Shelter Monitor

Description

PACEM is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving adults experiencing homelessness in greater Charlottesville. Our low-barrier, overnight-only shelter sites rotate bi-weekly in host spaces from late October to mid-April. We offer a hot meal and warm bed to 35 men and 15 women each night for 24 weeks, and we partner with other organizations to ensure anyone beyond our means or capacity is referred to a similar safe space. Our purpose as an organization is to alleviate the challenges of homelessness through compassionate support, relationship building, and facilitation of services. Learn more about our services online at www.pacemshelter.org.

Position Description:

Shelter Monitors provide essential, awake coverage and supervision of the shelter. Shelter Monitors work under the supervision of a Shelter Director and in close cooperation with PACEM guests, host volunteers, and other PACEM staff. This position is responsible for welfare, safety and comfort, as well as daily support to the shelter guests. Detailed job duties are described below. Shelter Monitors can expect to arrive on time, coordinate with and take direction from team members and volunteers, provide quality customer service and care to a highly vulnerable population, and participate in walking, lifting, and cleaning tasks. We operate every night during the season, including weekends and holidays.

Effective Shelter Monitors imbue compassion, empathy and a genuine desire to help others. In this job you help rebuild the lives of individuals in crisis by reaffirming their humanity and dignity. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with the ability to navigate stressful situations with grace and discernment. Reliable transportation to rotating shelter sites is required. Training in shelter operations, trauma-informed care, inclusion and equity, and other areas is required of all staff.

Job Duties

Intake Monitors:  4.5-hour shifts from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Intake is when guests arrive, eat, and settle in for the night. Case management and other service or socialization activities also happen during this timeframe. On this shift you can expect to:

• complete supervisory rounds of the site (indoor/outdoor), responding to issues appropriately
• greet guests and complete paperwork, symptom checks, and safety checks
• support Director and Lead Volunteer in providing safety and evening information prior to dinner
• complete bed change-overs and other cleaning tasks
• respond appropriately to guest and volunteer inquiries in person and by phone, as needed
• coordinate with emergency services providers appropriately by phone and in person, as needed
• record shift notes every shift and submit Incident Reports as needed
• transfer duties to Overnight Monitor

Overnight Shelter Monitors:  10-hour shifts from 9:15 p.m. to 7:15 a.m.
Overnight begins slowly, as most guests are asleep or quiet. The shift ends with helping guests leave the site on time and then conducting final safety and cleanliness checks. On this shift you can expect to:

• complete supervisory rounds of the site (indoor/outdoor), responding to issues appropriately
• maintain appropriate conversation topics and noise levels in site spaces
• greet approved late-coming guests and complete paperwork, symptom checks, and safety checks
• manage stocks of supplies
• complete bed change-overs and other cleaning tasks, as needed
• respond appropriately to guest and volunteer inquiries in person and by phone, as needed
• coordinate with emergency services providers appropriately by phone and in person, as needed
• request assistance from on-call Director, as needed
• record shift notes every shift and submit Incident Reports as needed
• assist guests in waking up, preparing themselves, and leaving in a timely manner
• complete essential final safety and cleanliness checks once all guests have vacated the site
• transfer duties to Director team

Skills Required

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Oral and written fluency in English
• Technology proficient (iPhone, laptop, internet, walkie-talkie)
• Walk regularly and lift 10-lbs throughout shift; up to 50-lbs on occasion
• CPR certification or willingness to obtain
• Understand and comply with health and safety regulations, including COVID protocols
• Vaccinations up to date strongly preferred (flu, COVID)

Work Schedule

Intake Monitors work 5pm-9:30pm; Overnight Monitors work 9:15pm-7:15am. The winter shelter operates every night including weekends and holidays from late October through mid-April.

Additional Info

To apply, send your current resume and a letter of interest to hiring@pacemshelter.org

The Resume should be an attached PDF or Word document.

The Letter of Interest can be the body of the email or an attached document. It should be brief (2-3 paragraphs), illustrate your experience (not restate your resume), and help us understand:

(1) How your work and/or lived experience is relevant to the Shelter Monitor position

(2) What motivates you to work with PACEM, specifically, and our homeless neighbors, and

(3) Whether your interest is primarily in the Intake shifts or the Overnight shifts.