Job Description

NAYA Family Center is seeking a trauma informed, culturally aware community advocate to join our on call team of Family Shelter Advocates. The Family Shelter Advocate provides support for primarily Indigenous families as they enter, stay and exit NAYA's family shelter, khwat yaka haws ("Auntie's Place" in Chinook.) You will be a member of the shelter service team with the goal of reducing barriers families face while navigating through systems, with the goal of self-sufficiency and housing stabilization.

Auntie’s Place is a 24-hour shelter with eight family units, a shared living room and dining space. We offer day, swing and sunrise (night) shifts. Shifts will be scheduled in advance whenever possible but shifts may also be offered on an immediate basis when advance notice is not possible. You will be expected to take both scheduled and unscheduled shifts, although it is not expected that you will take every shift offered.

Pay is $28.33/hour with a $1.00 pay differential for hours worked between 7 pm and 7 am.

Who You Are

• Ideally, you have lived or work experience in the Native community.
• Ideally, you have worked with people who are experiencing homelessness or you have had this experience yourself. It comes naturally to you to treat all people with dignity.
• You are an on-time person. You don’t let your team or your clients down by being late.
• You are a calm person. In situations where tensions run high, you help those around you to re-regulate themselves. Your presence lowers the temperature in a room.
• You are a person who understands the importance of following procedures.
• You are self aware. You are able to listen well and center others. You tend not to be defensive.
• You prefer a team environment at work, rather than working alone. You don’t hesitate to roll up your sleeves and pitch in, even when it’s not your job.
• If you have training in Trauma Informed Care, it’s a plus.
• You are a quick learner with technology. You are detail oriented, so you don’t make mistakes when you enter data.
• You are able and willing to become certified in CPR, first aid, automatic external defibrillator (AED) and Naloxone.
• You have your own car and a valid Oregon or Washington driver’s license with no more than one major violation in the last three years, so that you can be covered under NAYA’s liability insurance.
• You are able to pass a background check, including a fingerprint criminal history check. See a list of disqualifying convictions here

What You’ll Do

• Support families as they enter, stay and exit the shelter. Help family members feel welcome and informed.
• Conduct walk throughs and room checks at the start and end of your shift.
• Conduct a thorough, in person hand off to the oncoming staff at the end of your shift.
• Complete intakes and assignment of rooms.
• Make referrals to wraparound services at NAYA and other community organizations.
• Using a trauma informed care approach, solve problems as they arise. Sometimes emergencies or critical incidents arise, in which case you will follow the shelter’s protocols.
• Log your activities and make shift reports in writing and in databases.
• You are encouraged to share your Indigenous culture and knowledge while you are at work.

Questions? Want to chat about this role before you decide to apply? Contact us at jobs@nayapdx.com.

NAYA is committed to building a work environment that respects and inspires every community member. Our mission is to serve Urban Native youth and families, so we strongly encourage members of the Native community to apply. We encourage applications from members of other historically marginalized groups, as well, including women, people of color, those with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those who have served in the military.