Nature and Scope The Employment Specialist is a full-time professional, direct service position responsible for assisting clients in find jobs in the community and providing necessary support for employment-disadvantaged individuals in obtaining and maintaining employment.
The Employment Specialist assists clients in assessing daily life skills, identifying needs, effective use of employment resources. The Employment Specialist uses role modeling, assessment and problem solving skills and builds a knowledge base of and networking with resources in the community, employers, and employment agencies. The Employment Specialist provides coaching and education about employment readiness individually or in groups.
Essential Knowledge and Skills
Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain positive helping relationships with individuals, family, employer and groups.
Creative problem solving skills, a strength-based focus, and an ability to establish and keep focused on appropriate short- and long-term goals
Ability to convey empathy, genuineness, and positive regard for clients while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Good organizational, oral and written communication, interpersonal skills, and listening skills; ability to interpret verbal and nonverbal communications.
Appreciation for diversity in the areas of ethnicity and culture, religious beliefs, race, sexual orientation, disability and gender.
Understanding and acceptance of the values, ethics and principles of the social work profession.
Understanding of poverty, homelessness, trauma, mental illness and substance addiction.
Ability to place individuals who are in poverty, homeless, with mental illness or substance addiction into employment settings.
Understanding the general principles or steps in seeking employment and retaining employment while teaching and guiding the clients.
Ability to work well independently and to interact collaboratively with other staff and agency partners.
Ability to work within the purpose, structure and constraints of the agency, and to utilize supervision.
Essential Functions Given steady work and 3 breaks during an eight hour shift, the employee must be able to effectively do the following;
Travel offsite and to transport clients by car; this requires a safe vehicle, a valid driver’s license, proof of car insurance, and good driving record.
Visit clients at their jobsites; may involve climbing stairs and working in noisy, hot, crowded, dark and/or smoky conditions for short periods of time.
Communicate verbally in person, in groups, by telephone.
Communicate in writing, including handwritten, typed, and word-processed documents
Understand spoken and written communication from clients, employers and service professionals.
Read and interpret written documentation including materials provided by employers such as job application forms and newspaper ads.
Use a computer accurately to type documents, letters, resumes and reports using programs such as Word and Excel.
Principal Activities
Maintain a caseload of 20 clients in current employment, 20 in job development and 20 clients in long term support.
Meet with, perform thorough assessments, and make appropriate referrals for people seeking employment referred by OVR, WIA, or other sources.
Meet with employers, supervisors, and clients at the job site.
Provide a supportive professional relationship with each client by fostering the client’s autonomy, values and strengths.
Maintain an on-going relationship with clients that will provide the on-going support needed for clients to maintain housing and employment (i.e. job club meetings, work place/home visits, contacts with clients’ work supervisor/landlord.
Collaborate with all Welcome House Programs and other necessary services for clients and advocate on behalf of the client for other needed services.
Develop and lead work skills and life skills training programs.
Provide transportation for clients when necessary.
Provide accurate and concise documentation of case note logs, and statistics for the agency and funding sources using forms and computer spreadsheets.
Other Duties
Share in the upkeep and cleanliness of the program work space.
Maintain positive public relations within the community.
Provide positive support to students and volunteers assigned to work in the Program; track volunteer hours worked.
Assist in developing program goals and procedures.
Adhere to agency and program policies and procedures and agency mission.
Attend and participate in partner agency meetings, staff meetings and other agency functions as determined by supervisor.
Meet regularly with supervisor for supervision, case review and professional development.
Other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Accountability The Employment Specialist is directly responsible to the Employment Coordinator. Direct resumes to:
Welcome House, ATTN: Ashley Anderson, 205 West Pike Street Covington, KY 41011
or email with our Contact Form
Shelter Advocate
Nature and Scope The Shelter Advocate position may be full time, part-time, or reserve hourly position including irregular night and/or weekend hours. This position is responsible for safe daily operations of the Shelter, including interpersonal relationships and the physical facility. The Shelter Advocate also encourages the completion of contracted plans established by the resident and her case manager.
A Shelter Advocate is in frequent contact with co-workers, residents, other agencies, students, and volunteers and must be able to maintain a positive working relationship. The Shelter Advocate will be expected to be able to assess situations and needs and be comfortable with making decisions, which will directly affect the operations of the Shelter. An ability to respond to emergency situations, both in regard to case situations and operations is essential.
Essential Knowledge and Skills
Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain positive and caring relationship with the women and children in Shelter.
Creative problem solving skills.
Ability to convey empathy, genuineness, and positive regard for clients while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
Good organizational, oral and written communication, interpersonal skills, and listening skills; ability to interpret verbal and nonverbal communications.
Knowledge of various social systems, mainstream benefits and agencies in the community as well as the ability to make and follow through on referrals.
Appreciation for diversity in the areas of ethnicity and culture, religious beliefs, race, sexual orientation, disability and gender.
Understanding of poverty, homelessness, trauma, mental illness and substance addiction.
Ability to work well independently and to interact collaboratively with other staff and agency partners.
Ability to work within the purpose, structure and constraints of the agency, and to utilize supervision.
Ability to understand and maintain appropriate personal and professional boundaries, and to consistently interact in a healthy way with shelter residents.
Essential Functions Given steady work and 3 breaks during an eight hour shift, the employee must be able to effectively do the following;
Travel quickly throughout all areas of 3-story shelter building, transporting loads of up to 15 pounds.
Store and remove boxes, cans and bags, of up to 10 pounds, laundry and equipment such as pots, pans, mops, from existing storage areas up and down stairs and onto shelves at, above and below waist height.
Stoop and reach in order to reach an upper or lower bunk, remove sheets and blankets, carry them up and down stairs and load them into a conventional washer and dryer (below waste height).
Move pots and pans up to 10 pounds in and out of a refrigerator, oven and steamtable at or below waist height.
Use simple hand maintenance and cleaning tools such as a plunger, a broom and a mop.
Manipulate a conventional sink, pour water, and open jars and bottles of cleaning solutions
Write accurately by hand and read handwritten documentation.
Communicate verbally in person and by telephone.
Understand spoken and written communication from clients.
Read and interpret written documentation.
Use a computer accurately to type documents, and reports using programs such as Word, and Excel.
Principal Activities
Responsible for implementing all Agency and Shelter policies and procedures and for overseeing the daily activities and operations of the Shelter at all times.
Record and read in a timely manner the daily activities in the log.
Document pertinent information regarding clients in case notes and convey information to the case managers and coordinator.
Screen requests for shelter to determine the appropriateness of Welcome House Shelter and utilize in making appropriate referrals when Shelter is full or is not an option.
Thoroughly conduct Intake and Exit Interviews as needed.
Provide a concise and comprehensive update to other staff members during shift changes in order to provide continuity of services.
Assist in serving meals and in basic building maintenance tasks.
Contact OnCall supervisor appropriately for problem solving support
Other Duties
Share in the upkeep and cleanliness of the program work space.
Maintain positive public relations within the community.
Provide positive support to students and volunteers assigned to work in the Program; track volunteer hours worked.
Assist in developing program goals and procedures.
Adhere to agency and program policies and procedures and agency mission.
Attend and participate in partner agency meetings, staff meetings and other agency functions as determined by the Shelter Operations Manager.
Meet regularly with Shelter Operations Manager for supervision and professional development.
Other duties as assigned by the Shelter Operations Manager.
Accountability The Shelter Advocate is directly accountable to the Shelter Operations Manager. Direct resumes to:
Welcome House, ATTN: Ashley Anderson, 205 West Pike Street Covington, KY 41011
or email with our Contact Form
