization includes frequent information-sharing and discussion not just about healing and support, but also about abuse, trauma, violence and systemic oppression. Must be comfortable engaging in conversation about these topics with others.  Must be able to discuss these topics in a way that supports trust-building, effective communication, and teamwork.

COVID-19 UPDATE: 

As part of AWS’s COVID Prevention Plan, AWS requires that all personnel who work with clients, or in communities as a representative of AWS, be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless qualified for an exception (subject to reasonable accommodations for individuals with medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs that prevent them from being vaccinated). Face masks and physical distancing are required in spaces of AWS’s work. AWS stays responsive to changing conditions and regulations of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Generous health benefits and vacation package, including medical, dental, vision, and alternative healthcare coverage, generous vacation and sick leave, a 403(b) plan/retirement account, commuter transit benefits, and more.