Service Navigator

Job Title: Service Navigator

Reports to: Community Programs Manager

Education requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Experience Required: Minimum 1 year of full-time related work experience

Position is: Full-Time Hourly, Non-Exempt

The Opportunity:

Pathways of Hope leads a community effort to provide access to food, shelter, and housing to those experiencing hunger and homelessness in North Orange County. Pathways of Hope helps combat hunger issues for the community while also offering crucial housing navigation, prevention, and diversion services to those in need. The agency currently operates multiple food pantries and multiple housing models: Emergency Shelter, Rapid Rehousing, Permanent Supportive Housing, Prevention, and Diversion. Pathways of Hope’s Program Team helps homeless families and individuals reduce housing barriers, work toward greater economic opportunity, and strengthen community social service linkages necessary for the participant(s) to end their homelessness and obtain safe, sustainable, permanent housing. All participant interaction is founded in Housing First and Trauma Informed Care approaches.

This position will be part of the Pathways of Hope’s Community Programs Team in collaboration with the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD). This position will work exclusively at one of our satellite food and resources sites which will be located at one of the three (3) NOCCCD campuses (Cypress Community College, Fullerton Community College and North Orange County Continuing Education in Anaheim). It requires a flexible work schedule, including morning and evening shifts, and some weekends if needed. The position also requires reliable transportation to attend community appointments. This position is located 80% on-site at one of the colleges and 20% at our HUB of Hope food distribution and resources center and business office.

The Agency:

Since 1975, Pathways of Hope (formerly Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Service) has been working to end the dual plights of hunger and homelessness in North Orange County. We have multiple housing sites and programming models that intersect at working to end hunger and homelessness across the greater Northern Orange County area. Our team is dynamic, forward-thinking, and works closely with stakeholders and partners in the community to achieve our mission and vision.

The Candidate:

All Pathways of Hope employees must embrace a culture of teamwork, collective success, and support in assisting the agency in achieving its mission and vision. The ideal candidate will possess a strong work ethic, a track record of successful problem-solving, the ability to work independently, and an understanding of hunger and homelessness issues in Orange County. The ideal candidate understands Service Navigation and supportive services are collaborative efforts with those we serve.

Salary Range and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $20.00 - $22.00 per hour DOE. Benefits available include medical, dental, vision and life insurance, vacation, sick time, 403b retirement plan option, cellphone allowance and mileage reimbursement. As part of its cultural values, Pathways of Hope respects and values work/life balance.

Job Summary:

As part of Pathways’ Community Programs team, the Service Navigator is responsible for facilitating direct food distribution, maintaining food safety compliance, tracking outcomes, overseeing program volunteers, and connecting participants to other food opportunities. The Service Navigator is responsible for supporting individual or family households by offering them supportive services, prevention, diversion, and other community referrals to meet the participant’s need. The position will require screening for eligibility for all housing programs. The Service Navigator is responsible for completing CES assessments, CalAIM enrollments, shelter bed reservation system assessments, collecting participant’s documents, and proper documentation of services. The position requires creative problem-solving conversations, mediation between participants and family, friends, landlords; and other diversion strategies. Additionally, it requires spending considerable time with participants in immediate need and must be able to not only assess the situation but offer empathy with a housing first and trauma informed approach.

This position will report directly to the Community Programs Manager and will be part of the Programs Department at Pathways of Hope.

Essential Job Duties:

• Direct participant support
• Facilitate direct food distributions
• Oversee food and resources program logistics on-site at the assigned NOCCCD campus
• Oversee program volunteers and interns
• Ensure food pantry is clean and organized
• Receive food deliveries ensuring product quality and referencing invoices
• Ensure all food and safety procedures are in compliance
• Identify, assess, and pursue new food partnership opportunities, through various outreach efforts
• Maintain relationships with existing partners and cultivating partnerships with additional community organizations; training partner organizations on program requirements
• Provide triage assessment and services to determine appropriate level of care and intervention
• Assess housing barriers of individuals and families experiencing homelessness to determine housing and service needs
• Provide diversion efforts to support linking participant(s) to natural support system
• Determine if additional assessment for housing is necessary after diversion intervention is completed
• Provide participant(s) with housing assessment plans, basic financial literacy, and tools for successful housing identification
• Ensure participants are entered into Coordinated Entry System using CES assessment, if applicable
• Input participants into Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and other databases accurately and in a timely manner
• Collect participant documents and determine eligibility for financial assistance
• Track and manage program activities, participant data and statistics
• Keep accurate records of program activities and assist in the completion of reports
• Create schedules and regularly meet with recipient participant(s), tracking progress toward goals in detailed case files with charts, progress notes, and outcome evaluation
• Implement a trauma-informed, strengths based and harm reduction plan to overcome barriers to obtain and retain housing
• Support in the development of needed resources to ensure access to needed supportive services
• Serve as main point of contact for the services at the assigned NOCCCD campus
• Ensure communication is maintained between the agency and NOCCCD campus
• Represent Pathways of Hope at community meetings and presentations, as needed
• Participate in community outreach on and off campus, as needed
• Other duties as assigned

Additional Duties:

• Keep appropriate records and complete all forms in a confidential and professional manner
• Report success stories, progress, and statistics to the Supervisor
• Attend staff, case conferencing, and match meetings, as applicable
• Works with Development team to create and document program achievements in the form of success stories and client photographs
• Track food donations and interface with the Development team to ensure all donors receive appropriate recognition

Qualification Guidelines:

Knowledge of:

• Hunger and homelessness issues affecting Orange County community
• Housing Program Models and best practices
• Various counseling methods and conflict resolution techniques founded in strengths-based approach
• Trauma-Informed Methods
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Database Management, specifically HMIS

Skills and Abilities:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, volunteers, and other partners
• Respond to a crisis with the ability to deescalate the situation
• Ability to work and problem solve independently
• Solve problems by making decisions that promote team unity and participant stability and edification
• Plan, organize, and prioritize duties
• Be punctual, organized, and willing to take initiative
• Maintain confidentiality regarding participant information
• Work with people from diverse economic and socio-cultural backgrounds
• Represent the program and agency in a positive manner within the community
• Communicate effectively over the telephone and clearly communicate information and instructions verbally and in written form

Special Requirements Include:

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities / Experience / Certifications / Education which may be Helpful, Required or Preferred include:

• Knowledge of the Orange County area is helpful
• Knowledge of Continuum of Care and Coordinated Entry System is preferred
• Bilingual English/Spanish is required
• Reliable transportation and a valid California Driver License and State-mandated Auto Insurance are required
• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of one-year of related work experience in program implementation is required

Physical Tasks and Working Conditions Include the Following:

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds
• May be required to work nights and/or weekends on occasion

Note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $22.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

COVID-19 considerations:
We are following all county guidelines in regards to COVID-19.

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Case Management: 1 year (Required)

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $20 - $22