$19.23 Per Hour, 40 Hours Per Week, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm

Full-Time, Non-Exempt, Non-Union Position

BASIC FUNCTION OF THE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST - HOUSING

The Family Development Specialist - Housing will provide customer driven housing assistance services which focus on the identification of long-term housing sustainability objectives. Implement a process which assists individuals/families in assessing their needs and strengths, coordinates program services for which they may be eligible, and supports the empowerment of families to be their own advocates.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST - HOUSING

• Participate in Coordinated Access Network homeless intakes and assessments.
• Intake, screening, and housing-based assessment of individuals/families.
• Identify housing options in the community through on-going housing search and cultivating relationships with landlords.
• Negotiate relationships with local landlord to develop an inventory of affordable housing opportunities which meet HUD Quality Standards.
• Inspection and review of housing units to ensure HUD Housing Standards are met or exceeded.
• Conduct ongoing home visits and ongoing housing stabilization services for customers.
• Work in partnership with families to develop a housing stabilization plan has been developed based on the Critical Time Intervention (CTI) model.
• Coordinate the enrollment of families into housing assistance programs in support of family goals. This may include application assistance/review and/or authorization of direct benefit payments.
• Support the empowerment of families to be their own advocates with landlords, and the business community. Implement training towards the achievement of established family goals.
• Encourage families to develop their own strengths including identification.
• Responsible for data entry into multiple customer databases which documents achievement of goals and housing sustainability.
• Develop and deliver workshops and training sessions designed to help families develop and strengthen needed skills.
• Reporting analysis to document unmet housing needs in the community.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelors Degree in Social Work or Human Services or related field or similar combination of education and directly related work experience.

Experience:

• 2-3 years experience in case management and/or in experience in delivering housing assistance services.
• Bilingual preferred
• Must have valid Connecticut driver’s license

EOE AA M/F/Vets/Disability

Benefits Include:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) with matching contributions
• Vacation Time
• Personal Time
• Sick Time
• Holiday Pay

New Opportunities' mission is to improve the quality of life for economically disadvantaged individuals by providing the necessary resources to increase their standard of living, foster self-improvement, and maximize self-empowerment.

New Opportunities Inc. is the community action agency that serves Waterbury, Meriden, Torrington and 27 surrounding Connecticut towns. We offer a variety of social service programs designed to eliminate poverty and assist people in need.

Headquartered in Waterbury and the cities fourth largest employer, New Opportunities has additional offices in Meriden, Torrington, Danbury and Thomaston for the convenience of those they serve. Annually, more than 61,000 individuals benefit from programs offered at this agency, guided by the New Opportunities staff who helped them find the way to meet their needs.

In accordance with the mission of New Opportunities, the Agency aims to increase the self-sufficiency of its customers and support their move out of poverty toward a more middle-class lifestyle.

In 1964, the Agency incorporated as a private non-profit corporation in the State of Connecticut and is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) organization. With an annual budget for 2014 in excess of $41 million dollars, New Opportunities administers more than 50 social service programs targeted to the low-income, elderly and disabled communities.

While the range of programs is broad, they fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Energy Assistance and Weatherization
• AIDS / HIV Prevention
• Fatherhood Initiative
• Employment Education and Training
• Child Welfare and Family Development Services
• Early Childhood Education Programs
• Elderly Services
• Homeless Shelter and Transitional Housing
• Ex-Offender Programs and Re-entry Services