Shelter Worker

• Interact with guests in a respectful manner, adding and restoring dignity to their lives, with a tone and understanding that we are serving our guests.
• Prioritize meeting guest needs with getting tasks done and managing volunteers in a busy working environment.
• Register, check-in, monitor, and assess behavior and overall well-being.
• Orient newly arriving guests to shelter protocols and policies.
• Provide support, coaching, guidance, and feedback to Guests on how to handle problems and difficult situations in the daily life of Guests.
• Observe guests in day-to-day routines: maintain informal contact and develop informal opportunities to assist when needed.
• Make sure guests follow through with assigned chores.
• Ensure guests hand over medications to staff when entering the shelter.
• Lock up medications until guests need to take them.
• Observe and assess agitation levels in order to proactively defuse potentially aggressive situations.
• Effectively de-escalate, diffuse, and monitor overall shelter environment for safety.
• Ensure that Guests are able to have the appropriate meal based on the designated shift by cooking and preparing the meal.
• Maintain a tidy, neat, and clean environment for staff, Guests, and volunteers with light housework.
• Complete daily task checklist to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Work within a multi-disciplinary Shelter team liaising with staff, and supervisors to promote a supportive, respectful environment.
• Use communication tools effectively including documentation and shift change to bring forward issues and occurrences that take place while on shift.
• With Shelter Staff team identify potential challenges and provide input for solutions to Shelter Coordinator and other Staff members.
• Fulfill other position related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Demonstrate strong commitment to the mission of Lazarus House Ministries.
• Understanding and support of how the Gospel foundation drives our decisions and actions throughout the Ministry.
• Understand the systemic issues that affect low-income families and individuals.
• AA/AS degree required in human services, psychology or related field.
• 2 years’ experience preferred working with at-risk people with complex needs in a similar working environment accepted in lieu of degree.
• Ability to read, understand and adhere to the organization’s policies
• Ability to multi-task and effectively manage priorities.
• Ability to cook and prepare/serve a meal to the guests.
• Ability to manage oneself in a crisis and under adverse conditions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, respecting the guests’ dignity and privacy.
• Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, volunteers, and Guests.
• Strong verbal, written, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office suite and filing systems; capability to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to complete mandatory training programs and maintain certifications (CPR/First Aid, ServSafe, and CPI).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.
• Prior experience working with men, women and children who are at risk and have experienced homelessness, alcohol and/or substance addictions and/or mental illness preferred.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions:

The information described here includes but is not necessarily limited to the general physical requirements, demands and/or working conditions that an employee is likely to encounter at Lazarus House, Inc. You must be able to handle or possess the ability to meet the following:

• Prolonged sitting and standing, some bending, stooping, and stretching.
• Eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity to operate equipment pertinent to your position.
• Lifting, moving, and carrying up to 50 pounds.
• Travel from building to building within the ministry and external agencies.
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and ability to work with diverse populations, including people who are homeless or have a mental illness or other challenges.
• Interact effectively with staff, guests, volunteers, benefactors, and the general public.
• Manage multiple priorities.
• Able to manage the stress of the job.
• This position requires the individual to offer physical stability and support to the guests of the residence, such as but not limited to lifting and assistance if a guest were to fall, stabilizing guests during walking, assistance in execution of stairs, and helping guests up and down from chairs.
• Any other demands/conditions as applicable.

Please send applications and resume directly to hr@lazarushouse.org.