Social Service Coordinator (Porter County)

The Salvation Army Mission Statement :

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible.

Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Job Objective :

As the Social Services Coordinator for Porter County Salvation Army, you'll advocate in surrounding communities, build partnerships for funding, organize community engagement events, manage resource delivery, and collaborate on grant applications.

Additionally, as the Pathway of Hope Coordinator, you'll provide case management, and empathetic support, and oversee Christmas Toy Shop operations to fulfill The Salvation Army's mission.

What You Will Do :

• Deliver the full range of Pathway of Hope individualized services for a maximum of 10 families at any given time :
• Conduct pre-screening and intake of participants interested in the program.
• Provide linkage to a Pastoral Care Representative for pastoral care, counseling, and support.
• Conduct goal-setting steps with participants formulating change-oriented action plans.
• Conduct follow-up case management meetings with participants.
• Refer participants to internal and / or external services designed to address identified goals.
• Monitor and track participants' progress in goal attainment on the action plans.
• Develop plans to address transition needs and ongoing documentation of progress.
• Enter all required family demographic and outcome data in the SIMS and Next Step electronic data management systems in a timely and accurate manner.
• Assist with food pantry as needed and enter clients in the computer using SIMS and Charity Tracker.
• Develop a case management plan for each client who is willing to participate in the case management process. Case plan to include but not be limited to the following areas :
• Housing
• Employment and Job Readiness
• Legal Services
• Personal Finance
• Public Assistance
• Health, including Medical and Mental Health
• Childcare, Prenatal Care, including immunization for children
• Parenting
• Transportation
• Material and Financial Assistance
• Enhancement of Family Function
• Spiritual Concerns
• Veterans' Benefits
• Document all activities engaged in with, and on behalf of, the clients.
• Provide support, encouragement, and compassion to consumers as they work toward achieving their goals. Provide guidance while expecting consumer self-responsibility
• Community outreach and engagement to keep the community aware of what s happening with The Salvation Army of Porter County
• Manages community outreach to serve the needs of the consumers, employees, and staff members.
• Understand and provide adequate information on best practices and share this information with others in the community.
• Provide recommendations and referrals when applicable to serve the needs of the consumers.
• Actively participate at community events and meetings to increase The Salvation Army of Porter County's presence through networking, prospecting, and relationship building.
• Assists in maintaining a structured environment for consumers and staff for community engagement.
• Build rapport and advocate on behalf of TSA within the surrounding communities. Develop long-term relationships with, but not limited to, various community leaders, worship centers, churches, universities, community centers, service clubs, and community events.
• Attend a Service club meeting on a regular basis.
• Be culturally sensitive, as it relates to working with various ethnic groups.
• Ensures the accurate reporting and collection of community outreach initiatives.
• Maintain and provide statistical and other reporting as required.
• Serves as the Point-of-Contact for community affairs between The Salvation Army and local agencies.
• Conducts follow-up contacts and maintains our database of community engagement partnerships.
• Develop and maintain a listing of internal and external resources available but not limited to; housing, legal, and community resources.
• Maintains consumer confidentiality of all consumer information according to Federal, State, and The Salvation Army standards, policies, and procedures.
• Attends multi-disciplinary staffing, departmental, and staff meetings as scheduled. Participate in planned in-service training as well as other training as directed.
• Maintains certification by meeting certification requirements.
• Lead and plan Christmas Toyshop This includes but is not limited to, finding volunteers, setting up, tearing down, organizing toy drives, working with Walmart to set up Angel trees, working with clients to apply via the TSAMM Angel Tree program, and Assisting with the Kettle operations.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Corps Officer

Case Management Requirements :

Participant Engagement : Develop and promote Pathway of Hope services to individuals receiving services at the local site and community organizations.

Approach participants with an open and professional stance, recognizing their strengths and treating them as collaborative partners in the helping process.

Demonstrate the ability to establish rapport and positive engagement with participants in the initial phases of the working relationship and throughout services.

Schedule weekly meetings with participants, gradually reducing face-to-face contact with them as appropriate in their transition from services.

Assessment & Action Planning : In an interview format, complete all intake and required assessments including basic demographic information, URICA, Working Together Agreement, Sufficiency Matrix, and Strengths Assessment.

Also, works with the POH team to ensure that the Spiritual

Assessment is completed, and Pastoral Care is provided. Based on participants' identified goals, develop specific and measurable Action Plans.

Enters all corresponding documentation in a timely fashion within the required SIMS and Next Step data entry format.

• Linkage & Referral : In response to the Action Plan, coordinate referrals and participant linkage to internal and / or external resources that will facilitate the successful achievement of identified goals.
• Teamwork : Meet with the local team weekly to coordinate overall participant services including community linkages, and address programmatic requirements including intake processes, intervention strategies, and collection of data needed to meet program reporting requirements.
• Transition and Follow-up : Address completion requirements early in the engagement process to fully educate participants on all services available and facilitate successful transition and closure.

Inform participants of the plan to monitor their progress after successful completion through engagement in exit and follow-up assessments and surveys.

Other tasks as assigned by leadership.

Minimum Qualifications : The requirements listed below are representative of the minimal education, experience, skills, and / or abilities required for this position.

Education : Bachelor's degree in social work, or related human services field required.

Background Checks : This position will require a background check to be completed, and all background check results will be reviewed.

Experience : Minimum of one to two years' experience in social services and / or case management.

Certifications : Must have a valid driver's license and maintain The Salvation Army Driver's qualification standard; must complete Safe From Harm training within the first 90 days of employment.

Must complete Caseworker Certification Program within 60 days of employment."

Skills / Abilities :

• Able to speak, write, and understand English in a manner sufficient for effective communication with leadership, field personnel, and clientele.
• Computer proficiency with Microsoft products and ability to learn electronic reporting systems.
• Strong organizational skills
• Willing to work evenings and weekends when necessary.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Provide guidance and promote the spiritual dimension of Salvation Army social services programs, emphasizing the importance of Christian influence and evangelism in all Salvation Army ministries, including delivery of social services in contemporary settings.
• Knowledge of The Salvation Army, government, state, and community resources

Supervisory & Training Responsibility :

• Meets monthly with the Pathway of Hope Regional Coordinator to receive individual and group casework / case management supervision and support on all POH implementation aspects including SIMS data entry processes.
• Participates and successfully completes all required components of the territorial Casework Certification program.
• Participates in POH workshops and other training events at the local, divisional, or territorial, level, as requested and / or assigned.
• Provide guidance and promote the spiritual dimension of Salvation Army social services programs, emphasizing the importance of Christian influence and evangelism in all Salvation Army ministries, including delivery of social services in contemporary settings.
• Oversee any Volunteers that are paid by other organizations such as National Able etc.

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the duties of this job.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions of this job.

Physical Requirements Include :

• Good speaking, hearing, and vision ability, and excellent manual dexterity
• Lifting, pulling, and pushing materials up to 25 pounds
• May require bending, squatting, walking
• May require standing for extended periods

Travel : T ravel May be required for training specific to Pathway of Hope and other opportunities identified by the Corp Officer.

The position will require traveling to various community events, engagements, meetings, fairs, and training.

Working Conditions : Work is performed in an office; may include special events and outside events. May require weekend and evening work.

All employees recognize that The Salvation Army is a church and agree that they will do nothing as an employee of The Salvation Army to undermine its religious mission.

The Salvation Army is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates who are back-to-work, US Veterans, people with disabilities, people who have been impacted by the justice system, and / or people without a college degree are encouraged to apply.

This job description should not be interpreted as all-inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirements of the position.

Other job-related responsibilities and tasks may be assigned. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.