AGENCY OVERVIEW:
Outreach Fort Collins is a professionally staffed, on-the-streets team focused on building collaborative relationships with community members,
service providers, businesses, and city services as a means to address and deescalate disruptive behaviors in Fort Collins. We respond,
engage, and connect through professional street outreach focused on skillful listening, empathy, and problem-solving.
Our Mission:
Rooted in downtown, Outreach Fort Collins is a street-based
outreach program that maintains our community as a safe and welcoming place
while connecting those in need to services and supportive networks.
Our Core Values:
l Person-Centered: We honor the dignity and diversity of everyone we engage with
l Professional: Knowledgeable and skilled staff working toward personalized solutions utilizing data-driven best practices
l Collaborative: Intentionally working with community partners with varying perspectives toward common purpose and outcomes
l Adaptable: We respond, engage, and connect in our community to address and resolve diverse needs in an ever-changing environment
l Trusted: We strive to build genuine relationships through sincere, honest, and consistent communication and reliable follow through
POSITION SUMMARY:
An Outreach Specialist is focused on the day-to-day outreach activities of Outreach Fort Collins, including:
l Being present on the streets throughout the coverage area;
l Building relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness, business owners and staff, police services and first responders, service providers, residents, and various city departments;
l Providing effective resource education and referrals to individuals engaged with during outreach;
l Identifying geographical hot spots and de-escalating disruptive behaviors;
l Being on call to respond to community concerns.
Outreach Specialists respond, engage, and connect to provide a specialized layer of community support to address the social and economic impacts of homelessness in our community.
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
l Proactive Street Outreach – Outreach Specialists conduct daily outreach in pairs throughout the coverage area, engage with a variety of stakeholders to build relationships, redirect disruptive behaviors, and connect individuals in need to supportive services. Proactive street outreach includes:
¡ Recognizing and supporting immediate or emergent needs
¡ Coordinating service with individuals experiencing homelessness, including service referrals, tracking, case planning, and follow-up
¡ Using best practices, such as client centered outreach, harm reduction, and trauma informed care, as well as excellent observational and conversational skills
l Call Response – Outreach Specialists are on call to respond in pairs to calls for community concern, including situations involving disruptive
behavior, physical and mental health safety concerns, or service inquiries. Call response includes:
¡ Responding to immediate needs of caller and providing follow-up as needed
¡ Addressing immediate needs of client, deescalating disruptive behaviors, and resolving on-the-streets conflicts
¡ Using professional skills to address non-emergency calls and concerns to ensure appropriate use of emergency responder time and efforts
l Community Engagement – Outreach Specialists engage with a wide variety of stakeholders to inform the community about Outreach Fort Collins and build collaborative partnerships that support the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness and deescalate disruptive behaviors. Community engagement includes:
¡ Proactively building relationships with community members, neighbors, service providers, business owners and staff, police services and first responders, and various city departments
¡ Regular outreach and check-ins with neighbors, businesses and staff, and partner agencies
¡ Representing Outreach Fort Collins while engaging with the general public
l Contact Tracking – Outreach Specialists are responsible for tracking all outreach contacts to support data-driven decision making, grant reporting, and outcome tracking. Contact tracking includes:
¡ Efficiently utilizing multiple platforms to track and record engagements
¡ Working with team to ensure data accuracy and timely completion
¡ Utilizing external systems, such as the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and UniteUs, to ensure effective service delivery
l Team Participation – Outreach Specialists work closely with the entire staff to coordinate outreach efforts, effectively respond to complex situations, and collectively work towards positive community outcomes. Team participation
includes:
¡ Working as part of the collective team towards agency mission, values and organizational goals while coordinating with team members to provide proactive street outreach and rapid call response throughout coverage area
¡ Utilizing individual skills and team support to resolve complex issues
¡ Sharing and receiving constructive feedback with staff and supervisors
l Assisting with other tasks as assigned
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
l BA or BS degree in human services field preferred. Two or more years of equivalent experience may be substituted
for educational requirements.
l Superior verbal communication and relationship management skills including a thorough knowledge of conflict resolution and de-escalation
techniques.
l Ability to engage and connect effectively and proactively with diverse audiences ranging from vulnerable populations, business owners and employees, police services and first responders, city departments, residents, and the general public.
l Ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment, as well as ability to work independently and manage time efficiently
l Commitment to a high level of accountability and ability to maintain a high level of ethical conduct.
l Demonstrated commitment to inclusiveness, racial equity, and health equity.
l Experience with Microsoft and Google applications. HMIS experience is a plus.
l Candidates must possess a valid ID, be able to lift up to 40 pounds, and pass a background check.
l Exceptional candidates will have:
¡ Previous street outreach experience
¡ At least three years of work experience with vulnerable populations, especially those who are experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, and/or mental health issues
¡ Working knowledge of up-to-date best practices when working with vulnerable populations, including Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, and Housing First Framework.