Family Advocate
: Job Details :

Who We Are

Family Promise of Waukesha County focuses on serving families with minor children who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. We believe that every person should be treated with dignity, has the ability to identify their own solutions and can secure permanent housing with the proper support from the community. Our team is passionate, dedicated and holds high expectations of one another, families and volunteers.

Summary of Role

The Family Advocate is responsible for supporting, assisting and advocating for families to achieve housing independence and self- sufficiency by helping them to identify and address issues that impact their economic, physical, and emotional well-being. Using a trauma informed and client centered approach, the Family Advocate will facilitate goal setting, connect clients to appropriate resources, and support them to navigate a path to independence. The Family Advocate will work in a team setting focused on preventing, diverting or sheltering families with minor children who are experiencing homelessness.

Qualifications and Competencies

The housing Family Advocate will possess a minimum of a Bachelor of Social Work or equivalent and be certified in the State of Wisconsin. One to three years experience advocating for or providing social service work with families experiencing homelessness is preferred. The following competencies will allow the Family Advocate to function to the highest degree:

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Provide advocacy for families with minor children who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness through programs that focus on prevention, diversion, shelter and stabilization. The goal for each family/individual is to achieve self-management, independence and permanent housing.

• Set unique goals with each family and provide accountability so each family can achieve independent and permanent housing.

• Connect families to mainstream resources and programs.

• Advocate on the behalf of each family for the acquisition of services and resources necessary to maximize their success.

• Make collaborative decisions based on organizational guidelines and in collaboration with the Executive Director and Family Services Director.

• Conduct regular home visits to families assigned to the Family Advocate.

• Maintain necessary records about each family as needed by the organization.

• Orient families to the shelter and/or prevention program, its requirements and guidelines.

• Assist families to navigate the housing market as they search for housing.

• Maintain in a timely and thorough manner various information management systems regarding referral sources, referral outcomes, guest intakes, guest progress, program completion, guest discharges, alumni progress and outcome measurements including Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and Coordinated Entry.

• Provide follow-up support and programs for discharged families, maintaining regular and formal contact with each family for up to a year.

• Assist in the planning, implementation and marketing of formation sessions to assist families in needed areas of growth. Sessions could include financial literacy, budget planning, mental health issues, relationship support among others.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Work Environment

This job operates in an office environment within a day center for homeless families. It involves regular interaction with and distraction from day center guests along with drop-in/call-in donors, volunteers, vendors and clients. Home visits are required. This role routinely uses standard office systems such as computers, phones, photocopiers and filing cabinets.

Physical Demands

The employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Should be able to lift and move up to 25 lbs.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt position. Some hours are scheduled to ensure coverage of the Family Resource and Day Center. General hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Evening and weekend hours are regularly required.

Travel

Local travel by automobile during the business day occurs regularly and should be expected. There is some evening and weekend travel. Out-of-the-area and overnight travel is rare.

Other Duties

Please note that this Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.