Job Training Program Case Manager

Organization and Program Description:

Wasatch Community Gardens (WCG) is a community-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people to grow and eat healthy, organic, local food. Since 1989, we have provided children, adults, and families in Salt Lake County with access to land and education for growing and eating fresh produce, while building and nurturing community connections through gardening and healthy food. We accomplish this through five main programs: Community Garden, Education, Youth & School Gardens, Job Training, and Volunteers.

By leveraging the supportive environment of WCG’s urban farm, the Job Training Program (JTP) serves as a model for using gardens and farms to develop connection, social capital, and self-sufficiency among at-risk populations. WCG hires up to 16 women annually who are facing or experiencing homelessness as the farm’s crew with the goal of providing a supportive environment for them to identify, work toward, and achieve their goals (i.e. secure housing, financial literacy, employment, etc.) while building transferable job skills.

Position Overview

The Case Manager is responsible for supporting the Job Training Program Director in effective implementation of program and participant goals, primarily through case management, advocacy, and continuum of care while practicing trauma-informed care and maintaining a psychologically-informed work environment. The Case Manager is also responsible for maintaining supportive relationships and continued engagement with past team members and alumni. This position works closely with and reports to the Job Training Program Director.

Primary Responsibilities:

Recruitment (15%, varies by season)

● Oversee street-based outreach and recruitment efforts and refer individuals back to Job Training Program Director and/or Taste of the Farm days

● Attend all Taste of the Farm days, talk with participants to get to know them and their goals and assess their readiness for the program, and participate in the interview process

● Build and maintain close relationship with prospective Green Team members throughout the season and support them in completing necessary “pre-work” in order to begin the program on time

● Strengthen existing and establish new relationships with community organizations and other social service agencies Onboarding and Program Implementation (15%, varies by season)

● Support Program Director in planning and carrying out orientation activities such as leading group discussions, addressing barriers, and building and maintaining a psychologically safe environment for program participants through confidentiality, trust, empowerment, and respect.

● Administer a needs assessment and work with team members to build on participants’ strengths and eliminate barriers to work, such as transportation, clothing, childcare, time management, personal issues, public benefits, etc.

● Facilitate weekly 1-on-1 check-in meetings with a focus on housing connections, barriers to employment, connection to additional resources, and individual goals

● Review team members’ cases weekly with the Program Director and provide updates on progress toward housing, goals, and other disclosed needs

● Attend, support, and occasionally lead NOURISH Days (including planning/leading art and creative sessions, and coordinating guest speakers and field trips)

● Provide secondary support to the Program Director throughout the Green Team’s job search process and ensure employment goals are in alignment with other goals (housing, financial, mental health, etc.)

● Maintain up-to-date digital, confidential records and data related to programming and team members

Advocacy (30%)

● Coordinate with team member’s existing case managers, parole officers, etc., as well as other organizations to improve wrap-around support and two-way referrals

● Draft safety and housing stabilization plans with each team member

● Work with each team member to ensure applicable legal concerns are being addressed (getting a background check, attending court, expungement process, etc.)

Continuum of Care and Ongoing Support (30%)

● Provide continuum of care/ongoing support as women transition from the farm through regular check-ins, liaising with landlord/property management, and coordinating resources (financial counseling, substance abuse referrals, mental health referrals, etc.) that promote self-sufficiency

● Offer case management services to team members in a variety of settings including, but not limited to, client homes, agency office space, farm/garden sites, and occasional street settings.

● Support alumni in updating housing stabilization and safety plans as transitions occur

● Provide support to the Program Director and team members in ensuring successful, long-term employment

● Play key role in alumni engagement including planning and attending programming for past participants and maintaining current contact information

Additional Responsibilities (10%)

● Participate in program trainings, staff meetings, program meetings, and other committee meetings as needed

● Participate in WCG events and general staff responsibilities

● Take on other program-related duties as needed

Required Qualifications:

● Experience working effectively with diverse community members, including unsheltered and other low-income populations, in individual and group contexts

● Understanding of and ability to practice trauma-informed care

● Commitment to culturally competent community involvement and organizing, community empowerment, food justice, and growing/strengthening values-aligned partnerships

● Confident and comfortable in acting as an advocate and ally for marginalized community members in situations of one-time and systemic inequities

● Organized, motivated, and able to work independently and as a group

● Excellent oral and written communications skills

● Ability to handle conflict professionally and navigate contentious situations

● Ability to work evenings and weekends with advanced notice, and respond to team members’ crisis situations in a timely manner

● Reliable method of transportation and ability to travel throughout Salt Lake County to attend community meetings, events, and support participants and alumni as needed

● Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google applications or willingness to learn

● Ability to navigate an urban farm setting in varied weather conditions (this includes: significant cold and heat; dry and rainy/snowy/wet conditions; uneven surfaces such as gravel, woodchips, wooden steps; etc.) and ability to accomplish occasional physical tasks associated with farm/garden work

Preferred Qualifications

● Bachelor’s degree or professional certification in related field

● At least 3 years professional social work/case management experience

● Familiarity with local low-income housing navigation, regulations, and community resources

● Experience in data collection and record keeping or willingness to learn

Hours:

This position is 40 hours a week, and the schedule varies throughout the season. This position requires some evenings, weekends, and on-call availability.

To Apply:

Please email the following materials to openings@wasatchgardens.org:

● Resume

● Names, titles, and phone numbers of three professional references

● Short response (one page total) to the following items:

               1. Why are you interested in this position?

               2. What strengths will you bring to our team and this position?

Please put “Job Training Program Case Manager” in the subject line of your email. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled with an anticipated start date in June or July 2024. Applications without references and responses to the questions above will not be considered. Applicants must submit to and clear a background check in order to work with program participants.