NEOCH Is Hiring A Neighborhood Outreach Worker

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Title: Neighborhood Outreach Worker
Reports to: Director of Street Outreach, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless
Hours: Full-time, 11 am to 7 pm (including some evenings and weekends)
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Job Description: The Neighborhood Outreach Worker is a shared position between Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) and Ohio City Improvement Corporation (OCIC), Ohio City’s Special Improvement District. This is a new role created to provide services throughout the Ohio City neighborhood, including building relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, providing basic need items, and encouraging individuals to enroll in services for housing, victim support, and healthcare.

The Neighborhood Outreach Worker will spend approximately 30 hours each week in the community, engaging individuals experiencing homelessness; visiting encampments, drop-in centers, soup kitchens, and abandoned houses; targeting individuals based on vulnerability and service needs; and building stability plans with clients. The Neighborhood Outreach Worker will work closely with NEOCH, Ohio City Improvement Corporation, and Ohio City Incorporated staff, including attending internal and public meetings.

The Neighborhood Outreach Worker is required to have training in trauma informed care and conflict resolution and to maintain a persistent and compassionate approach through the process of connecting individuals to resources. The Neighborhood Outreach Worker will be trained on conducting informal assessments, utilizing emotional and physical proximity to learn aspects of homeless individuals’ lives that are often difficult to uncover, such as:

  • The current condition of the camp/shelter and implications for personal securityExposure to trauma

  • Safety of the local environment

  • Openness to engaging in services

  • Benefit eligibility (e.g., military, Medicaid, or social security)

  • Barriers to housing stability

Responsibilities:

  • Provide face-to-face contact and build relationships with individuals who are experiencing homelessness throughout the Ohio City neighborhood

  • Connect individuals to services for healthcare, treatment, housing, victim support, and trauma healing, as needed

  • Provide crisis intervention, service coordination, skill building, and family education

  • Demonstrate sensitivity to individuals of varying backgrounds

  • Use motivational interviewing to encourage self-agency and acceptance of services

  • Assess individuals who are experiencing homelessness for safety, mental health, substance abuse, trauma, and victimization

  • Provide necessary follow-up aimed at establishing linkage to services

  • Advocate for clients' access to community resources and services, ensuring that needs are met and rights are maintained

  • Attend staff meetings, community trainings, and training sessions

  • Consult and collaborate with community providers to ensure continuity of care

  • Prepare activity reports, maintain files and records of work, provide access to and retrieval of data

  • Complete data collection and documentation to assist in program evaluation

  • Staff some evening and weekend events and meetings

  • Build relationships with neighborhood stakeholders

  • Maintain a database of resources to support the homeless community

  • Work in collaboration with OCIC’s programs, including the Clean and Safe Ambassador Program

  • Collaborate with staff to identify how the organizations can better serve the homeless community in Ohio City

  • Other duties as assigned

Preferred skills and experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related field; or a minimum of three years equivalent work experience

  • A minimum of three years of experience working with low income individuals and/or those experiencing homelessness

  • Training in trauma informed care, conflict resolution, and harm reduction models

  • Proven experience working with the public, developing and maintaining relationships

  • Experience working with homeless individuals and families

  • Experience and ability to authentically engage young people

  • Awareness of and adherence to strict boundaries and professional ethics in the care of others

  • Belief in the principles of self-determination, social justice, and equity

  • Excellent oral, written, and organizational skills with attention to detail

  • Self-driven, action-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously

  • Experience with Microsoft Suite, data entry, and documentation

  • Ability to work flexible hours in times of need, including some weekends and evenings

  • Bilingual English/Spanish, preferred

  • Ability to lift and carry supplies in excess of 30-50 pounds

  • Ability to provide transportation for clients

Compensation: Salary Range $30,000-$35,000. NEOCH offers comprehensive benefits including:

  • Health insurance

  • 10 vacation days and 10 personal days

  • Paid federal holidays


NEOCH seeks to dismantle systems of oppression – racism, sexism, heterosexism, transphobia, classism - and embraces cultural diversity and lived experience. We are equal opportunity employer. Join our team!

To apply, submit your resume and cover letter to neoch@neoch.org. Applications will close Thursday, November 5th at 5:00pm.

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Molly Martin