Direct Service Advocate - Weymouth Warming Center - Weymouth Winter Shelter
Bay Cove Human Services, Inc.

Job Info

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Bay Cove Human Services' mission is to partner with people to overcome challenges and realize personal potential. Bay Cove pursues this mission by providing individualized and compassionate services to people facing the challenges associated with developmental disabilities, mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness at more than 175 program sites throughout Greater Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts.

Bay Cove Human Services is committed to ensuring the representation and participation of candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We encourage all qualified individuals, particularly those from historically marginalized groups, to apply.

Job Summary: The Direct Service Advocate (DSA) in this role is responsible for creating a welcoming and safe environment for homeless adults who are unsheltered. The goal of the Weymouth Winter Shelter is to offer lifesaving shelter to unsheltered homeless adults throughout the winter months and to support safety and engagement of people who are reticent to utilize emergency shelters. The Weymouth Winter Shelter offers a low threshold environment that is predicated on harm reduction principles. The DSA in this role will promote safety by offering respectful support and consistent application of policies and procedures established for the safety of each person served and all stakeholders of the Weymouth Winter Shelter community.

This is a non-exempt position.

Saturday & Sunday - 7am-7pm

Essential Functions of Position:

• Facilitate access in a respectful, safe, and efficient manner to get all guests into the Weymouth Winter Shelter.
• Respond to all requests and emergencies in a manner that respectfully attends to the immediate concern.
• Intervenes with guests in a manner that de-escalates anxious, pressured or overtly worrisome behaviors and safety concerns.
• Communicates with on-site co-workers in real time through use of cell/push phone system in a manner that optimizes effective communication of any concerns and delivery of the Weymouth Winter Shelter. Contacts on-call staff when necessary.
• Provide care for guests and maintain safety by visual monitoring of all guests, conducting safety checks throughout the space, actively and respectfully interacting with guests and the team to ensure a routines and safety procedures are followed.
• Assists in set up and cleanup of all activities such as intake/access, personal belongings storage, food & meal serving, beverages, etc.
• Assists in all end of shift wrap up activities including assisting with all clean-up of space, trash removal, and arrangement of furniture and supplies to ensure readiness for the Senior Center opening each morning
• Completes required documentation at intake, HMIS (Homeless Management Information System), incident reporting, etc. as required.
• Provides as needed monitoring of the area outside the program (parking lot, line at front door of the Weymouth Winter Shelter, and area that trash is maintained) in order to optimize safety of guests, neighbors, and essential health standards.
• Assists guests in urgent need to secure shower, clothing, and medical interventions.
• Participates in weekly staff meetings and supervisions.
• Works collaboratively with all community partners including neighbors/abutters, Weymouth Police and other law enforcement personnel, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other first responders, in a respectful and responsive manner.
• Administers Narcan as needed to mitigate opiate overdose and fatalities.
• Follows plans and restrictions established by Weymouth Winter Shelter leadership and team members.
• Follows all ServSafe practices to optimize the health and wellness of all guests.
• Adheres to universal precautions in all activities.
• Recognizes that the majority of guests have endured trauma and employs trauma informed care in all interactions.
• Respond immediately to all medical and behavioral health emergencies appropriately (such as administering first aid, CPR, calling EMS/BEST, or first responders to address and resolve the situation.
• Maintains confidentiality of all guests and their circumstances except for those team members, collateral partners, and emergency first responders with a designated need to know.
• Other duties as assigned by Program Director or his/her designee.

Job Requirements:

• High School Diploma or GED
• Knowledge of modality specific issues, such as substance use, serious mental illness, and homelessness.
Certificates, Licenses, Registration Required:
• CPR/First Aid Training
• Must stay current with any modality required training, including HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, Narcan, ServSafe, PREVENT, Harassment, etc.
Other Qualifications:
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to follow and consistently implement policies and procedures of the program.
• Be able to work independently.
• Ability to perform assigned duties in a manner that promotes the dignity of each person served and optimizes safety for the Weymouth Winter Shelter community
• Able to accept supervision and be part of a team.
• Ability to work in an effective and calm manner with people who are under significant personal stress.
• Ability to respond physically to needs of the guests and all collaterals.

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