Housing Forward is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not discriminate against applicants for employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sex, or sexual orientation.
Successful candidates for all AmeriCorps positions will perform their service hours on-site at Housing Forward or a partner agency, and will not be considered employees of the respective agency.
Under the direction of the Director of Operations and Client Services, the Outreach & Diversion Manager has responsibility for the program management of the Outreach and Diversion team and activities (staff supervision, data management, program budgets, etc.). The Manager is responsible for coordination of client tracking in both diversion and outreach which involves the location of clients, their progress and recommendations for shelter, housing and/or financial assistance to divert from literal homelessness. The position is also responsible for the marketing and community relations of the program to referring entities (i.e. libraries, police departments, hospitals, townships, etc.)
The Resident Assistant is responsible for the overall safety and well-being of clients in Interim Housing and building security during the overnight hours. The Resident Assistant is also responsible for answering overnight calls, completing accurate data entry into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database, and making hourly safety checks of the building. The Resident Assistant may also be responsible for preparing meals for clients who are approved for after-curfew arrival. This position requires professional interactions, distribution of basic supplies and cooperating with other staff and volunteers.
The Housing Navigator provides support and assistance to families and individuals experiencing homelessness and to households that are at imminent risk of losing their housing. The Housing Navigator is responsible for receiving and assessing referrals from Coordinated Entry and facilitating the transition for households determined eligible for Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) and Transitional Housing for Veterans (TH-VA) services to housing, This position also serves as a general housing resource for households served by the agency’s walk-in center.
Coordinated Entry (CE) is a community-wide system to standardize and expedite the process by which people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness access housing and homeless resources. Through CE, people experiencing homelessness are matched to services and housing based on their preferences and level of need.
The Street Outreach Specialist is part of a coordinated Street Outreach team that identifies and engages people living in unsheltered locations, such as in cars, parks, abandoned buildings, encampments, and on the streets. The Street Outreach Team members, individually and collectively, reach people who might not otherwise seek assistance or come to the attention of the homelessness service system and ensures that people’s basic needs are met while supporting them along pathways toward housing stability. Each Street Outreach Specialist is responsible for conducting outreach, providing information and referrals, completing assessments, intakes, performing short-term case management, and providing concrete services.
The Homeless Prevention Specialist will provide homeless prevention services (HP) as part of Coordinated Entry in Suburban Cook County. Coordinated Entry (CE) is a community-wide system to standardize and expedite the process by which people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness access housing and homeless resources. Through CE, people experiencing homelessness are matched to services and housing based on their preferences and level of need.
The Case Management Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the clinical and non-clinical operations and services provided by the Housing Department. The Case Management Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that case management staff are working with clients to develop individual service plans through appropriate internal and community linkages that address their barriers to maintaining housing and increasing self-sufficiency.
