Housing Resource Navigator

Essential Functions

Relationship Building, Goal Setting, and Action Planning

-Create a welcoming environment to greet individuals seeking assistance.
-Establish a trusting relationship with program participants using a person-centered approach, while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
-Conduct an initial intake and/or meeting with each participant to identify needs, strengths, preferences, and barriers.
-Set housing-related goals with each participant and establish an action plan based on the initial intake meeting to determine the next steps with the individual.
-Track progress of plan and provide individualized support as needed for success.
-Ensure that services provided are based on principles and best practices in the sector, including motivational interviewing strategies, trauma-informed care, harm reduction models, housing first, and secondary trauma.
-Maintain confidentiality of the participant and any personally identifiable information at all times.

Resource Navigation

-Use information from the initial intake meeting to help participants apply for housing resources, public assistance programs or other resources for which they may qualify.
-Research and navigate resources that promote long-term stability in housing, including but not limited to rental assistance, legal support, employment, healthcare, mental health, chemical health, transportation, food security, and educational resources.
-Sit side-by-side with the individual to secure access to resources, removing as many barriers as possible.

Outreach, Communication, and Collaboration

-Promote Heading Home Corps services to communities, stakeholders, and partners.
-Work collaboratively with other individuals who are helping participants with their goals (e.g., social service agencies, shelter providers, employers, educational institutions).
-Serve as a liaison between the participant and the systems they are accessing as needed.
-Actively address systemic inequities related to housing and accessing housing resources by dismantling barriers.
-Advance equity initiatives in housing and prioritize serving historically underserved communities.

Career Planning

-Housing Resource Navigators will participate in ongoing training, coaching, and planning to prepare for careers in the housing or social services sector. They will participate in individual career planning support to identify clear pathways via further education, continued service, or employment opportunities post-service.

Communication

-Practice inclusive and thoughtful behavior in building rapport with program participants, site stakeholders and program staff; maintains professional boundaries.
-Communicate regularly and effectively with program staff, and site personnel.
-Report data in online systems in a timely and accurate manner.

Attendance

-Demonstrate regular, timely attendance and adherence to hours as scheduled.
-Commit to service for the full-service term, serving the total commitment of hours within the term.
-Participate in all required Ampact sponsored training sessions, meetings, and coaching sessions, travel as necessary.

-Represent Ampact at site-sponsored activities and provide education about Heading Home Corps and housing supports and services. Recruit community volunteers to participate in site-based events or programming. 
-Actively participate in service projects and commemorating days such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (as applicable). These may include evening and/or weekend hours.
-Be an ambassador of the program by submitting member stories and participating in outreach activities.