The ideal candidate for this role brings a great deal of positive energy to their work, along with an eagerness to engage with others and a willingness to have difficult conversations when necessary. Working with eight different families to support healthy interactions and a healing environment requires patience, persistence, creativity, and kindness. This position is responsible for building relationships with survivors and their children and creating a healthy community in the shelter. The hours for this position are 7:30a-3:30p, Monday through Friday and reports to the Director of Residential Programs.
REACH’s Residential Program is a fully staffed, 8-bedroom, home-like building offered for survivors of domestic violence who need shelter. Due to the demand for both shelter space and affordable housing in the Commonwealth, the program is always full, and residents often stay for extended periods. Guests include adults and children, and the number of children among the eight families can vary significantly. The shelter is staffed by full time advocates, full and part time milieu staff and volunteers. All staff work from REACH's core values as described on our website, https://reachma.org/who-we-are/.
The Residential Counselor spends time engaging with survivors (adults and children) living at the shelter and supervising assorted shelter activities such as psycho educational support groups, mind/body groups for adults, and after school activities for children. Responsibilities also include assisting families in acclimating to the house, addressing basic needs and developing routines. The Residential Counselor will also perform safety checks, answer the hotline when not attending meetings, complete documentation, and provide intermittent transportation.
We believe that successful candidates will demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Work from a philosophy that sees people, not problems
- Eagerness to engage with people of all ages
- Knowledge of the dynamics of domestic and sexual violence and the impact of trauma
- Commitment to a social justice framework
- Excellent communicator
- Strong interpersonal and crisis intervention skills
- Flexible, adaptable, patient, proactive approach – willing and able to do what is required to make the shelter run smoothly
- Model and uphold appropriate boundaries at work with survivors
Specific responsibilities:
- Support a healing milieu by working with guests to promote healthy community living, including organizing activities and offering individual and group programming for adults and children
- Assist new guests with the welcome process, provide an introduction to the shelter staff, guests, volunteers, practices, utilities, etc.
- Ensure guests have access to basic needs upon arrival and support their ongoing efforts to meet their basic needs
- Assist shelter residents with developing and sustaining routines for the family, including meal preparation, caring for the property, and caring for themselves
- Answer hotline calls
- Conduct shelter intakes
- Support the Residential Advocates and provide assistance with advocacy related needs as necessary
- Support the safety of the shelter and the guests by completing periodic rounds of the shelter and property
- Engage guests as necessary for de-escalation, crisis intervention and conflict resolution
- Communicate any individual or group concerns or needs at shift changes, both verbally and with appropriate written information in the logs
- Participate in regular on-call/backup rotation
- Other duties as assigned by the Director of Residential Programs
All staff at REACH commit to:
- Working to ensure that REACH’s values are demonstrated in the policies and procedures of the organization, every day.
- Working in collaboration with colleagues in other programs at the organization, participating with internal committees, and engaging with external and coalition work related to the role and/or the organization.
- Participating in staff meetings, weekly professional supervision, and weekly clinical supervision.
Requirements:
- REACH seeks candidates with diverse language, cultural, identity or life experience.
- Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to transport shelter guests
- Must be able to regularly lift and move 25 pounds to assist guests in moving in and out of the shelter and occasionally lift and move 50 pounds
- Candidates will be asked to submit to MA Criminal Records Check (CORI)
Work Schedule
- This is a salaried non-exempt position on a fluctuating workweek with hours from 7:30am-3:30pm Monday through Friday
- Expected to have some flexibility to accommodate resident's appointments and shelter coverage
- Occasional evening, weekend, and holiday coverage will be necessary including coverage during inclement weather
Benefits:
- The salary for this position ranges from $45,000-55,000 depending upon skills and experience
- 20 Days (4 weeks) of Paid Vacation Time, 25 Days (5 weeks) after 3 years of employment
- 12 Days Paid Sick Time and 11 Paid Federal Holidays
Please send a cover letter and resume to Isabel Rivera, Director of Residential Programs, for consideration for this position.
REACH is an equal opportunity employer and provides an inclusive work environment.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $45,000.00 - $55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
Work Location: One location