Street Outreach Specialist
ABOUT BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS, INC.
For over 50 years, Bridge Over Troubled Waters has provided a comprehensive continuum of care for runaway, homeless, and high risk youth in Boston, and has been a national model in providing innovative youth services.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
The Street Outreach Specialist is responsible for overall monitoring of program operations, ensuring accurate and consistent data collection and analysis for reporting, and contributing to program development and enhancement. Principle duties occur in the field, on the streets, where homeless and at-risk youth gather, some duties will be performed at Bridge headquarters.
Street outreach involves moving outside the walls of the agency to engage with people experiencing homelessness who may be disconnected and alienated from mainstream services and supports, but also from the services targeting homeless persons as well.
The Outreach Specialists work a full-time, ten hour day from 11am - 9pm,
four days a week, Monday - Thursday.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Regularly assess the “street scene” to maintain up-to-date information on where homeless youth gather and ensure that Outreach Specialists are visiting changing locations, including overnight camps in and around Boston
- Work with a team of Street Outreach Specialists and participate in regular “foot patrol” on streets and in shelters, build relationships with street youth, and refer them to Bridge and/or other agencies as needed.
- Assess the needs of street youth, provide on-street crisis counseling, and other services to help ensure their safety.
- Work in concert with Bridge Medical Van Coordinator at Medical Van locations and facilitate street youth connection to the Van.
- Maintain effective communication channels between SOP partners, including city of Boston Homeless Shelter Commission, Pine Street Inn Outreach Van, local Police Department, adult homeless shelters, collaborating agencies, and other parties involved in street outreach in the region.
- Document service statistics and records for accurate reporting and entry of data into both Bridge ETO system and Boston HMIS.
OTHER
- Lead and participate in scheduled program coordinator and staff meetings.
- Participate in quarterly all-staff meeting.
- Attend meetings outside of the agency as necessary.
- Other related tasks as required/requested.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- BA/BS Degree or relevant experience required
- Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience working with adolescents and youth
- Knowledge of youth street culture, crisis prevention and intervention methods, and ability to form positive relationships with diverse populations.
- Experience with and understanding of the human services field.
- Demonstrated knowledge of community resources
- Valid Massachusetts driver’s license required (car not required)
- Continuous clean driver’s record
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be willing and able to drive the Medical Van.
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Must be able to lift fifteen pounds at times
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:
$23.00 an hour
Compensation increase:
$24.00 an hour after 6 months of employment
$26.00 after 1 year of employment
Bridge Over Troubled Waters is an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical and pharmacy, medical deductible covered by the organization at 50% a year, 401K and matching, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, commuter pre-tax benefit, and a birthday benefit.
Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.
- Department
- Educational & Community Support
- Locations
- Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Our Perks and Benefits
-
Paid Time Off
New employees receive up to 10 vacation days, 8 sick days, 3 personal days, and 13 holidays per calendar year. -
Medical & Prescription Drugs
Coverage for the first 50% of your medical deductible for enrolled employees and their dependents. Available to all employees working over 20 hours per week and dependents up to age 26. -
Dental
Receive up to $1500 in coverage for qualifying dental procedures. -
Retirement Savings
Reach your retirement savings goals with matched contributions available for eligible employees. -
Flexible Spending Accounts
Use pre-tax earnings to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent day care expenses. -
Life Insurance
Up to $125,000 in life insurance paid for 100% by the employer. -
Short & Long Term Disability
Income protection of up to 60% of earnings during qualifying periods of disability. -
Commuter Benefit
Stretch your pay further by paying for eligible commuter expenses by using pre-tax earnings. -
Birthday Benefits
Make each birthday special by taking the day off with pay.
About Bridge Over Troubled Waters
For over 50 years, Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Bridge) has guided homeless, runaway and at-risk youth on the path to a stable home and self-sufficient future. Bridge founders were among the first to recognize and respond to the growing crisis of youth homelessness in the late ‘60s and were instrumental in advocating for the authorization of the US Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Act in 1974. Bridge’s Mobile Medical Van, the nation’s first, and Bridge’s Transitional Living Program have been named national models for replication. Bridge continues to be a national model for youth-centered programming and in 2017 Bridge became the first agency in Massachusetts to provide youth-only rapid rehousing.
Street Outreach Specialist
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