Who We Are
Solid Ground (SG) is an award-winning nonprofit organization whose proven, holistic approach helps families build the strong foundations they need to emerge from homelessness into a brighter future. Through safe, affordable housing and innovative supportive programming, Solid Ground helps families transition to a higher-level of self-sufficiency and break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for the next generation.
Why You’ll Love Working Here
At the heart of Solid Ground is the belief that housing stability is fundamental to the healthy development of children and to a family’s ability to be contributing members of the community. Solid Ground currently runs eight programs in suburban Ramsey and Washington Counties and housing over 660 individuals annually. Our mission is to prevent and end homelessness for families with children in the communities we serve through housing, resources, and opportunity.
Wages
$23.00 - $25.00 per hour depending on qualifications and level of experience
Benefits
- Paid vacation and sick time
- 12 paid holidays
- Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
- Health Savings Account (HSA) and options for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Long-term disability insurance – the employer pays the premiums
- Employer-paid basic life insurance with the option for additional coverage paid by the employee
- Voluntary benefits: Accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness, short-term disability insurance
- SG sponsors a retirement plan with automatic enrollment at 3% and a 3% employer match after one year of service, plus immediate vesting.
Because Solid Ground is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, Solid Ground employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits at St. Mary’s University:
- Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
- Professional development opportunities
- Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)
Job Summary
Solid Ground is hiring an EMP Child & Youth Advocate to assist children and their parents entering our East Metro Place (EMP) transitional housing program. The role focuses on helping families access affordable childcare and early childhood learning opportunities to provide educational support to children and youth who have formally experienced homelessness.
Responsibilities
- Meet regularly with parents, children, and youth to assist them in developing and achieving goals related to education, health and wellness, positive child and youth development, and parenting.
- Provide mentorship and advocacy to children and youth.
- Assist with enrolling children in the local school system, including helping with Individual Education Plans and attending school meetings and Child Protection meetings related to Child Protective Services.
- Monitor attendance and academic achievement of all school age children and help them improve their academic success by addressing barriers.
- Assist families in obtaining and maintaining supplemental benefits including WIC Childcare Assistance and early learning scholarships.
- Assist families in completing the appropriate screenings around early childhood education and make appropriate referrals when needed.
- Assist families in obtaining birth certificates and other legal documents for all children.
- Assist families in registering for summer school, community education, and other extracurricular activities.
- Assist families in locating and touring childcare facilities and connecting them to financial assistance as needed.
- Assist families in locating a medical home for their children and follow up on medical needs and mental health services.
- Assist older youth (aged 13+) with exploring higher education options (financial aid, college tours, trade school).
- Support older youth (aged 13+) with employment skill building, finding jobs, and maintaining employment.
- Plan and facilitate tutoring, after school groups, summer camp activities, and field trips for children and youth.
- Provide short term, respite childcare to families.
- Collaborate with school social workers, teachers, and liaisons to support students socially and academically.
- Provide community resources and referrals for families, including coordinating services with various community partners to provide a well-rounded approach.
- Collaborate and communicate with Solid Ground Family Advocates to build on each other’s work with families.
- Partner with child and youth volunteers and interns to provide childcare and group programming.
- Coordinate and document all work done on behalf of participants to maintain accurate progress and recordkeeping for participants, agency, and funders.
What You Bring
- A bachelor's degree in child development, social work, or a related field plus one year of experience in a social service position; or you bring a combination of education and experience providing equivalent knowledge.
- Knowledge of the human services nonprofit sector; experience working in a nonprofit setting is preferred.
- The ability to de-escalate situations with age-appropriate techniques.
- A demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and inclusion.
- Knowledge of the education system and the stages of child development.
- Knowledge of pluralism and diversity issues with the ability to effectively communicate and work with a diverse population to encourage full participation in Solid Ground programs.
- Knowledge of poverty, chemical and mental health, domestic violence and other issues affecting program participants to ensure that programs and services are designed to meet participants' needs.
- The ability to transport children and/or families as needed.
- The ability to communicate effectively and persuasively in oral and written communication on an interpersonal and group level.
- Knowledge of community resources or the ability to learn area resources.
- The ability to work both in a team and independently with little supervision.
- The ability to manage multiple priorities to ensure work is completed in a timely manner.
- A valid driver’s license, access to reliable transportation, and the ability to meet Solid Ground’s driving record requirements. Please note that if the license was not issued in the state of Minnesota, you have 60 days after becoming a Minnesota resident in which to apply for your Minnesota driver's license or permit.
Diversity and open expression are fundamental to the work of Solid Ground. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment where everyone can belong. Every member of our team enriches our work by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We welcome everyone to apply, especially those individuals who are underrepresented in our sector: individuals who identify as BIPOC, Indigenous or people of culture, LGBTQI+ and gender fluid or gender nonconforming, individuals with disabilities (both seen and unseen), veterans, people of any age or family status. We value the contributions of a diverse workforce, and we welcome and encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We encourage you to apply even if you feel like you don't fit 100% of the technical requirements.
Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, disability, age, marital status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance, criminal history (justice-impacted status), housing or homelessness status, height, or weight.
Our organization has a partnership with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) to provide administrative services including management of the hiring process. If you apply for this position, you may see references to MACC in some online materials.
Solid Ground participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. See E-Verify’s official poster at https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf (https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf). See E-Verify’s Right to Work poster at https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf).
Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.
