Street Outreach Worker

Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Positively Partners)

Job Description

ABOUT BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS, INC.

For more 50 years, Bridge Over Troubled Waters has provided a comprehensive continuum of care for runaway, homeless, and high risk youth in Boston, and has been a national model in providing innovative youth services. Our mission is to transform the lives of youth through safe, supportive and encouraging relationships, counseling, housing, and skill-building, to guide them towards self-sufficiency and achieving their goals.

If you are looking for a career in a fast paced setting that is committed to collaborating with all youth who come through the door and finding creative solutions to difficult problems, we invite you to apply.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Street Outreach Program (SOP), Bridge reaches out on the streets, in adult homeless shelters, and other places in and around Boston to make connections with homeless youth, build trusting relationships with them, and help them gain access to services and support. The SOP connects with hard-to-serve youth “where they are at,” provides prevention and intervention services and crisis counseling, and connects them to Bridge and other programs. Street Outreach is Bridge’s front-line service, and the basis for the entire Bridge continuum of care.

Bridge Street Outreach Workers conduct outreach on foot and in concert with the Bridge mobile Medical Van, bringing on-street assessments, crisis counseling, and other services to youth, and connecting youth to Bridge and other agencies to meet their needs. Principle duties will be performed in the field, where homeless and at-risk youth gather, and at Bridge headquarters as needed.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary.

  • Regularly assess the “street scene” to maintain up-to-date information on where homeless youth gather and ensure that Outreach Workers are visiting changing locations, including overnight camps in and around Boston
  • Work with a team of Outreach Workers and participate in regular “foot patrol” on streets and in shelters, build relationships with street youth, and refer them to Bridge and/or other agencies as needed
  • Assess needs of street youth, provide on-street crisis counseling, and other services to help ensure their safety
  • Work in concert with Bridge Medical V an Coordinator at Medical Van locations and facilitate street youth connection to the Van
  • Maintain effective communication channels between SOP partners, including city of Boston Homeless Shelter Commission, Pine Street Inn Outreach Van, local Police Department, adult homeless shelters, collaborating agencies, and other parties involved in street outreach in the region.
  • Document service statistics and records for accurate reporting and entry of data into both Bridge ETO system and Boston HMIS.
Public Relations

  • Serve as liaison/advocate between the program and the community including surrounding neighbors to build partnerships
Diversity

  • Ensure that all activities, services and programs through Bridge are conducted in a manner that is sensitive to and shows respect for the cultural and ethnic diversity for all Bridge clients
Other

  • Lead and participate in scheduled program coordinator and staff meetings
  • Participate in quarterly all-staff meeting
  • Attend meetings outside of agency as necessary
  • Other related tasks as required/requested
QUALIFICATIONS:

  • BA/BS Degree required or related degree
  • Minimum of 3 to 5 years of experience working with adolescents and youth
  • Knowledge of youth street culture, crisis prevention and intervention methods, and ability to form positive relationships with diverse populations
  • Valid Massachusetts driver’s license required (car not required)
  • Continuous clean driver’s record
  • Must be willing and able to drive the Medical Van
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Bridge Over Troubled Waters is an Equal Opportunity Employer and offers a paid hourly rate and a competitive benefits package including medical, dental and vision plans, paid time off and a retirement savings plan. Bridge also provides a bonus of $1000 for all new employees that they are eligible in to receive in two $500 installments after 6 months and at one year of service with Bridge.

This is a full time role. Salary for this position starts at $17-$19/hour and is commensurate with experience. Street Outreach Workers work on a 4-day/week schedule, Monday-Friday, for 10-hour shifts.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT

Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ duty is to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of recognized hazards.  As such we have adopted a MANDATORY COVID 19 VACCINATION POLICY for our employees. This policy is intended to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees as well as their families, our clients, and visitors who spend time in our facilities from COVID 19’s infectious conditions. This policy complies with all State and Local Laws and is based upon guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health and licensing authorities, as applicable. Employees who have underlying medical conditions that contraindicates administration of all available COVID-19 vaccines, are pregnant, or object to receiving any of the COVID-19 vaccines available based on sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance may request a vaccine exemption through Human Resources.


Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc.  is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status.