Title: On-Call Residential Counselor, Jelani House
Reports to: Program Director, Jelani House
Directly Supervises: None
Summary of Program:
The Jelani House Residential Program is an emergency housing project funded through the City of San Francisco and managed by the Homeless Prenatal Program. Jelani House provides a safe, stable living environment for up to 17 homeless pregnant and postpartum individuals in San Francisco. With 30+ years of experience serving this population, HPP provides intensive case management, perinatal education and other support to help individuals have healthy pregnancies, transition into parenthood and permanently end homelessness.
The Jelani House program provides residential services and intensive case management and health education services to at-risk homeless pregnant individuals who may be experiencing behavioral health issues, substance use, domestic violence or other challenges. Participants may also be transitional aged youth.
Summary of Job:
The Residential Counselor is primarily responsible for providing a safe and healthy environment and welcoming atmosphere for program participants. The Residential Counselor serves as the first point of entry for guests, staff, visitors and vendors at Jelani House. The Residential Counselors monitor daily building activities, provide 24-hour security, and respond to building and resident emergencies. As the first point of contact for visitors to our property, Residential Counselors are required to exhibit professional, courteous and respectful conduct to participants and building guests, enforcing property rules while creating a welcoming environment. As a part of the site team, this position helps to ensure a high standard of customer service, cleanliness, and a hazard-free environment. The position is supervised by the Program Director.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Maintain shift coverage and primary supervision and support of participants. Set and contribute to a safe, dignified, and orderly atmosphere by enforcing program rules, policies, and procedures, as well as observing stated HSH grievance policy. Act as a role model, guiding participants and facilitating appropriate behavior about daily living skills, self-care, personal interaction, social relationships, and constructive time management.
- Provide front-desk and other reception duties in a professional and courteous manner, relay timely and accurate messages, and provide information upon request about available services offered.
- Monitor daily common area activities of building residents and guests.
- Logs communications and building activity, including unusual events as well as violations of the house rules, visitor policy, and other policies and procedures. Maintain complete and accurate building logs: Visitor Log, Vendor log, Overnight Log, Daily Log.
- Maintain complete and accurate shift reports of activities, repairs, tenant requests, deliveries and services.
- Conduct regular rounds of the facility, and interact with participants to share information, provide supplies, conduct intakes, and facilitate interventions as necessary. Rounds include the interior (hallways, kitchen, bathrooms, and community rooms) and exterior of the building)
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with participants and staff, respond to participant requests in a professional and courteous manner, and observe and adhere to participant confidentiality standards.
- Ensure the safety of participants by limiting access to the facility to participants, staff, and authorized visitors and service providers; help to ensure adequate health and safety standards are maintained throughout the facility.
- Perform daily maintenance, cleaning, and kitchen duties (assist in preparing living units for incoming families, cleaning and maintaining the kitchen and dining areas, daily upkeep, and cleaning of shelter and office areas); assist with serving resident meals as needed.
- Opportunity to lead/co-lead group classes or activities to encourage community building and social interaction.
- Maintain thorough and accurate records, files, correspondence, and statistics; complete necessary documentation (both hand-written and computer-based/data entry) in a timely, accurate, complete and legible manner, which may include, but is not limited to: notations in the daily log, guest roster, incident reports, sign-in sheets, referrals, showers and laundry schedules, and any other forms used or as directed by your supervisor.
- Respond appropriately to emergencies, including contacting appropriate staff and supervisor(s), interacting with police, fire, and medical personnel as needed and acting as a resource in emergency situations.
- Welcome new participants, including reviewing the program agreement and rules; providing a tour of the building; and informing participants of the services available on site.
- Investigates on residence floors when necessary and appropriate i.e., noise complaints, facilities issues, etc.
- Informs the Program Director and/or other appropriate staff of any unusual activity or maintenance issues in a timely manner.
- Makes recommendations to the Program Director relating to the general improvement of the building and community.
- Maintain and promote a cooperative, harmonious, and teamwork environment within an atmosphere of dignity and respect in line with the philosophy and policies of HPP.
- Ensure effective communication of priority information to all necessary staff and shifts.
- Provide varying shift coverage as needed and available.
