Job Openings
Youth and Young Adult Coach
About Outreach, Inc.
Outreach is a faith-based nonprofit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana that works with youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Our mission is to equip and empower homeless youth and young adults to achieve stability and life transformation.
What We Believe
We operate fundamentally through God’s grace. Our staff, volunteers and board members trust God for His direction and provision for the ministry. Applicant must possess a living and vital relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord, and Savior and model servant leadership.
Position Summary
Outreach has an opportunity for a passionate youth worker to join our team. The Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Coach is a key member of the Outreach team, serving nearly 500 homeless youth and young adults (ages 14-24) annually in high schools, Outreach program centers, and community organizations throughout Marion county. The responsibility of this role is to support and coach youth and young adults in self-empowerment and self-advocacy.
Position Duties & Responsibilities
The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel.
Youth Engagement
• Responsible for intake of new youth and young adults (ages 14-24) referred to Outreach
• Actively engage youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness at assigned street outreach sites, community agencies, schools, and/or program centers throughout Marion county
• Intentionally build relationships, and coach young adults in individual and group environments
• Facilitate group conversations with youth on topics including, but not limited to: conflict management, relationships, health and safety, coping strategies, etc.
• Provide wraparound services by connecting and coordinating resources for youth to obtain basic needs, counseling services, applications for various housing, employment, medical, financial resources, etc.
• Support youth and young adults in setting measurable goals and monitor goal progress of each person
• Transport and accompany youth to appointments, as appropriate
Advocacy
• Advocate for and support youth in the Marion county community and public school systems
• Build and maintain supportive relationships with community organizations, McKinney Vento Liaisons, and school staff
Administration
• Maintain accurate documentation of individual and group interactions in database, and provide regular reporting to supervisor
• Responsible for monitoring costs related to youth outings and meals
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the basic knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The individual in this role must display the highest level of integrity, confidentiality and be a team player. Outreach also values innovative thinking, and a successful candidate will be a self-starter who can work within the team to achieve goals and objectives. The individual should have effective communication skills, attention to detail and organization, flexibility and adaptability. The individual must possess a strong work ethic and can work well both independently and with a team.
Work Environment
This position operates in an office environment, and out in the community. The individual is expected to maintain personal/professional competency and works to create an environment of courtesy, respect, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude in all interactions both internal and external to the organization.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time salaried position and requires the ability to be flexible in your day-to-day work schedule including evenings and weekends, for a total of 40 hours a week.
Preferred Education and Experience
• 4+ years’ experience working with youth and young adults preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in related field (social work, sociology, child & family development, etc.) preferred, but not required. Relevant life experience is valuable for this position.
Supervisory Responsibility
None
Classification
Exempt, Salaried
Salary & Benefits
$36,000 annually. Competitive health/vision/dental package and paid life insurance, 3-weeks paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, paid sick days, and paid quarterly Spiritual Formation Days.
This position description does not constitute a contract of employment and Outreach may exercise our employment-at-will rights at any time.
Interested in applying? If you are interested in applying to this position or have any questions about the role, please e-mail your questions and/or submit a cover letter and resume to office@outreachindiana.org.
Youth Link: Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Systems Navigator
Background - Project Youth Link - Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program
The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an exciting new initiative designed to reduce the number of youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness. In YHDP, a group of youth-serving organizations have developed the Youth Link team, which will work across Indianapolis to identify and link youth and young adults (ages 14-24) who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness to community resources, including case management services, shelters, diversion services, host homes, and permanent housing.
The Youth Link team has an opportunity for a professional with a passion for youth engagement and connecting youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness to available community resources. In partnership with Adult & Child Mental Health and Outreach, Inc., the Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Systems Navigator will complete a coordinated intake process with youth and young adults throughout the community and connect young people to community based supports and housing. In addition, the YYA Systems NavigatorAssessor will develop and maintain relationships with community-based partners.
About Outreach, Inc.
