DREAM CENTERS MARY’S HOME
JOB DESCRIPTION
FAMILY ADVOCATE
April 7, 2017
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Dream Centers is a faith-based non-profit organization founded in 2011 to provide health and hope to people of Colorado Springs who are working to rebuild their dreams. Mary’s Home, a project of Dream Centers opened in 2015. Mary’s Home is a faith-based
supportive housing program that provides single mother families with the opportunity to gain supportive relationships, holistic health, life skills, economic self-sufficiency and community networks, to be able to exit homelessness permanently
JOB SUMMARY
The Family Advocate provides case management services to families in coordination with Mary’s Home staff, volunteers and other community agencies. These services include but are not limited to admissions, intake, assessments, orientation, schedules, family
growth plans, parenting plans, goal sheets, social service activities assistance, court representation, drug and alcohol testing, progress notes, progress evaluations, outcome measurements, exits, surveys, and resource research, allocation, and monitoring.
REPORTING AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The Family Advocate reports to the Mary’s Home Executive Director, works in close coordination with other Family Advocates, the Program Manager, and other Mary’s Home staff, volunteers, partners, service providers, and donors, as well as the Dream Centers
support staff and executive staff.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Relational Job Functions
- Maintain a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, be a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, maintain a Christ-like attitude with people, and uphold the Dream Centers ministry in prayer.
- Maintain regular participation in a local Bible-based church, including building relationships within the body of Christ and supporting the church through regular tithing.
- Foster healthy and supportive relationships and team work with staff, volunteers, mothers, children, partners, service providers, donors, guests and other advocates in the local community.
- Learn, understand, and adopt best practices and trauma-informed care for the mothers and children in residency and their extended family members who interact with Mary’s Home.
- Act as a liaison between mothers and staff and therapists in the case of trauma-based reactions while performing family assessments, family advocacy services or other program functions.
- Act as an advocate for single mothers and their children who are homeless, raising awareness of their plight and their potential, and influencing greater community involvement on their behalf.
- Uphold all ethical standards within the program through training, documentation, communications, and structure and assist with coaching staff and key stakeholders in these ethical standards.
- Build and foster a healthy, caring and professional relationship with the Executive Director and other key staff to assure open communications and effective and efficient program operations.
Operational Job Functions
- Assure the professional, accurate and timely completion, organization, upkeep and protection of all program intake, operations, and exit documentation and digitalization of documentation.
- Assure the provision of adequate communication and organizational tools for the client including cell phone, phone lists, calendar, email address, computer use, file box, files, security codes etc.
- Assure the provision of adequate daily living resources for the client including food supplies, household supplies, personal hygiene supplies, clothing, furniture, emergency supplies, etc.
- Assure the provision of program information resources to the client including program handbook, community resource lists, community event notification, transportation resources, etc.
- Meet with the client, and age-appropriate children for a minimum one-hour weekly meeting at an established time to build professional relationships and to assist the family with goal achievement.
- Meet with the client for additional time as determined to provide assistance with complex issues outside of the scope of specialized assistance from other staff, volunteers and service providers.
- In collaboration with the client, develop an initial 90-day Individual Family Growth Plan for each adult and child over the age of five, followed by six-month Family Growth Plans with revisions.
- In collaboration with the client, develop a Personal Care Plan, a Parenting Plan and coordinate parenting, family, legal, and safety issues with client and external family members as appropriate.
- Assist the client in the development of individualized and program schedules for each family member and coordinate communications and operations with staff, volunteers, and providers.
- Provide professional and timely progress notes in the key areas of child welfare, medical care, mental health status, faith, community, legal issues, finances, and other life domains as pertinent.
- Monitor, assist, and assure progress and outcomes in 20 life domains on a monthly basis through coaching, referrals, staffing, Likert Evaluations, rewards, verbal and written discipline, etc.
- Attend and participate in program and corporate staff meetings, volunteer training, community meetings, and other meetings relevant to professional and program development.
