Urban Rest Stop - Team Member - Weekends

Posting Date:   May 5, 2006

Closing Date:  Open Until Filled

Reports to: Team Leader

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week.  M-Fri 8 hrs 5:00am-1:30pm

Salary: $10.94 - $ 13.47 per hour, DOE

Benefits: Medical, dental, retirement, disability benefits, vacation and sick leave.

Agency Summary: The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) was established in 1991, as a non-profit housing development and advocacy organization. LIHI operates and develops housing opportunities for people who are low-income and/or homeless, provides technical assistance to communities and other non-profits, and advocates for housing justice.

The Urban Rest Stop, a LIHI, project, offers showers and laundry facilities to the homeless and low-income people. The Urban Rest Stop contains individual shower rooms, a laundry room and a men’s bathroom. The Urban Rest Stop is open weekdays from 5:30 AM to 9:30 PM , and weekends from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM . These extended hours, before and after work hours, are specifically designed to assist homeless persons who are working or need to get to a job interview.

Position Summary:

Responsible for greeting and assisting Urban Rest Stop patrons who use the bathroom, shower and laundry facilities. Monitor patrons, both inside and directly outside of the Urban Rest Stop facility. Provide requested personal hygiene and laundry supplies. Maintain a high standard of facility cleanliness and service, following agency standards. Restock and controls supply inventory for staff and patron use. Update and maintain patron database daily. Assist with the submission of various Urban Rest Stop Activity Reports. Work effectively and cooperatively with the Team Leader and volunteers.  Work with staff and patrons in a respectful manner.

Responsibilities:

Customer Service

Ensure that the Urban Rest Stop provides a clean, safe and welcoming environment at all times.

Schedule appointments for daily use of the showers and laundry facilities.

Monitor use of all agency facilities by patrons. Provides personal assistance when necessary.

Distribute personal care items as requested and when donations are available.

Distribute and monitor shower towel use and return, in accordance with agency procedures.

Monitor Rest Stop patrons and their behaviors throughout the facility.

Enforce Rest Stop Rules and Procedures, ensuring the safety and security of patrons and staff at all times.

Mediate conflicts in a calm and effective manner modeling appropriate p rob lem solving strategies.

Implement Rest Stop Security Procedures when necessary. Document all such incidents in Daily Log and submit Incident Report to Program Coordinator

Provide information and referral services to Urban Rest Stop patrons.

Contact other community agencies when specific patron assistance is required, i.e. Public Health, the Sobering Center , Seattle Police and Community Service Officers.

Administrative/Record keeping

Maintain Daily Log of Urban Rest Stop Activities.

Restock and sort consumable and cleaning supplies, ensuring a continuous supply for Rest Stop staff use. Inventory to be secured and managed for best use of agency property and funds.

Stock and sort donated and purchased hygiene supplies, such as razors, diapers, foot care products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, soap, shampoo and laundry detergent.

Collect demographic and facility use information on Rest Stop patrons daily. Update and maintain patron database daily.

Maintain a daily towel and supply use log.

Follow agency procedures as detailed within the Urban Rest Stop Procedures Manual.

Cleaning

Clean the Urban Rest Stop in accordance with daily cleaning schedule. Maintain a high level of facility cleanliness at all times, including spot and emergency cleaning tasks.

Monitor the condition of the Rest Stop facility. Report any maintenance or repair concerns to the Team Leader.

Other expectations

Works effectively and collaboratively with the Team Leader, Program Coordinator and volunteers to ensure the Urban Rest Stop success.

Work with staff and patrons in a respectful manner.

URS staff do not fraternize with patrons.  Understand necessary boundaries required between staff and patrons.  This is for the safety of all concerned.  See Team Leader or Manager for clarification as needed.

Participate in staff meetings and in-service training events.

Other duties as requested by the Team Leader and Program Coordinator.

Minimum Qualifications:

Demonstrated verbal and written command of English.

Previous home health aide, nursing/psychatric aide, orderly, chore service, social service assistant/aide or janitorial experience of one year in a commercial, private, health or social service agency setting.

Previous work experience in a comparable, social service environment, such as a Homeless shelter, Transitional Housing, multi-service center or other direct human services provision.

Demonstrated abilities and experience in successful conflict resolution.

Ability to work with low – income, multi-cultural, homeless individuals and families.

Ability to work effectively with both staff and patrons who represent diverse cultural, economic, social, ethnic, and sexual orientations, with differing levels of physical and mental abilities.

Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

Ability to perform hard, physical work.

Ability to stand or walk during majority of work shift.

Ability to work in a busy, fast paced, stressful environment.

Ability to perform as a Team member.

Functional knowledge of computers and keyboards.

Desired Qualifications:

Bi-lingual skills

High school diploma or GED

Upon Hire:

1. Acquisition within 7 days of employment: Verification of TB Skin Test or Chest X-Ray (LIHI covers cost).

2. Acquisition within 90 days of employment: First Aid and CPR Cards. All items must be maintained on a current status.  LIHI will provide First Aid/CPR classes if needed.

Renewal of TB Skin Test or Chest X-Ray in accordance with Urban rest Stop guidelines.

Successful completion of both the Washington State Patrol and FBI Criminal History Background check.

Employees must adhere to the Urban Rest Stop’s Drug Free Work Place Policy.

Be willing to share on-call duty as needed.

Must have a reliable means of contact for work-related messages.

This is a unionized position, represented by Local 8 of the Office of Professional Employees International Union. The Low Income Housing Institute is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and minorities are encouraged to apply. If interested, please pick up or request an application from:

The Low Income Housing Institute
Attn: Human Resources – Urban Rest Stop - Team Member
2407 1^st Avenue, Suite 200
Seattle , WA 98121
Fax: (206) 443-9851
Or e-mailed to: hr@lihi.org

Closing date: Open until filled.

The Low Income Housing Institute is an equal opportunity employer.  Qualified women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply.