Homelessness Outreach Specialist

City of Santa Fe Springs; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) seeks a compassionate Homelessness Outreach Specialist to join the Homelessness Response Team and help connect individuals to housing, healthcare, and critical services across multiple North Carolina counties.

This fieldwork-focused role requires meeting people where they are, building trust, and advocating to reduce barriers to access, with duties including intake, referrals, and HMIS data entry.

Qualifications

• An associate's degree in human services or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, business, public administration, or a non-profit-related field is preferred.
• Experience working with the homeless population or social services is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct street outreach and build trusting relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Assess clients' needs, strengths, and barriers to housing and supportive services.
• Connect individuals with housing, emergency shelter, healthcare, mental health and substance use treatment, and other community resources.
• Advocate for clients and help reduce barriers to accessing essential services.
• Provide crisis support and utilize de-escalation techniques when needed.
• Complete intakes, referrals, triage forms, call logs, financial requests, and other required documentation.
• Enter and maintain accurate client information in the HMIS.
• Collaborate with local agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, housing organizations, faith-based organizations, and other community partners.
• Stay informed about available community resources and program eligibility requirements.
• Participate in team meetings, professional development, community outreach events, and public meetings.
• Present reports and updates on assigned projects and homelessness response strategies.
• Compile and report key performance data and metrics related to WPCOG's homelessness initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Empathy

Community outreach

Relationship building

Interpersonal communication

Crisis de-escalation

HMIS data entry

Education

Associate's degree in human services or related field

Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, business, public administration, or non-profit-related field

Tools

HMIS

Job description

General Statement of Duties

Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG) is seeking a compassionate, resourceful, and community-minded Homelessness Outreach Specialist to join our Homelessness Response Team.

This position plays an important role in connecting individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness with housing, healthcare, social services, and other critical community resources. The Homelessness Outreach Specialist will work throughout Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties, with services potentially extending into McDowell County through applicable agreements.

WPCOG is looking for someone ready to meet people where they are, build meaningful connections, and help create pathways toward housing stability and long-term success!

What You’re Going to Do

• Conduct street outreach and build trusting relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Assess clients' needs, strengths, and barriers to housing and supportive services.
• Connect individuals with housing, emergency shelter, healthcare, mental health and substance use treatment, and other community resources.
• Advocate for clients and help reduce barriers to accessing essential services.
• Provide crisis support and utilize de-escalation techniques when needed.
• Complete intakes, referrals, triage forms, call logs, financial requests, and other required documentation.
• Enter and maintain accurate client information in the Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS).
• Collaborate with local agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, housing organizations, faith-based organizations, and other community partners.
• Stay informed about available community resources and program eligibility requirements.
• Participate in team meetings, professional development, community outreach events, and public meetings.
• Present reports and updates on assigned projects and homelessness response strategies.
• Compile and report key performance data and metrics related to WPCOG's homelessness initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• An associate's degree in human services or a related field is required.
• A Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, business, public administration, or a non-profit-related field is preferred.
• Experience working with the homeless population or social services is preferred.

Supplemental Information

This requires some fieldwork.

Western Piedmont Council of Governments is a member of the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees ' Retirement System. This entitles you to a defined benefit at the time of retirement if you are vested with at least five years of employment. Members contribute 6% of gross compensation each month. This is a before-tax deduction. Western Piedmont Council of Governments contributes an actuarially determined percentage of the gross payroll of members each month.

Western Piedmont Council of Governments contributes 5.2% of each employee’s salary to the employer-sponsored retirement plan of the employee's choosing. Additionally, WPCOG will match up to 4% of each employee’s salary for a total possible employer contribution/match of 9.2%.

Western Piedmont Council of Governments pays 100% of an employee's health and vision coverage (employee only). The current plan is a high-deductible health plan with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Contributions to the H.S.A. are made pre-tax through payroll deduction.

Western Piedmont Council of Governments pays 100% of the following premiums:

• Life Insurance- $100,000
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Dental Insurance-Employee and Family
• Short-Term Disability(Weekly Indemnity)
• Long-Term Disability

Western Piedmont Council of Governments provides for the following payroll deduction and retirement options:

• NC 457 Retirement Plans, which have loan provisions
• NC 401(k )Plans, which have loan provisions
• Local Government & State Employees' Credit Union payroll deductions
• Additional voluntary life insurance, accident, and critical illness insurance

Western Piedmont Council Of Governments Provides The Following Provisions

• 12 paid holidays per year
• Sick leave accrues at 1 day per month (8 hours).
• Annual leave accrued on a sliding scale:

Years of Aggregate Service

Earned Hours Per

Month

Earned Days Per

Year 5 years or less10 hours15 days5+ years, less than 10 years12 hours18 days10+ years, less than 15 years14 hours21 days15+ years16 hours24 days

Longevity Pay is subject to annual appropriations by the WPCOG Board and may be reduced proportionately to the schedule below based on budget amounts. Paid in both July and November.

Years of Aggregate Service

Longevity Amount

Years of Aggregate Service

Longevity Amount

Less than 1 Year

0.5%

10 - 14 years

1.75%

1 - 4 years

1.0%

15 - 20 years

2.0%

5 - 9 years

1.5%

21+ years

2.0% + 0.5% added each year (maximum of 2.5%)

01

Which best describes your level of education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Associate's Degree in human services or a related field.
• Bachelor's Degree in human services, social work, or a related field.

02

Do you have any experience working with the homeless population or in social services?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have a valid driver's license, and are you able to operate a vehicle?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question