Advocate for People Experiencing Homelessness 2024-25

Position Status

Open

Site

Pittsburgh

NHC Position Type

Capacity Builder

Position Summary

The NHC member at UPMC’s Second Avenue Commons Health Center will serve in several ways to help expand the reach and effectiveness of our clinic. They will help to plan and facilitate group activities for residents in the shelter's engagement center. They will provide navigation and accompaniment to vulnerable patients facing barriers to healthcare. They will work with local groups and organizations to facilitate volunteer engagement. The experience will be tailored to reflect the member's skills and interests.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

  • Developing new program or services to address community needs.
  • Strengthening volunteer recruitment and/or retention efforts.
  • Developing and/or implementing volunteer management strategies.
  • Developing/implementing surveys, focus groups, interview guides, observations, or other data collection tools to identify opportunities for improvement in service delivery.

Characteristics of an Ideal Candidate

Team-oriented. Flexible. Able to build strong relationships. Able to communicate effectively with individuals of diverse backgrounds and identities. Compassionate.

Knowledge Required for the Position

  • Knowledge of AmeriCorps/Health Corps member requirements.
  • Skill with Microsoft Office or other software for a variety of data processing operations involving a range of problem solving, record keeping, correspondence, and service tracking options.

Supervision

Member uses initiative in carrying out recurring assignments following set procedures independently. The supervisor assigns service activities in terms of project objectives and basic priorities and is available for consultation in resolving controversial issues.

Review

Completed projects are reviewed very generally to determine that objectives have been met and are in compliance with policies and regulations.

Guidelines

Guidelines are generally applicable, but the member independently makes adaptations in dealing with problems and unusual situations. Member must use considerable judgment in adapting current or developing new guidance.

Complexity

The service position assignments vary significantly or often involve unusual circumstances and incomplete or conflicting data, The member must develop new techniques, methods, or approaches to complete service position assignments

Language Proficiency Requirements

Is proficiency in a language other than English required? No

Criminal History Check Requirements Beyond NHC Standard Checks

In addition to NHC Standard Checks, all NHC Pittsburgh members are required to complete and pass criminal history checks for Great Lakes Behavioral Research Institute/Diversified Care Management (DCM). Great Lakes/DCM is a third party vendor contracted with the Allegheny County Health Department (operating site for NHC Pittsburgh) to distribute NHC Pittsburgh member stipends. NHC Pittsburgh members are onboarded to Great Lakes/DCM system only when the checks have been completed and the member has passed those checks.  Along with these checks, some Host Sites require their NHC Pittsburgh Members to be Vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The checks that all NHC Pittsburgh members would be required to complete and pass for Great Lakes/DCM are the following: 1) Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance), 2) National Sex Offender Registry Clearance,  3) Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance, and 4) Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance - ONLY completed via Identogo PA).

NHC members do not have to pay for the completion of these checks. Great Lakes/DCM will distribute payment codes for the Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance) and Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance which is conducted through Identogo PA ( PA FBI fingerprinting agency). The National Sex Offender Registry Clearance and Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance) will be completed by Great Lakes/DCM upon receiving requested information that members will be asked to submit.  

Requires Personal Vehicle

No