- Meet weekly with the Executive Director to review professional development, program systems, and client progress and to address any complex or problematic issues as needed.
- Provide program assistance by performing other additional duties as needed and assigned.
Capacity Building Job Functions
- Develop and maintain a personal wellness plan, and be accountable to others through personal and professional relationships, including staff, for self-care and personal growth.
- Attend Dream Centers and other professional training to develop knowledge and skills in leadership, non-profit management, family and child development, trauma, outcomes, etc.
- Attend and participate in Mary’s Home special events and tours, corporate special events, and community networking meetings and events as the schedule allows.
- Inform the staff, families and volunteers about new information, expectations, requests and instructions from the executive staff in the area of family advocacy.
- Work with the Executive Director to provide relational, operational and technical support and guidance to staff in implementation of outcome and impact studies, methods, and reports.
- Develop a research and resource base of current case management methodologies, statistics and resources and provide informal and formal training to staff on an ongoing basis.
FUNCTIONAL JOB COMPETENCIES
- Interpersonal Communications: Demonstrates the ability to listen well, be sensitive to others feelings and thoughts, accurately interpret others language, concerns, strengths and limitations, clarify others points of view, ensure others
feel heard and understood, understand and accept differences in cultural values and norms, and earns respect and trust through relationship.
- Relationship Building: Demonstrates an open, friendly, kind, accepting and respectful manner consistently, viewed as approachable and interested in others, develops and maintains high-quality professional relationships and networks in the
organization and community, is teachable and willing to have ideas, perspectives, and practices reshaped in professional development.
- Planning: Develops plans and goals for areas of responsibility and contributes to strategic planning for Mary’s Home. Identifies specific actions steps, accountabilities and timelines for completion, prepares realistic estimates of resource
requirements, balances planning with day-to-day efforts, and standardizes work processes to facilitate effective planning efforts and outcomes.
- Execution: Effectively manages time and priorities by focusing on highest priority tasks and working efficiently. Establishes due dates, meets dates, without procrastination, holding self and others accountable. Uses backup plans, conducts
follow-up, informs appropriate parties of delays, ensures jobs are completed effectively, routinely under-promises and over-delivers.
- Decision-making: Uses appropriate knowledge in making decisions, gathers additional information and the input of others when necessary, considers alternative solutions before making decisions, bases decision on sound logic and rationale.
Advances problems towards resolution when uncertain, chooses the best alternative, makes timely and sound decisions.
- Coaching and Developing: Creates an effective learning environment through coaching and mentoring partnerships with others in the work environment, encourages others to recognize their strengths and skill sets, uses language and actions
to build up individuals and teams, facilitates learning opportunities, provides relevant high-impact feedback, is an effective role model.
- Organizational Knowledge: Understands and articulates organizational culture and goals to affect change. Accurately explains organizational vision, mission, values, structure, services and interrelated functions. Understands and explains
the reasoning behind policy and procedures. Understands, accepts and communicates political realities, and navigates competing interests.
- Family and Child Development: Understands and articulates program design, best practices, and trauma-informed care for mothers, children, and their extended families. Understands and articulates child development, childcare, child protection,
parenting and family issues relevant to homelessness and program. Communicates and advocates for best practices in various settings.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Personal relationship with Jesus Christ
- Master’s degree in Social Work or in relevant field preferred
- Five years experience in social work, case management, administration, leadership preferred
- Experience in faith-based transitional housing for populations who are homeless preferred
- Certifications / Licensing: Obtain certifications in trauma-informed care and other relevant areas
- Other Required Skills: Proficient in office management software, management reporting tools
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Work hours include 8 am to 5 pm weekdays, on-call phone, occasional evenings and weekends
- Travel requirements include ability to travel occasionally
- Work environment is residential community setting, standard office and occasional home office
- Physical demands include some lifting or exertion (See attached Physical Demands List)
STATUS
- Hourly. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Full-time. Benefits.
