OUTREACH SPECIALIST I

WHO WE ARE
People Loving Nashville (PLN) focuses on the healing power of community. We are a grassroots organization whose goal is to bring relief to those in need in the form of food, drink, clothing, and emergency supplies. Through our numerous and growing outreaches, we seek to form relationships and offer long-lasting support for the most vulnerable of our city.

PLN conducts outreach each day of the week through our various programs, such as: 

• Monday Night Street Outreach: Our largest street outreach; we bring relief starting with food, clothing, and community. We provide a safe and positive community environment to the streets. Through this outreach, we work to build bridges to further resources for those in need through relationships.
• Tuesday Community Store: Each Tuesday our “store” is open to supply quality clothing, a food pantry, and a place for a concentrated connection to resources to those in need. 

• Wednesday Camp Outreach: Once Covid began, we found there were numerous camps that were not close to any resources. We visit camps that may not have much connection to downtown programs or resources to bring relief by food and clothing and come to bring the connection to resources through relationships. 
• Thursdays at Casa Blanca: At a micro-income apartment complex, where much of the community we know and love on the streets will transition to and from, we bring relief and connection to resources through a positive community.
• Friday Food Boxes: Through the delivery of food boxes to our friends who have transitioned into housing we come to bring a continued element of community and love. 

PLN is also in the development of a housing first program set to launch in 2021. Through this program, we will take on individual clients to support in providing housing opportunities.

THE POSITION 
This position will be responsible for providing street outreach to individuals who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Outreach responsibilities include: canvassing mapped areas, engaging in basic conversation, assessing an individual’s needs, discussing available services including housing and disability assistance, providing informal 1:1 care, housing navigation, making referrals to other service providers or agencies, and engaging in other activities that may promote recovery or stability for the individual; offer assessment and recovery services for persons with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance use disorders. We are part of an “Outreach Group” where select agencies will be pooling their resources together to provide the best assistance to our community.  This group is led by Park Center.  As part of this team, you will work as an employee of PLN and part of this group.  As part of the PLN team, you will also support the ongoing weekly programming as needed as well as developing your own engagement within the mapped area.

The Outreach Specialist I role will report to the Outreach Manager. This position is a temporary grant-funded position through Park Center ending Oct 30, 2022.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Work mainly with the population that is in alignment with People Loving Nashville mission.
• Work closely with the Park Center project supervisor.
• Work with the Homeless Impact Division (HID) for full training on Homeless
  Management Information System (HMIS) including Coordinated Entry (CE) and
  Vulnerability Index Services Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT).
• Conduct outreach with at least 80 people experiencing unsheltered
  homelessness in downtown Nashville (designated by the Team 10 PIT along with N. 1st St along the river, Titans stadium, etc. on the north side of the river) to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Outreach services include:
  • Canvassing mapped areas of downtown on foot consistently to locate and engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness on the streets and in encampments.
  • Engaging people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in order to reduce the risk of harm and to enhance safety (e.g. increasing access to cold-weather gear, crisis services, etc.)
  • Attempting to engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in a manner that promotes trust, safety, and autonomy while developing relevant goals.
  • Guiding people to achieve and maintain positive change. Reinforcing healthy behaviors and supporting skill-building and the development of needed supports.
  • Interviewing people experiencing homelessness to gather needed information and documentation for housing and services including the VI-SPDAT, universal data elements for HMIS, and other required HMIS data elements for Coordinated Entry and ESG-CV program-specific data.
  • Linking people experiencing homelessness to mainstream services like housing navigation, healthcare, SNAP, SOAR services, etc.
  • Preparing people experiencing homelessness to transition successfully to other services through in-depth referrals (“warm handoffs”). Guiding transitions to new resources, services, and housing.
• Attend Coordinator/Rapid Re-Housing/Housing Navigator Meetings that are held for Nashville Partners, weekly outreach coordination meetings for this project, and all other care coordination meetings.
• Respond to the forwarded inquiries from the Downtown Outreach Line (DOL) Monday-Friday during regular office hours.
• Rotate with other Outreach Specialists to conduct street rounds with Street Medicine Program to reach people that are more at risk of contracting COVID-19.
• Follow the fiscal procedures for spending and reimbursement provided by Park Center.
• Conduct outreach 2 nights per week
• Attend staff meetings and retreats
• Participate in weekly PLN programming, providing leadership and/or support to volunteers, as needed
• Perform other duties to support PLN, as assigned

ABOUT YOU

• You have at least 1 year of experience in street outreach serving individuals experiencing mental illness, substance use, and/or homelessness.
• You have a bachelor's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or a related field; or equivalent experience in the social services field.
• You have a desire to meet people where they are and a passion for service.
• You are an effective communicator, whether that’s in person, by email, or phone and you’re able to communicate easily with people from varying walks of life.
• You are patient and an attentive listener.
• You are flexible and adaptable to the needs of a grassroots organization and willing to jump in where needed.
• You’re a team player.
• You have excellent time management skills and the ability to independently meet deadlines.
• You have a valid driver’s license and personal auto insurance
• You are willing to work outside conventional business hours; including nights (and weekends, as needed).

​
PREFERRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS 

• You are bilingual (Spanish language)

HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@peoplelovingnashville.com and include your last name and the job title in the subject line. Include your cover letter and resume as pdf files entitled “YourNameLetter” and “YourNameResume.” In your cover letter, please tell us how you found out about this opportunity.