Prevention & Diversion Navigator

Description

Turn housing crises into housing solutions.

Location
:
Waypoint Services - 318 5th St SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

For over 130 years, Waypoint has been dedicated to inspiring people to move forward. We continuously evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of individuals, children, and families in our community through a variety of services and resources. Through this work, we remain devoted to improving lives and strengthening our community.

• Having Compassion
• Instilling Ownership
• Empowering People
• Embracing Diversity

Passionate about helping people stay housed? The Prevention & Diversion Navigator serves as the primary point of support for individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis, using problem-solving, housing stabilization strategies, and community resources to prevent homelessness whenever possible. This role combines homelessness prevention, diversion follow-up, and system coordination to help households achieve safe, stable housing while advancing the community’s goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week

• Make a real difference every day
• Enjoy a varied and dynamic workday
• Build meaningful relationships with clients, landlords, and community partners
• No nights or weekends

As a Prevention & Diversion Navigator, you will help individuals and families facing housing crises find safe, stable alternatives to homelessness through problem-solving, resource coordination, and ongoing housing support.

In this role, you will:

• Meet with individuals and families experiencing a housing crisis
• Develop housing stabilization plans
  
  Track client outcomes and maintain case records
• Coordinate financial assistance, community resources, and referrals

We are looking for a compassionate, resourceful problem-solver who builds trust quickly, remains calm in crisis situations, and works collaboratively.

You’ll thrive in this role if you are:

• Empathetic and compassionate, with a genuine commitment to supporting people experiencing housing instability
• A strong relationship-builder who can quickly establish trust and rapport
• A skilled problem-solver who can identify solutions and navigate barriers
• Calm, patient, and resilient when responding to crisis situations
• A collaborative team player
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Culturally responsive and respectful, demonstrating sensitivity to the impacts of poverty and trauma
• Aligned to Waypoint’s values:
  Have Compassion, Instill Ownership, Empower People, and Embrace Diversity

To be successful in this role, it is preferred that you have:

• A bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field; equivalent education, work experience, or lived experience will be considered
• Experience using HMIS, Neighborly, or other case management systems

It is required that you have:

• Experience working with individuals or families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness, or other complex social service needs
• Knowledge of Housing First principles, homelessness prevention strategies, coordinated entry systems, trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, and progressive engagement
• The ability to work effectively and respectfully with individuals and families from diverse racial, cultural, socioeconomic, and lived-experience backgrounds
• An understanding of the impacts of poverty, systemic barriers, oppression, and trauma on housing stability and access to services
• Ability to de-escalate crises, build rapport quickly, and effectively problem-solve with individuals experiencing housing instability
• Strong organizational, documentation, communication, and time-management skills
• The ability to analyze information, identify barriers, and connect households to appropriate resources
• Successful completion of required background checks and Neighborly certification