Employment Specialist, Broadway Women’s Shelter

Who We Are: CAMBA is a community of staff, volunteers, clients, donors, neighbors and partners who work together to build an inclusive New York City, where all children and adults have access to the resources and supports, they need to thrive. We take a comprehensive approach by offering more than 180 integrated programs in:
Education & Youth Development, Family Support, Job Training & Employment Support Services, Health, Housing, and Legal Services. We reach almost 80,000 individuals and families, including almost 13,000 youth. CAMBA serves a diverse cross section of New Yorkers from new mothers in Brownsville to job seekers in the Rockaways. More than half of our clients are immigrants and refugees from around the globe.

Over 85% of our families are living in poverty, reflecting the challenges faced by nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers today.

CAMBA operates 6 single adult shelters and 6 family shelters and one drop in center. Each shelter offers clients a supportive, structured therapeutic, safe, and drug-free facility. Homeless (often mentally-ill and substance-abusing) men and women are provided with comprehensive services to stabilize their condition in order to successfully transition into permanent and/or supported housing.

Broadway House Women’s Shelter in Bushwick serves 165 women, approximately 37 of whom are mentally ill and chemically addicted.

The person filling this position is expected, under general supervision, to: (1) Immediately formulate a plan and prepare clients for permanent housing placement; {2} engage individuals requiring social service assistance; (3) Interview and evaluate clients, formulate Independent Living Plans and goals; and (4) locate and refer to appropriate community resources for clients; including the following:

• Maintain professional relationships with clients and client confidentiality
• Practice Universal Precautions/Standard Protocol & procedures.
• Comply with any and all Federal, State, City and CAMBA security and privacy polices intended to protect the security and privacy of individually identifiable health information.
• Serve as a liaison with outside organizations regarding such matters as employment, education, healthcare, housing, social services, legal Issues, etc.
• Assist clients in attaining their employment related goals by identifying and referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA.
• Develop curriculum to address shelter residents' employment needs.
• Develop and facilitate a series of Employment Related Workshops
• Develop materials to be posted on a Bulletin Board that serves to provide relevant Employment related information
• Provide Individualized counseling on employment related topics
• Organize and schedule presentations by "employment experts" in various employment sectors
• Provide employment related support, training and coordination with the other social services staff
• Establish linkages with community-based organizations
• Conduct marketing and outreach presentations regarding the program to secure resources e., job placements, vocational training.
• Conduct vocational assessment to determine educational/employment needs
• Conduct initial intake and assessment of clients' needs and periodic re-assessments.
• Create and maintain client electronic and paper files.
• Prepare initial psychosocial evaluation and update according to regulations.
• Obtain and maintain relevant documentation and release forms from clients (i.e., birth certificate, proof of income, medical documents, release of Personal Health Information, etc.).
• In collaboration with clients, conduct periodic revisions of independent living plans including short-term and long-term client goals.
• Assist clients in attaining their goals by identifying community resources and by referring clients to appropriate services both within and outside CAMBA (i.e., On-site medical services and psychiatric services, etc.).
• Work with clients to break through barriers to their goal(s) attainment
• Assist clients in advocating for themselves in order to gain housing stability
• Recommend and implement strategies to persuade clients to participate fully in the process in order to transition into permanent housing
• Monitor clients' progress toward their goals via regularly scheduled face-to-face contacts/sessions.
• Document all client encounters via progress notes using DHS CARES Database and printout notes for client's paper
• Ensure CARES Database is updated to reflect client request for services (i.e., car fare, appointment. passes, referrals, etc.).
• Follow-up with clients and with referral organizations regarding client contact and progress with referral organization.
• Provide all required information for weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual reports.
• May act as client liaison/client advocate with outside organizations regarding such matters as education, healthcare, housing, legal…