- Complete designated program-specific, shift-specific tasks.
- Participate in staff and shift change meetings as required.
- Other duties as assigned
Core Competencies:
All HPP Staff are expected to meet the expectations of our Core Competencies:
- Accountability and Reliability: Shows up for the team, the clients, and the organization; takes responsibility for actions, and follows through on task and projects.
- Collaboration: Helps colleagues as needed, views responsibilities as shared; Actively participates in agency-wide initiatives/ efforts.
- Communication: Uses effective written and oral communication with coworkers and community served; understands emotions of self and others, and responds with empathy.
- Continuous Learning: Demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn and develop professionally.
- Equity Mindset: Understands and is committed to goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion and fostering an inclusive environment; consistently centers equity in the organization’s work both internally and externally.
- Proficiency in area of focus: Has skills and knowledge in role and area of focus.
Qualifications:
- High School Diploma or GED preferred; Bachelor’s/AA degree in social work or related field of study welcomed.
- Sensitivity to the needs of homeless families; able and willing to work with diverse staff and participants.
- Experience working in a residential facility providing support services and working with homeless families strongly preferred. Able to respond appropriately to emergencies including contacting appropriate staff and/or contacting and interacting with police, fire, and medical personnel as needed.
- Experience working with participants who have mental health related issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, and/or HIV/AIDS related issues strongly preferred; experience with Child Protective Service agencies, HIPAA requirements, and crisis intervention techniques preferred.
- Knowledge or experience with maternal health or early childhood education is welcomed.
- Understanding of, and commitment to, social justice, and HPP’s mission and organizational values.
- Able to perform extensive data entry and documentation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook, etc.
- CPR and First Aid certification required within the first six months of hire.
- Essential job functions include using a telephone, working at a standard computer terminal; ability to follow reasonable ergonomic accommodations; sit and stand for long intervals; reach, bend, lift, and carry up to 40 pounds depending on position; and walk up and down stairs several times a day.
HPP recognizes the value of having a staff that brings a wide range of perspectives to this work based on language, ethnicity, race, gender, socio-economic background, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and disability. We are committed to maintaining a diverse, multicultural working environment and particularly encourage applications from candidates with lived experience in the communities we seek to serve.
Work Environment: Fast-paced, multi-cultural, collaborative work environment
Hours: On-Call position -Hiring for day, swing, and overnight shifts. Must be available for a weekend shift.
Salary: $29.57/hour + excellent benefit package
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
About HPP:
Founded in 1989, the Homeless Prenatal Program (HPP) is a nationally recognized family resource center in San Francisco that empowers homeless and low-income families, particularly mothers motivated by pregnancy and parenthood, to find within themselves the strength and confidence they need to transform their lives.
HPP helps families become healthy, stable and self-sufficient. We focus on the social determinants of health, supporting both parents and children in order to strengthen the whole family. With services ranging from emergency support to intensive case management, the agency partners with parents to address family needs during the critical years from pregnancy through kindergarten.
The first agency in San Francisco to hire former clients as staff, HPP’s evolution has been guided by the community it serves. More than half of HPP’s immensely talented staff of 125+ come from the community and/or are graduates of the agency’s Community Health Worker Apprenticeship Program, which trains individuals for careers in the nonprofit sector.
Over the years, HPP has received considerable recognition for its service to the community. In 2022, we were named “Nonprofit of the Year” by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and our work has been highlighted by The New York Times, CNN, KQED, The Huffington Post, People and The San Francisco Chronicle. Additionally, HPP receives consistently high ratings by leading philanthropic evaluators such as Guidestar and Charity Navigator.
The Homeless Prenatal Program is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Pay: $29.57 per hour
Expected hours: No less than 10 per week
Benefits:
- Opportunities for advancement
Schedule:
- 10 hour shift
- Day shift
- Evening shift
- Holidays
- Night shift
- On call
- Overnight shift
- Rotating weekends
- Weekends as needed
Application Question(s):
- What interests you about this position?
Language:
Shift availability:
- Day Shift (Required)
- Night Shift (Required)
- Overnight Shift (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- San Francisco, CA 94124 (Required)
Work Location: In person