Description:
Position Title: Outreach and Engagement Specialist
Reports to: Director – Welcome Center Services Division
Category: Part-Time, Non-Exempt, Hourly
Location: Friendship Place Welcome Center
Hours: Must commit to at least 20 hours per week. Flexible schedule, including some evening and weekend hours as needed.
Our Core Values: Friendship Place is a Person-First Organization that promotes transparency and ethical practices among our team and those we serve. All individuals in our organization are expected to perform their job duties in a manner consistent with our core values. These include the following: Excellence and Innovation, Finding Ways to Say “Yes,” Caring at the Core, Agents of Change, Support, Empowerment and Development, Building Relationships, Integrity, and Accountability.
Who We Are: Friendship Place is a nonprofit organization serving the Washington DC region, empowering individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives with community involvement. Friendship Place offers the most effective model for addressing homelessness, with innovative, customized programs with positive, demonstrable results and a lasting impact on the community and beyond. Our programs are person-centric and individualized to meet the needs and goals of individuals, families, youth/young adults, and veterans experiencing homelessness. We provide outreach, hospitality, health care, case management, housing, job placement services, and advocacy. We have established a national presence and are known for sharing best practices in the field.
Summary: The Outreach & Engagement Specialist provides low-barrier, person-centered outreach and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness within the DC Metro area. This position combines youth development and housing-focused outreach approaches to serve both transition-aged youth (up to age 24) and adults facing barriers to housing stability. Working within the Friendship Place Welcome Center Division, the Specialist will conduct outreach in the community, engage walk-in participants at the Drop-In Center, and provide case support, resource navigation, and housing-focused assessments. The position also supports agency initiatives that advance inclusion, youth engagement, and equitable service delivery. The ideal candidate is creative, flexible, and trauma-informed, with a strong commitment to empowerment, harm reduction, and Housing First principles. Must be available and willing to work the Drop-In Center schedule weekly, as required.
Essential Position Requirements and Competencies:
- Build trusting relationships with participants and respond with empathy and flexibility to foster wellness, independence, and service delivery
- Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, supervision, and actively seek out professional development opportunities.?
- Communicate professionally and clearly in all interactions—both written and verbal—to support seamless service delivery and collaboration
- Demonstrate integrity, cultural responsiveness, and mission alignment in a fast-paced, equity-driven environment?
- Maintains compliance in all assigned mandatory training and background clearances.?
- Provide supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness with serious mental illnesses, addictions, medical concerns, etc.
- Perform other duties as assigned to support the success of the program and its participants
Requirements:
Welcome Center Drop-In Services (50%)
- Maintain a welcoming, inclusive, and low-barrier environment for all participants visiting the Welcome Center.
- Provide person-centered support through relational engagement and crisis intervention.
- Assist participants with obtaining vital documents (IDs, birth certificates, Social Security cards, etc.) and referrals to mental health, housing, employment, and benefits resources.
- Conduct Coordinated Entry assessments (VI-SPDAT, TAY, or Full SPDAT) for participants as appropriate.
- Distribute basic needs items such as food, hygiene kits, and clothing, while helping connect individuals to longer-term support services.
- Track participant engagement and services in HMIS and other required databases.
- Participate in voicemail rotation.
- Must complete all assigned administrative tasks in a timely and accurate manner
Outreach and Community Engagement (50%)
- Conduct outreach rounds and targeted engagement across assigned areas to identify and connect with unsheltered individuals and families.
- Provide crisis intervention, basic needs support, and connections to housing, behavioral health, and community-based services.
- Strengthen community partnerships by engaging with local providers, stakeholders, and agencies to expand service coordination.
- Participate in CAHP meetings and maintain familiarity with District-wide housing referral systems.
- Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure coordinated care and referrals
Qualifications:
Education/Experience:
- High School Diploma or GED with 2 years of experience working with individuals or families experiencing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, or related barriers.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and Housing First principles.
