Shelter Advocate

Shelter Advocate

Title: Shelter Advocate

Reports to: Shelter Program Manager

Schedule: Evening shift 3:00p – 11:00p with 1–3 standby shifts per month

Union Representation: AFSCME Local 999

Job Classification: Fulltime, Non‑Exempt

Compensation: Starting at $21.00/hour

The Outreach and Shelter Department serves single adults through emergency response programs—Shelter, Street Outreach, and the Welcome Center. The goal is to build rapport and assist individuals in connecting to stable housing and achieving self‑sufficiency. The Shelter Advocate works at one of Agate’s two housing‑focused shelter sites: downtown Minneapolis (serving single adults, especially partnered adults of all genders) or the innovative new Longfellow building opening November 2025.

• Ensure the shelter operates safely for all guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Build and maintain professional rapport with guests.
• Enforce shelter policy in a consistent, fair manner with a positive and respectful demeanor.
• Answer and direct calls to the shelter and monitor entrances to allow guests to access the shelter.
• Make regular rounds inside the shelter to ensure guest safety, maintain a calm and peaceful atmosphere for sleeping guests, call emergency services when appropriate, and manage guest behavior throughout the shift.
• Use de‑escalation and crisis response skills to address behavior issues or conflicts, always maintaining professional boundaries.
• Monitor and review security camera footage throughout the shift; document and report incidents accurately.
• Work collaboratively with program staff, property management, and facilities teams to support overall site operations.

• Serve as the first point of contact for guests, staff, and visitors—offering a warm, professional, and trauma‑informed welcome.
• Respond to voicemails, emails, and other communication promptly.
• Assist with volunteer and donor check‑ins in coordination with the External Relations Team.
• Engage with volunteers to make sure their experience is positive.
• Ensure daily program routines and procedures, including meal service, occur at scheduled times.
• Perform housekeeping and light maintenance tasks as needed and appropriate; make sure the office and program spaces are kept tidy.
• Support food service, including putting meals out, coordinating the delivery of meals, and supporting volunteers who come onsite to provide food or meals.

• Respond to incoming inquiries for assistance and make appropriate referrals.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries with guests and colleagues.
• Conduct shelter guest intakes.
• Assist and encourage guests to make progress on self‑identified goals using the housing first/harm reduction model.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries with guests and colleagues.

• Facilitate collection and maintenance of required daily shelter documentation including intakes, bed assignments, data collection and input into online databases and logbook entries.
• Create and maintain guest files, case notes and other supporting documentation following agency policies and procedures.
• Troubleshoot technical issues with office equipment and phones and reach out to Admin for assistance as needed.
• Actively participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings and supervisory one‑to‑one meetings.
• Understand and adhere to mandated reporting responsibilities.
• Other job duties as assigned.

• Commitment to Agate’s values and mission to end homelessness.
• Commitment to working towards an anti‑racial culture within Agate and the community.
• Hold the belief that every household can achieve housing stability.
• Understand that homelessness is primarily the result of policy decisions beyond the control of the people we serve.
• Commitment to harm reduction and housing first philosophies.
• Work respectfully with guests, coworkers, and key stakeholders who are diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio‑economic status, and religion.
• The ability to establish rapport quickly with people experiencing a…