Emergency Shelter Advocate

Description

Reports to:

Program Manager

Job Type: Seasonal, October 1, 2025 – April 1, 2026

Shifts:

Various shifts available – Evening and Overnight

The Emergency Shelter advocate provides a welcoming, trauma-informed environment for young adults experiencing homelessness (we are LGBTQ+ affirming). This staff is a member of the supportive team that offers a seasonal Emergency Shelter to young adults, ages 18-26, who are experiencing homelessness. This staff will also be cross-trained to work, as needed, in our 24/7 year-round shelter in the Mobile Housing Navigation Center.

They will oversee guests in shelter, support volunteers, and ensure Launch Pad programs are running smoothly.

Program Descriptions

Emergency Shelter – Seasonal overnight program operating from the evening of November 1 through the morning of April 1 each year. Capacity of about 20-25 young adults each night, ages 18-26, in partnership with local churches. Hot meal, shower, mattress, linens, first aid, and additional supplies provided.

Mobile Housing Navigation Center – A grant-funded 24/7 year-round program offers staffed transitional housing and resource navigation for up to 13 young adults, ages 18-24. These individuals must be experiencing literal homelessness and have been referred from the city’s Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS).

Guest Services

• Monitor our guests and perform frequent walking checks of the building
• Assist guests with any interpersonal conflicts or disputes
• Assist in various roles necessary to the function of the shelter (volunteers may assist)
• Wake guests in the morning
• Ensure guests exit shelter in a timely manner and take their belongings with them
• Provide equitable, unbiased, trauma-informed care to all guests

Site Maintenance

• Clean, sanitize, and organize the space regularly
• Complete cleaning checklists (daily, weekly, and monthly as required)
• Complete building lock up procedures as each shift ends in the morning

Informational Reporting

• Utilize our data management system, Salesforce (training will be provided)
• Enter guest data and properly check-in guests as they enter shelter
• Write a brief report at the end of each shift that will include guest concerns, facility and supply updates, pertinent client interactions, and crisis interventions
• Shelter sites may require climbing stairs to enter
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs (though a team approach may be taken for heavy lifting)
• Remaining awake and alert for entire shift
• Completing required clean-up at the end of each shift

Additional Responsibilities

• Communicate with other staff members about staff coverage and take shifts as available
• Check your email regularly to stay up to date on organization wide updates
• Attend monthly staff meetings
• Engage with interns and volunteers as needed

• Some experience working with vulnerable populations, especially 18-26 year olds or people experiencing homelessness, is preferred
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, take initiative, and practice de-escalation
• Be culturally sensitive, team focused, and collaborative
• Be a competent professional with excellent interpersonal communication skills
• Strong sense of boundaries to keep relationships with guests professional, safe, and a healthy experience
• Ability to clearly and objectively document information
• LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and people with lived experience of housing instability strongly encouraged to apply
• Ability to work some holidays (recognized holidays earn time and a half pay)
• Has access to reliable transportation to attend each shift
• Able to input information into a laptop or desktop computer via keyboard
• A background check is required for this position; cost covered by Nashville Launch Pad.
• A clear drug-screening may be required
• COVID-19 Assumption of Risk:
  This position assumes risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, Influenza, etc.

Note: That tag has been converted per formatting guidelines; the text remains the same.

Staff may be required and paid to complete core trainings including but not limited to:

• CPR & First Aid
• Naloxone
• De-escalation
• Other

Compensation: $18.00 per hour. Overtime eligable. There position is not…