- Must have or be able to obtain a First Aid/CPR/AED certification that includes a hands-on skills testing module. ?Friendship Place will provide First Aid/CPR/AED training.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data management systems; experience with HMIS preferred.
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) a plus.
- Valid driver’s license with proof of insurance required.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong intra- and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to express ideas clearly in both verbal and written form; skilled in respectful client, colleague, and supervisor interactions, as well as accurate, professional, and timely documentation
- Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and adapt to changing priorities.
- Ability to work well under pressure and adapt to presenting needs.
- Able to demonstrate professionalism across all levels of the organization at work and any organization-sponsored event.
- Excellent time management, detail-oriented, organized, capable of maintaining confidentiality, and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Flexible and passionate about providing a broad spectrum of services to vulnerable populations.
- Must be able to demonstrate active listening, emotional awareness, and the ability to adapt their communication style to different individuals and situations.
- Strong commitment to the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
Physical and Environmental Requirements:
- Split between office, drop-in center, and field outreach environments.
- Requires local travel by car or public transportation.
- Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs. and work in outdoor conditions during outreach activities.
- Some evening or weekend hours may be required.
- This role involves working closely with individuals who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. At times, the work may involve exposure to emotionally sensitive or challenging situations. Employee must be compassionate, self-aware, and able to maintain healthy boundaries while supporting others in a respectful and trauma-informed way.
Background Checks: The selected candidate will be required to pass a criminal history background check and/or fingerprinting, including FBI, and Metropolitan Police Clearance, CFSA, NSO, Employment and Education Verification, personal and professional references, TB test, a UDS, and clearance from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Specific Requirements: Positions requiring travel must have reliable access to personal transportation to fulfill job duties. The vehicle must meet all legal requirements, including valid registration and current auto insurance. Employees must provide the employer with current copies of their valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. They must maintain an acceptable Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) that meets organizational or insurance carrier standards as a condition of employment. Additionally, employees are required to notify the employer and provide updated documentation within a legally appropriate timeframe if there are any changes to their driver’s license status or insurance coverage.
Other Details:
Application Deadline: This job is open until filled or until the hiring manager determines they can no longer accept applications.
Compensation: The hiring pay range is between $25.86 and $28.28 per hour. Depending on the position, the starting hourly pay rate or annual salary is based on a step system. A candidate’s starting pay determination is based on meeting the basic position requirements and current completed education, credentials, and work experience.
Benefits: We offer an excellent benefits package including low-cost health insurance, health reimbursement, flexible spending accounts, employer-paid dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, 403B defined contribution plan matching, employee assistance programs, professional development, employee resource groups, 14 paid holidays, 15 days of vacation and 10 days of sick leave during 1st year of employment, and much more! (Benefits are pro-rated for part-time employees).
COVID-19: All Friendship Place employees, regardless of their vaccination status, must continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with the agency’s COVID-19 protocols and applicable law and guidance. This includes but is not limited to, wearing masks in congregated settings, washing their hands or using hand sanitizer often, monitoring their daily health, and staying home if they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (or if they are otherwise prohibited from reporting to work by health provider under CDC, state and local guidance). Since the public health and legal landscapes regarding this policy are subject to frequent changes, Friendship Place reserves the right to amend or cancel this policy at any time at its sole discretion, consistent with applicable law, CDC guidelines, and the DC Department of Health.
Location: Washington, DC
Interview Process: Phone screening, panel style interview, final interview.
Website: www.friendshipplace.org
Diversity, Equal Opportunity, and Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Friendship Place is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our team and want to involve all those who can contribute to our inclusive culture. We support all qualified individuals within our workforce without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, personal appearance, familial status, family responsibilities, political affiliations, matriculation, credit, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Friend Place is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact human resources at humanresources@friendshipplace.org
How to Apply: Interested applicants should apply via the organizational website. All of our current career openings can be found by visiting www.friendshipplace.org