As mentioned, above, this position will collaborate across a coordinated system of Indianapolis homeless youth-serving organizations in order to effectively identify and link youth and young adults that need support throughout the city. This position will be employed at Outreach, Inc., which serves nearly 500 homeless youth and young adults (ages 14-24) annually in drop-in neighborhood program centers, schools, and community organizations throughout Marion county. Outreach, Inc. is a faith-based nonprofit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana that partners with youth and young adults (ages 14 24) experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Outreach’s mission is to equip and empower homeless youth and young adults to achieve stability and life transformation.
Position Duties & Responsibilities
The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
• Meet face-to-face, via phone, and/or virtually with youth and young adults to assess what needs they have related to housing, case-management needs, financial resources, employment resources
• Use strengths-based approaches to meet youth and young adults where they are as they navigate housing instability
• Ensure all data is entered accurately into Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and provide regular reporting to supervisor
• Transport and accompany youth to needed community resources/linkages, as appropriate
• Build and maintain supportive relationships with Marion county community organizations, school districts, shelters, community organizations, juvenile justice system, etc. that support youth and young adults experiencing homelessness
• Attend and participate in community trainings related to available community resources, youth choice, trauma-informed care, diversity and inclusion, assessment, and technology systems
Position Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the basic knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Personal experience navigating homelessness and/or social service systems
• Effective communication and conversational skills – creates safe emotional and conversational space for all persons experiencing homelessness, regardless of race, geographic location, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, and appearance
• Enjoys working both independently and with a team
• Attention to detail and organization – position will track all interactions into a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database consistently
Work Environment
This position operates in an office environment, and out in the community at various organizations. The individual is expected to maintain personal/professional competency and works to create an environment of courtesy, respect, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude in all interactions both internal and external to the organization.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time salaried position and requires the ability to be flexible in your day-to-day work schedule including evenings and some weekends, for a total of 40 hours a week.
Preferred Education and Experience
• 2+ years’ experience working with youth and young adults preferred
• An Associates (or higher) degree in related field preferred (social work, sociology, child
& family development, etc.), but not required. Relevant life experience is valuable for this position.
Classification
Exempt, Salaried
Salary & Benefits
$36,000 annually. Competitive health/vision/dental package and paid life insurance, 3 weeks paid vacation, 12 paid holidays, paid sick days, and paid quarterly Spiritual Formation Days. May consider increased salary, with prior extensive related training and experience.
Diversion Specialist
Organizational Overview
The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) drives a system-wide, community response to make homelessness rare, short-lived, and recoverable. Through leadership and collaboration, CHIP secures and leverages funding to support the homeless service sector, manages and analyzes data at both a micro and macro-level, advocates for policy change and the local, state, and federal levels, and project manages the strategies identified in the Community Plan in partnership with key stakeholders. CHIP serves as the collective impact lead or backbone agency working towards the goal of ending homelessness in Indianapolis.
Outreach, Inc., which serves nearly 500 homeless youth and young adults (ages 14-24) annually in drop-in neighborhood program centers, schools, and community organizations throughout Marion county. Outreach, Inc. is a faith-based nonprofit organization in Indianapolis, Indiana that partners with youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness with the compassion of Jesus Christ. Outreach’s mission is to equip and empower homeless youth and young adults to achieve stability and life transformation.
Program Description
The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is an exciting new initiative designed to reduce the number of youth and young adults (ages 14-24) experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis. Through a six-month planning period, a group of community stakeholders developed a coordinated community plan (CCP) to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness. The CCP is a comprehensive plan that sets a clear vision for ending youth and young adult homelessness and centers youth and young adult voice.
Diversion is an intervention identified by community stakeholders and young people with lived experience as an essential part of the youth and young adult homeless response system. This position will provide services to assist youth and young adults to prevent them from going to a shelter or living in an unsafe place. Diversion in other communities has proven to reduce the trauma experienced by youth and young adults at imminent risk of homelessness. Diversion also connects young people to community resources and emphasizes options for young people to feel safe and supported.
