At Covenant House Alaska we are in the people business. We provide holistic services to young people who come to us from circumstances beyond their control. Our people provide absolute respect and unconditional love to youth who deserve a chance to be the best version of themselves. When you join our team, you become part of a massive movement to interrupt the path to chronic adult homelessness. The pay is competitive, the benefits package is best in class and the experience is life changing. We look forward to meeting you.

Position Summary

All Covenant House Alaska program staff work as advocates and allies for youth experiencing homelessness and human trafficking

Permanency Navigators (PNs) work as a team to provide mobile navigation services focused on supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness by helping them find resources to end their homelessness and become safely and stably housed. PNs will relentlessly engage and build relationships with youth as they navigate different systems, programs and challenges until the youth has achieved stability. PNs will maintain relationships with youth at all phases of permanency, including successes and setbacks, until a youth chooses to no longer engage (up until the age of 24). PNs will have a strong working knowledge of available resources to link youth and young adults to needed programs, and will make warm handoffs to needed services/providers whenever possible. PNs will then work closely with youth to help develop the skills required to utilize the necessary resources to support their permanent housing. Navigators have many roles often working as advocates, referral agents, and/or facilitators with landlords, other government agencies, and community partners’ systems on behalf of the youth.

Essential Functions

• Relentlessly engage and be present in young people’s lives, especially through times of relapse and crisis. Be a stable and constant presence for youth as they move through and between programs
• Provide community resource navigation to youth experiencing homelessness. Assist youth in connecting to comprehensive, holistic services in order for youth to achieve long term stability and success, including health, mental health, primary care, substance abuse treatment, benefits, employment, education engagement, vocational training, transportation, stable housing, etc.
• Identify and connect with youth experiencing homelessness who may not present through traditional homeless service entry points (including CHA). Schools, juvenile justice, OCS, law enforcement, and workforce programs will work with PN’s to stabilize youth.
• Have actual, intentional, regular contact with every client in multiple settings until and throughout stable placement for as long as a youth needs, up until the age of 24.
• Connect youth to permanent housing as quickly as possible with no preconditions, providing referrals to voluntary supportive services as needed
• Utilize a client-centered approach that emphasizes youth choice while recognizing the innate resiliency and unique strengths and abilities of every client.
• Guide and support youth through the housing search process and connect them to Community and CHA Housing Case Managers as needed.
• Understand housing resources including rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, transitional living programs, and independent housing and navigate youth to those resources.
• Develop strong working relationships, through active outreach, with a wide range of service providers and related stakeholders such as landlords, service providers, employers, etc.
• Help youth develop permanent connections in the community, including mentors, family members, volunteers and other caring adults.
• Develop a specialization in serving a sub-population of youth experiencing homelessness; for example systems-involved youth, highly vulnerable youth, moderately vulnerable youth or other sub-populations as determined through discussions with the Housing Director.
• Participate in community meetings to advocate for and assist youth, including (but not limited to) Coordinated Entry meetings and child welfare team decision meetings (TDMs).
• Engage in goal setting with youth to help them achieve success in four core outcome areas: 1) Housing stability, 2) Education & Employment, 3) Permanent Connections, and 4) Well-being.
• General Responsibilities
• Maintain a positive and professional working relationship with the general public, including placement agencies and families of the youth we serve
• Maintain a high level of ethical standards.
• Keep supervisor fully informed at all times.
• Maintain confidentiality of all clients.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology or a related field is preferred. Experience can substitute for post-secondary education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience

Previous experience working with at-risk youth, youth experience homelessness, human trafficking survivors or other disadvantaged populations preferred.

Demonstrated familiarity with homeless systems and resources for housing, education, and employment and methods of access is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Understand and comply with all Agency policies and procedures; including Child Protection Policies.
• Understand and embrace the tenets of Housing First, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Positive Youth Development in all work with youth.
• Is approachable, relatable, builds rapport well, and practices active listening with individuals of varied cultural backgrounds, embracing differences in behavior and lifestyle choices.
• High degree of sensitivity to and respect for diversity and cultural issues involved in working with individuals of varying ethnicities and income.
• Understand best practices in the areas of prevention, recognition, and response to suspected and identified victims of human trafficking.
• Willingness to engage with partner human trafficking service agencies and law enforcement
• Understand the intersectionality of youth homelessness, mental health, substance misuse, human trafficking, and poverty.
• Knowledge of community social service resources to assist youth with needs related to housing, employment, education, and social-emotional well-being.
• Knowledge of crisis intervention and ability to address conflict between youth exhibiting challenging behaviors; able to respond quickly and safely while continuing to be a settling influence in crisis situations and emergencies.
• Can maintain confidentiality while understanding and complying with requirements of mandated reporting, duty to warn, HIPAA, and other limits to confidentiality.
• Willingness to utilize training opportunities in support of personal and professional growth, competence development, and to increase overall capacity to serve youth every day.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks in a fluid environment.
• Well-developed verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient with standard computer operating systems. Ability to navigate Microsoft Office Suite, online databases, and other programs and websites as required.
• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours as well as Holidays and weekends as needed.
• Willingness and ability to attain a CPR/First Aid Certification.
• Possess a current and valid Driver’s License.
• Acceptable driving record assessed through CHA’s Drivers Acceptability Matrix
• Pass federal, state, and local background check investigations.

Working Conditions

• Position will work in a variety of settings, both inside and outside, and at times in inclement weather (Snow, Rain, etc.). Position will be based out of the Navigation Center but will also provide mobile case management using their personal vehicle.
• Noise level is mild to moderate, consistent with office and residential environments.
• Must have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Must have the ability to observe details within close range.
• Must be able to remain in stationary position for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to move within the office to access files and office equipment.
• Consistently operates a computer and related office machinery.
• Must be able to ascend/descend stairways within a wide variety of facilities both commercial and residential, with and possibly without the assistance of an elevator.
• Must be able to manage traversing a wide variety of different terrains and gradient levels in order to meet youth within a wide variety of settings.
• Occasionally moves items up to 40 pounds while ascending/descending stairways to assist youth moving in and out.

Covenant House is an Equal Opportunity Employer

To promote the best in health and well-being for Staff and Youth at Covenant House Alaska we require employees to have/obtain a COVID-19 vaccination as a term of employment unless an exemption has been approved. All vaccination records are maintained by Human Resources and will be stored separately from the employee’s personnel file and will only be requested upon acceptance of an offer of employment. Additionally, all CHA Staff are required to follow current CDC best practices, which will be monitored and communicated when changes and updates are needed.