Youth Housing Navigator

Position Summary: The Youth Navigator will provide support to youth and young adults during the time of crisis, engage with the homeless response system, and assist them with the return to permanent housing in the community. This position emphasizes continuous engagement of individuals and/or families in creative problem solving and light-touch case management in developing an individualized plan to end their housing instability and return to safe, stable housing. This is a full-time position at 35 hours per week, and the work schedule is Monday -Friday.

Salary: $24.50 – $25.50 hourly + a generous benefit package

Qualifications

• Associates Degree preferred.
• Knowledge of the homeless service system preferred
• Outreach and/or Counseling experience and experience working within a diverse team preferred.
• Ability to work well with diverse populations.
• Driver’s License and reliable transportation is required.
• Bilingual a plus.

Responsibilities

• Complete Coordinated Access Network (CAN) assessments for homeless young adults and provide ongoing navigation.
• Maintain organized files and adhere to timely data entry into HMIS.
• Proactively engage all clients in creative problem solving to identify and secure safe, viable housing opportunities outside of homeless system.
• Provide ongoing case management services to clients.
• Work with households to collect all personal identification and documentation, income verification, homelessness verification, and disability verification (when applicable) and upload them into the CT Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
• Conduct extensive outreach to engage the community and build relationships with organizations.
• Conducts street outreach with Outreach Team as appropriate,
• Proactively form linkages with community providers, including emergency shelter, transitional housing and domestic violence shelters that serve the targeted population.
• Work collaboratively with the CAN staff and youth team
• Travel between Meriden and Middlesex County as needed.
• Assist in networking, including representing program at relevant meetings.
• Participate in trainings related to best practices and Coordinated Access Network system improvement, including but not limited to diversion, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, HMIS, domestic violence.