SNAP Outreach Worker

Full Job Description

Organizational Overview

Roca has been serving young people in Massachusetts since 1988. We currently serve over 1,000 young people across 21 communities in Massachusetts, with three fully operating sites in Chelsea, Boston, and Springfield, and two satellite sites in Lynn, and Holyoke, MA. In the Summer of 2018, we opened a replication in Baltimore, MD, with a fully operational site set. All of our sites serve high-risk young men, and our Chelsea and Springfield sites also serve high-risk young mothers.

Roca’s work is based on the theory that young people, when re-engaged through positive and intensive relationships, can change their behaviors and develop life, education, and employment skills to disrupt the cycles of poverty and incarceration. Roca’s Intervention Model engages the highest-risk 16-24 year olds in a long-term process of behavior change and skill building opportunities. Understanding that meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight, we deliver an Intervention Model that is four years long and allows for relapse during the process. We know that lasting change requires a safe space to grow and to flex newly acquired decision-making skills. If a young person is seeking change or can make it through our model without relapsing, then they are not a candidate for Roca and can likely be served by a less intense program.

Our Intervention Model is a cognitive-behavioral intervention based on the evidence-based practices of community corrections. It is the only community corrections model that is delivered on the street, to high-risk young people, by a non-mandated authority. The Intervention Model has five components: Relentless Outreach, Transformational Relationships, Tailored Programming, Engaged Institutions, and Performance Based Management.

Position Overview

Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) Through this initiative, Roca will enhance its internal capacity to ensure that every participant across all of our programs in Massachusetts is assessed for eligibility to receive SNAP benefits and if eligible, support enrollment and the re-verification process.

Position Description:

This position will report to the Chelsea Site Director. This position will both perform outreach and ensure that the SNAP deliverables for young adults in a coordinated effort internally, with the Roca Program/Site Directors, to support the assessment and enrollment of all participants on youth worker caseloads for SNAP Benefits.

Position Responsibilities:

· Maintain communication and work plans with Roca Program/Site Directors to coordinate participant outreach, assessment, enrollment, and re-verification process.

· Coordinate and communicate with Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) and other partners, as necessary, to ensure facilitation of benefits and enrollment numbers, etc.

· Monitor and ensure on time delivery of targets for outreach, referrals, and enrollments

· Complete reports and paperwork as required by projects

· Utilize Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) to manage daily/weekly priorities, outreach and target lists, schedules, etc.

· Maintain (ETO) data base through data entry of all work with participants on a daily/weekly basis, completion of assessments and all other tools as required for evaluation purposes.

· Utilize ETO reports and data to track outreach efforts and participant contacts, referrals, assessments, case notes, and other information required.

· Participate in team meetings, participant reviews, program planning, trainings, etc.

· Demonstrate mindfulness for the resources (vehicle, tablets, outreach materials) and actively work to maintain their functioning.

· Other tasks as assigned

Qualifications

The very nature of Roca’s work requires an individual of great commitment and energy to the mission. Roca seeks a highly driven individual who is a good fit both personally and professionally for the culture of Roca. In addition, the ideal candidate for this position will be a trustworthy decision-maker. He/she will have a sense of humor, feel passionate and committed to direct work with high-risk youth, and demonstrate interest in coaching and supporting coworkers.

Roca expects candidates to have the following skills:

• BA preferred/Equivalent community experience accepted.
• Understanding and experience working with young adults and high-risk young adults.
• Minimum of three years’ experience working with young people.
• Experience in street work, outreach, conflict resolution, violence prevention, etc.
• Capacity to think and act intentionally and strategically to help young people change behaviors.
• Capacity for creative problem-solving, conflict resolution, violence prevention.
• Strong written and oral communication.
• Excellent at organizing, managing and completing multiple complex projects and tasks simultaneously with thoroughness, accuracy, timeliness and good humor.
• Self-motivation, initiative, sound judgment, and commitment to ongoing learning are essential.
• Ability to work as a part of a team.

Requirements for the position:

• Ability to travel around the service area.
• Computer Literacy
• High Proficiency with Microsoft Office products specifically Excel.
• Valid state issued driver’s license and current driving record.
• Willingness and ability to work outside of normal business hours, and Holidays and/or weekends as needed.
• Ability to work with diverse cultures.
• Strong attendance and high energy.