Heal House began with the vision and commitment of a caring group of people concerned for the well-being of young and old homeless people living like ghosts in our rural community. The homeless in Warren County live in the woods, on peoples’ couches, and in abandoned buildings. Heal House opened its doors in August 2020 and have served over 108 adults and children since then. Our guests stay days and weeks, but most of them are here for 1 to 5 months. Our board and staff aid guests with housing, government support for food and medical care, and employment. During your year at the Heal House of Iowa you will gain a personal perspective on the national problem of rural homelessness. Your role will be to assist us in improving our capacity to serve this population.
Service Activities
While the VISTA member duties will mostly entail capacity building work, they will be an instrumental part of Heal House's mission, and as such, will have plenty of opportunities to help with any part of our mission. The VISTA Member will be a part of all activities and resources Heal House provides to Warren County. Duties will include working with Heal House leadership, volunteers, community agencies, and guests to develop policies and procedures to meet a variety of guest needs; develop training materials for volunteers; train volunteers on policies and procedures ; gather, analyze, and communicate about guest data, homelessness statistics in Warren County, and Heal House goal progress; engage with the guests and gain fresh perspectives on a growing national problem; use technology skills to communicate our message, streamline administrative tasks, and fundraise; recruit supporters to the Heal House of Iowa as volunteers, donors, and community cheer leaders; and research and write grants to support Heal House.
Community Need Addressed
Affordable housing is a serious need in Warren County, and it limits homeless peoples’ options in securing a safe and clean place to live and work. It also increases the demands on emergency shelters. According to the Warren County Housing Authority, in March 2023 there are 75 adults and families on the Section 8 housing list; the wait to get a voucher to look for an apartment is six months. They offer 10 vouchers a month, and those people have 120 days to find lodging. While waiting, the Heal House shelters many families and adults on this list. The Iowa Department of Education reported that in 2021 the Warren County School districts had 17 students experiencing homelessness. District officials report that these numbers may not reflect the actual number of homeless students due to lack of documentation. Heal House has seen an increase in the last six months of families with school age children at our shelter: we went from 1 to 5. Heal House of Iowa is aiding the most fragile in Warren County by providing shelter, food, and other assistance to alleviate short term needs and connect our homeless population to long term housing options. The Heal House board’s vision for continuous improvement is multifaceted; one significant component is building capacity to employ social workers and to engage more community volunteers in helping our guests secure housing and employment in a timely manner.
Position Outcomes
The VISTA will collaborate with Heal House staff and community organizations to analyze existing structures to meet housing, employment, and healthcare needs. The VISTA will create a formalized process for growing these structures. Some key VISTA tasks are communicating with a variety of stakeholders, creating a digital guest database, produce data to support fundraising goals, research grant and other funding opportunities, engage existing and new community organizations to support collaboration with Heal House and their guests to find permanent housing and employment.
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Relocation allowance (if applicable), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Skills you will gain
Grant writing, community development, serving vulnerable populations, and communications and outreach.
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Demonstrate sensitivity and empathy, Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Speak clearly, in precise language and in a logical, organized and coherent manner, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel
Teamwork
Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Operate tools and equipment in accordance with established operating procedures, safety standards, and ethical guidelines, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Honor the privilege of being able to work with and for those being served, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment