Overview:
The Work Readiness Navigator is a full-time position responsible to the Income Navigator for developing work readiness with a caseload of chronically homeless, disabled people. This position has a focus on submitting high-quality Social Security benefits applications, with additional responsibilities geared towards promoting work readiness efforts such as: connecting the person with employers, volunteer roles, educational and vocational opportunities, as well as social enterprise roles. This position will collaborate with other case managers to support the person’s housing plan and implement other strategies that promote work readiness. This position will receive 20 hours of training on processing Social Security benefits applications (SOAR Training). This position works closely with the Assistant SOAR Worker and Goodwill Employment Specialist.
About Micah
Micah is a collaboration of churches, following Christ to cultivate community and care for homeless neighbors. We offer a holistic community of support including a basic needs center, co-location of community resources, respite care, housing, income development and street church.
Responsibilities:
Case Management
Use sincere, relational methods to build rapport with neighbors and obtain information that informs uniquely tailored income plans
Interview guests for personal histories as it relates to their daily functioning and ability to work
Connect guests with employment partners to facilitate supportive work attempts
Help guests complete job applications, develop resumes, and prepare for interviews
Visit guests on job site to assess their work skills and support them and the employer
Schedule psychiatric evaluations with partnering offices to evaluate work readiness abilities
Transport guests to medical and income-related appointments
Strategize with Micah case managers to streamline guests’ income and housing plans
Collaborate with Assistant SOAR Worker and Goodwill Employment Specialist to support work attempts and benefits claims
Advocate with Social Security and Disability Determination offices to ensure claims are processed smoothly and flagged correctly
Perform any other duties that support guests’ work readiness plans
Documentation
Write assessments following training guidance that details the guest’s limited work abilities
Use community-based, homeless data system to manage guest progress towards income plan
Use internal system to communicate with team about your caseload, individual guests, and other projects
Use national database to measure disability claim outcomes
Other Duties As Assigned
Knowledge and Skills:
Good active listener; strong writing skills; good multi-tasker; creative problem-solver; a “connector” for the guest and larger systems (e.g. Social Security, hospitals/medical facilities, etc); non judgemental; adaptable and flexible as income program develops
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in human services field and 2 years minimum experience with a special needs population (e.g. people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorder, learning disabilities, previously incarcerated, veterans, domestic violence, foster youth, etc). Strong writing skills, active listening, and nonjudgmentalism will be important for the assessment parts of this role. Creativity, motivation, and flexibility are strongly preferred for this new position
Supervision:
The Work Readiness Navigator is supervised by the Income Navigator
Work Schedule:
This position is classified as full-time, exempt. Hours are usually Monday through Friday, but may need to work some weekends on a case-by-case basis.