Shelter Life Coach

What You'll Do

As a Shelter Life Coach, you'll work alongside families experiencing homelessness as they take the next steps toward stable housing and greater self sufficiency. You'll provide compassionate, strengths based support while helping participants navigate barriers, connect with resources, and achieve their housing and employment goals.

You'll serve families staying in emergency shelter, including hotels, motels, and individual shelter units, and provide individualized coaching focused on securing permanent housing as quickly as possible. This includes housing search and placement, landlord engagement, financial coaching, employment support, and connecting participants with community resources that promote long term stability.

Working closely with the Housing Program Manager and an interdisciplinary team, you'll help implement innovative housing and employment strategies that strengthen the connection between housing stability and living wage employment. Every day offers the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, solve complex challenges, and make a lasting impact for families in our community.

Expectations of your role

• Conduct comprehensive family assessments, including screening, intake, and placement into emergency shelter, to ensure families are connected with the services that best meet their needs.
• Partner with YWCA Employment Services staff to develop individualized family development plans that support both housing stability and employment goals.
• Meet regularly with assigned families to provide ongoing coaching, coordinate services, help navigate community resources, remove barriers to permanent housing, and celebrate progress toward goals.
• Apply best practices in housing navigation and case management through a culturally responsive, trauma informed, and strengths based approach.
• Facilitate life skills classes and educational workshops that equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills needed to achieve housing stability, financial independence, and long term success.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with partner hotels and motels to support smooth shelter operations and ensure families have a safe, respectful experience.
• Participate actively in supervision, team meetings, case consultations, and ongoing professional development.
• Collaborate with colleagues across YWCA programs, including Children and Youth Services, Gender Based Violence Intervention and Prevention, Economic Advancement, and Health and Safety, to provide coordinated, holistic support for families.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, government agencies, landlords, employers, and other community organizations to expand resources and improve outcomes for participants.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and complete case documentation in accordance with agency, funder, and program requirements.
• Contribute to a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable workplace by actively participating in the YWCA's Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) and incorporating equity and anti racism principles into daily work with participants, colleagues, and community partners.

Must have's to be successful

• At least (2) years of direct social service experience, including (1) year working with low-income and/or homeless families and/or victims of domestic violence OR Bachelor's Degree with at least (1) year of direct social service experience working with low income and/or homeless families
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills of basic computer competencies such as emailing, calendaring, entry-level data entry and familiarity with Microsoft Office products
• Knowledge of available resources in Seattle-King County for low income/homeless families
• Knowledge of mental health, drug and alcohol issues preferred
• Experience working with communities of color and people from different cultures than your own
• Must have valid Washington State Driver License, personal vehicle, insurance, and an acceptable driving record. (No more than 2 moving violation within a year period and no accidents within 3 years.)
• Ability and willingness to work independently and as a part of a team
• Core Competencies Expected: Initiative, Collaboration, Achieving Measurable Results, Ethics and Integrity, Problem Solving, Race & Social Justice Advocacy, Fostering Diversity

Rate, Hours, Benefits

• Hourly Starting Pay Rate: $28.00 per hour
• Status: Full-Time, 40 hours per week
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Classification: Non-Exempt position.
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans.
• Retirement Benefit: Employees may become eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund after meeting hours-worked requirements, which may include completing at least 1,000 hours in a 12-month period or over two years, depending on plan provisions. Prior YWCA service may count toward eligibility if reemployment occurs within two years

Physical Requirements

In performing this position, the employee

• All positions at YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish work with individuals who have experienced or are experiencing trauma, including but not limited to domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees may be exposed to secondary trauma. Staff are encouraged to practice self care and utilize available support resources.
• Continuously communicate and exchange information by listening and speaking with participants, agency staff, landlords, employers, representatives of community organizations, and other community partners.
• Frequently stand, walk, sit, bend, climb stairs, and move throughout office, shelter, hotel, motel, and community settings.
• Frequently use computers, telephones, and other office equipment to complete documentation, communicate with participants and partners, and perform administrative duties.
• Occasionally access participant living spaces, including hotel rooms, shelter units, or apartments that may require climbing stairs.
• Frequently travel throughout King and Snohomish counties using a personal vehicle to meet with participants, landlords, community partners, and service providers. Travel may account for up to 50% of the work schedule.
• Occasionally lift and carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

• Definitions: Continuously = Over 80% of the time Frequently = 20-80% of the time Occasionally = Under 20% of the time
• #YWCAWORKS
• #LI-Onsite
• YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences to apply!
• At YWCA, we recognize that lived expertise is a powerful asset. This refers to the insights, knowledge, and skills developed by those who have navigated systems and experienced inequity.

Valuing lived expertise helps build trust with program participants, develop culturally responsive programs, and break down barriers to equity. It enriches our collective understanding and enhances our ability to serve communities that are furthest from opportunity.

Mental Health Considerations

All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms, including but not limited to, racial trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees are at risk of secondary trauma. We encourage employees to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self-care routines.