Position Summary
This position is funded through YHDP. It is a two-year contracted position hired and supported through CHIP. The Diversion Specialist will play a key role as a member of the Indianapolis Continuum of Care’s youth and young adult homeless response system and address the needs outlined in the Coordinated Community Plan. CHIP will serve as the fiscal agent and will hold the contract, but the diversion specialist will be hosted and supervised by Outreach Inc. While this position is funded through YHDP for two years, funding cannot be guaranteed after the grant period. For more information about YHDP, please visit https://www.indycoc.org/yhdp
The following responsibilities describe the general nature and scope of work of the diversion specialist position but is not exhaustive. Additional responsibilities may emerge as our community works on a larger diversion and homelessness prevention strategy:
• Meet with youth and young adults (ages 14-24) who are at imminent risk of homelessness with the goal of preventing entry into the homeless system (shelter or unsheltered locations)
• Use best practice approaches to triage and screen a young person to assess needs, barriers and to effectively divert from the homeless system when appropriate and/or to connect a young person to additional resources to address their housing crisis
• Provide problem solving and help resolving conflicts to help individuals self-resolve their homelessness and/or stabilize housing
• Provide supportive, empathetic client support over the telephone and/or in person to those experiencing housing crises and to work to resolve the crisis through problem solving and/or resource coordination
• Help youth and young adults reduce barriers to housing and access services beyond housing; including supporting positive connections, social-emotion wellbeing, and education/employment advancement
• Work collaboratively with other youth and young adult-centric systems (child welfare, education, and juvenile justice) and other community organizations where youth and young adults may present with a housing crisis
• Work across sectors and systems with other youth and young adult-centric systems (child welfare, education, and juvenile justice) to educate and implement diversion practices
• Train and support non-youth specific providers on engaging with youth and young adults facing a housing crisis to help creatively problem solve and implement diversion practices Create, complete, and maintain accurate documentation into Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) adhering to data standards and data tracking and reporting requirements
• Engage in community trainings and professional development around our shared values of youth choice, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, diversity and inclusion, and Housing First
• Engage in training and on-going development around high-quality assessments, use of technology, and data systems
• Participate in relevant Continuum of Care/ YHDP workgroups to ensure a shared commitment to ending youth homelessness, support mutually reinforcing activities, and support collective impact efforts
• Be familiar with and align activities with the Coordinated Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness for Youth and Young Adults https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ae7471a36099b34d8fafcd7/t/5e9f5cc323a8613ec784aee0/158750228 5292/Indianapolis+Coordinated+Community+Plan+%28CCP%29-+Website.pdf
Professional Experience and Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the basic knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Experience
• Minimum of 2 years working directly with youth and young adults preferred
• Personal experience navigating homelessness and/or social service systems preferred
• Training and/or facilitation experience
• Experience helping others resolve inter-personal conflicts and the ability to mediate fairly between different parties
Education
Associates degree (or higher) preferred, but not required
Knowledge, Skills, and Ability
• Effective communication and conversational skills – ability to create safe emotional and conversational space for all persons experiencing homelessness, regardless of race, geographic location, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, and appearance
• Understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and how systems of oppression contribute to homelessness
• Enjoys working both independently and with a team
• Attention to detail and organization – position will track all interactions into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database
• Ability to utilize critical thinking skills and social emotional skills to problem solve with youth and young adults and community partners
• Flexible and able to adapt to a changing environment
• Access to reliable transportation and possession of a valid driver’s license
Work Environment
This position is a community-based position and will need to be flexible in terms of meeting youth and young adults where they are. There will be access to office space at Outreach Inc. and the ability to work remotely as determined and agreed upon by public health guidelines and the Outreach Inc. supervisor.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time contract position and requires the ability to have a flexibility schedule in order to meet the needs of youth and young adults, including evenings and weekends. The contract position is a based on a 40-hour work week. CHIP is committed to implementing an equitable and inclusive culture. Successful candidates will commit to creating and supporting an equitable and inclusive workplace, including by not limited to: racial equity, accessibility for individuals with disabilities, use of gender inclusive and person-centered language, and cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Salary
$52,000
Benefits
N/A (contract position)
Contract Terms
January 2021 – October 2022
Preferred Start Date
January 11, 2021
Reports to
Director of Operations, Outreach Inc.
Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Amy Gibson at agibson@chipindy.org with the subject line: YHDP Diversion Specialist.
