Community Associate, Social Work

Mission Statement:
The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is the largest organization in the United States dedicated to preventing and addressing homelessness. In partnership with other City Agencies and Nonprofit Organizations, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it begins, reduces street homelessness, provide temporary shelter, and connect individuals and families to stable housing all with a focus on accountability, empathy, and equity.

DHS is committed to continuous improvement and employs innovative strategies to deliver high-quality services that support a swift transition from shelter to self-sufficiency. The agency manages hundreds of facilities and operates with a large team as well as a several billion-dollar budget to meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.

The Division of Shelter Intake is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of the agency’s Single Adult, Adult Families and Families with Children’s intake and assessment sites, both directly run and contracted providers. This Division is responsible for ensuring that the City’s most vulnerable population can access shelter, per eligibility criteria, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is recruiting one for (1) Community Associates who will:

• Interact with the various communities DHS serves to keep residents informed of the programs and services DHS has to offer to the homeless population. Interview families within the various communities and issue social service referrals.
• Attend onsite/offsite/ community meetings to share important issues affecting the homeless population, the unit’s daily operation and offer insight improvement.
• Maintain liaison with various community shelters to convey shelter placement information and facilitate transportation to various community shelters. Assist the Community Coordinator with handling onsite/offsite client inquiries with the highest level of confidentiality and sensitivity, during the application process.
• Records all information pertaining to client information and social service referrals utilizing the on-line CARES and Q-Flow, accurately input codes to register applicants for temporary housing office; convey shelter placement information and facilitate transportation to various community shelters.
• Perform high level responsible clerical duties, as assigned by the Site Manager, such as prepare written monthly, quarterly, and annual administrative statistical and narrative indicator reports that would share information in re to shelter placements; collect, analyze and evaluate on-site and statistical data from various sources, and communicate the results to superior; and maintain liaison with various units to be able to process schedule and reports, and to coordinate and prepare case files and documents.
• Work closely with the Community Coordinator to coordinate the transfer of case records, forms, and referrals to receiving shelters. Unused documents are discarded, according to agency policy. Maintain files for future reference.

Tues­day – Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. RDO Sunday and Monday

• High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
• Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

The worker should be able to relate well with others, be flexible in responding to supervisor’s requests for priority tasks, have good communication skills, be attentive to details, take pride in his/her work, have an overall courteous and helpful telephone manner, ability to perform computer operations, be a team player and be self‑motivated.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness:
As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

Residency Requirement:
New York City residency is generally required within…