Description

Hope Starts Here! Your career as a Peer Navigator with The Denver Rescue Mission is your opportunity to make a difference. Are you looking to build community and meet new friends? Are you looking for meaningful work and career advancement? Then look no further, Denver Rescue Mission is hiring rockstars to join our team.

The Peer Navigator (PN) is a full-time, non-exempt position of Denver Rescue Mission (DRM). The PN reports to the Community: Peer Navigator Supervisor. The PN is responsible for providing information, support, referrals, and assistance to guests experiencing homelessness who come to Denver Rescue Mission for help. This position will work under the emergency services core strategy of the Mission, supporting guests who are new to our shelters, helping them assess barriers to housing and create a pathway out of homelessness. The PN will also collaborate with community members and service providers, especially Urban Peak, St. Francis Center, and Catholic Charities to address systemic issues faced by Denver’s homeless population. This position may include evening and weekend hours, may work at all Denver Rescue Mission locations, and may require use of a personal vehicle (mileage reimbursed with approved insurance & driving record) or public transportation.

Hiring Range: $18.29 - $22.55 per hour, based on qualifications and experience. 

Benefits: Complete DRM Benefits Guide 

Highlights of our incredible benefits package: 

• Comprehensive health, dental and vision benefits 
• Generous vacation, sick time, and holiday pay, plus paid birthday off and refreshment day 
• Tuition reimbursement and child adoption benefits
• Employer paid term life insurance, long-term disability, AD&D 
• Health savings account with generous employer contribution
• Flexible spending account 
• Paid parental and bereavement leave. 
• 401(k) with 5% company match, plus opportunity for annual tenure-based incentive contribution 
• Complimentary RTD EcoPass 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Intake and Diversion Support Services (65%) 

• Understand the philosophy of intake and diversion at Denver Rescue Mission. 
•  Knowledge of resources and social services available in the Denver area. 
•  Invest in building Peer Navigation relationships with guests. 
• Provide SCRIBE reports, spreadsheets and statistics as requested. 
• Attend, be prepared and engage in weekly and monthly meetings as assigned by the Peer Navigator Manager. 
•  Assist intake coordinator(s) with HMIS intakes and follow-up with persons who request a visit with peer navigators. 
• Maintain professional best practices in areas of confidentiality and professional ethics when building Peer Navigation relationships with guests. 
•  Engage in ongoing training as assigned by Peer Navigator Program Supervisor. 
• Maintain an eagerness to enter into Peer Navigation relationships with guests, engaging with individuals who are accessing shelter and assessing their barriers to housing. 
• Assist guest with tasks such as finding service locations, understanding operating hours, prioritizing service provider appointments, and understanding program eligibility.
• Helping guests locate resources that might resolve their homelessness, including walking, driving or riding the bus with them to appointments. 
•  Provide referrals to agencies and resources, applications and documents, or referrals to a more stable environment such as long-term beds at Samaritan House, Urban Peak, Denver Rescue Mission, and/or the St. Francis Center. 
•  Administrate all service records and case management records in Scribe and Clarity. 

PN-Focused Programming (35%) 

• Prepare for team meetings and provide feedback about the direction of Peer Navigator program. 
• Collaborate with and work alongside frontline staff such as Emergency Service Coordinators (ESC), communicating with ESCs to identify those in shelter who are in need and those who are new to the environment. 
• Additional duties as assigned by the Peer Navigator Supervisor.
• Plan and initiate conversations and engagement activities with targeted guests including, but not limited to, providing assistance to basic needs such as clothing, creating activities that might invite our guests to engage in our community and seek support and guidance from our peer navigator team. 

WORKING CONDITIONS 

• Occasional lifting up to 35 lbs, bending, and climbing stairs. 
• Work with individuals who are experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental illness and a myriad of other issues related to homeless populations. 
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases. 

Requirements

• You must have experienced homelessness prior to this position and be stably out of homelessness for at least one year. Strong Christian ethic with a heart for ministry. Abide by the Employee Handbook 
• Affirm the Statement of Faith
• Agree to be governed by the Constitution and Bylaws 
• Peers are equal. So, in a peer navigation relationship, you are able to share power and create equal opportunity for you and your client to express ideas and opinions, offer choices and contribute to solutions. 
• You are hopeful, empathetic, honest, and respectful of everyone. 
• You are willing to work together with people, no matter their background, to resolve challenging issues and be an agent for positive change. 
• You are able and willing to be transparent, sharing your story and experiences when appropriate to encourage people to see the positive things they have gained in their adversity. 
• You have a passion for building relationships with people experiencing homelessness in our city. 
• Verbal and written communication skills, and responsiveness to communication 
• Ability to hold appropriate and Biblical boundaries and accountability with those we serve 
• Ability to resolve conflict Biblically, professionally, and respectfully while maintaining composure under pressure. 
• Ability to work with people of diverse cultural, educational, and religious backgrounds. 
• Ability to read, remember and follow precise policies and procedures. 
•  Basic working knowledge of Windows software applications and ability to learn SCRIBE system. 
• Willingness to work either Sat/Sun, evenings, and be on-call for shift NOTE: A limited amount of work-related travel might be required. 

Denver Rescue Mission is both an equal opportunity employer and a distinctly faith-based Christian organization. Denver Rescue Mission complies with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, national original or ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, citizenship, parental status, marital status, political ideology, or current or prospective service in the uniformed services. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment including recruitment, employment, training, and promotion opportunities. Based upon Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, and the U.S. Constitution, Denver Rescue Mission has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with our Statement of Faith and align with our Christian mission.