Bard Prison Initiative
Youth Housing Specialist
Employer Website: http://apply.interfolio.com/125833About the Bard Prison Initiative
Formed in 1999 to address the mass incarceration crisis, the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) defies expectations of who college is for and where it might lead. For twenty years, BPI has reimagined and redefined questions of availability, affordability, and expectations typically associated with college in America. One of the most rigorous and effective college-in-prison programs in the country, BPI is now extending its radical intervention in educational inequity outside of prison through the Bard Microcolleges and BardBac.
About the Position
The Youth Housing Specialist will ensure that youth released from a juvenile detention center in Brooklyn, NY are successfully housed. The position is a one-year, full-time and salaried position that will start on July 1, 2023 and end on June 30th, 2024. There is a possibility for a 2-year extension depending on grant renewal. The person in this position reports to the Assistant Director of Community Support and Relations.
The Youth Housing Specialist will use a trauma-informed approach to support all youth, with a special emphasis on youth identifying as LGBTQIA+. In collaboration with the Assistant Director of Community Support and Relations, the Youth Housing Specialist will proactively cultivate and maintain relationships with housing partners, develop housing resources, and coordinate all housing services activities to help the young people achieve their goals. This includes helping youth to develop a plan and identify potential barriers to attaining their housing-related goals. The Specialist will play an active role in educating youth on how to self-advocate.
Responsibilities
- Conduct in-person housing eligibility assessments of all applicable youth
- Help young people to apply to permanent housing and obtain vouchers, as needed
- Support youth with all forms of housing applications and conduct follow-up with NYCHA and supportive housing residences, as needed
- Develop and facilitate youth workshops and sessions on affordable and supportive housing information and the independent living skills necessary to acquire and maintain permanent housing
- Provide independent living and life skills supports such as budgeting, obtaining and bank account, and obtaining furniture, if needed
- Collect and record housing data
- Advise youth about ongoing housing needs and address their concerns
- Coordinate with housing partner organizations to identify reliable, potential housing for soon-to-be released youth
- Draft letters of reasonable assurance for youth in immediate need of housing (pre and/or post release), ensuring beds at partner housing organizations
- Build meaningful relationships with landlords and real estate brokers and agents to identify housing for youth and maintain and update listings of permanent and affordable housing
- Coordinate with youth to view apartments
- Attend all-staff meetings, weekly meetings with BPI NYC Team, and other meetings as assigned.
- Capacity to recognize and appreciate the lived experience of students while supporting them in reaching their highest potential
- Have an aptitude for engaging youth
- Values and promotes diversity and inclusion
- Minimum of an associate’s degree in related field
- Strong knowledge of the NYC affordable Housing Connect system
- Strong knowledge of CityFHEPS, SOTA, NYCHA, and Section 8 programs
- Experience in submitting HRA 2010E applications
- Ability to adhere to BPI and NYC Administration for Children Services policies and procedures at all times
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Strong time management, organizational skills, and attention to detail
- Flexible and adaptable
- Experience working with youth
- Knowledgeable with research-based, culturally responsive, equity-driven, and anti-oppressive practices
To Apply
Please submit a resume and list of three professional references, as well as one document that answers all four of the following questions:
- What are the top two reasons you are interested in exploring whether this position is the right fit for you? (Maximum of 250 words)
- What are the top two to three things that others would say you are better at than 95% of the people they know? Share how this has made a difference in your work. (Maximum of 250 words)
- Take a look back at any job and/or class you had and tell us about one to two experiences when you had to go to someone else for help because they were stronger in a certain area. (Maximum of 250 words)
- What are the top 2-3 things those who have worked with you would say you are not so good at doing? Cite some evidence or examples. (Maximum of 250 words)
AA/EOE