Service Position Summary: Reporting to the Basic Needs Coordinator in the Division of Student
Engagement, the primary role of the Basic Needs Case Manager is to use a trauma informed lens to offer and coordinate services to a population of Fort Lewis College students who face homelessness, housing insecurity, food-insecurity, and other basic needs barriers to their success. This position uses an equity based framework to assist students in accessing resources and solutions essential for increasing their persistence and their student success. The Basic Needs Case Manager develops action plans with clients and works collaboratively with the wellness team to provide case management support, ensuring students are connected with appropriate resources and has a coordinated care plan for their personal and academic success. The Basic Needs Case Manager also supports the campus food pantry programs,
including a weekly mobile farm stand, a pilot sliding-scale CSA for Fort Lewis College staff/faculty, and conducting outreach about SNAP, Medicaid, and other federal benefits.
Service Activities
Through hands-on-service, Team UP AmeriCorps members engage with
organizations to develop, implement, and enhance programs, projects, and activities that develop their own skills, expand effectiveness of southwest Colorado organizations, and support local people to thrive. These duties include:
● Case Management
- Provide personalized and holistic case management to deliver coordinated care with
campus and community resources
- Develop trusting and empowering relationships with clients to achieve their goals.
- Create action plans with clients for their personal and academic success, and follow-up
with regular check-ins to ensure accountability.
- Provide resource navigation by helping students (1) determine eligibility for additional
financial aid (emergency grants, meal swipes, etc.) and social support services/benefits
programs (such as SNAP, Medicaid, ACP, WIC, etc.) and (2) apply for assistance or
provide referrals.
- Keep updated with local, state, and federal changes to benefit programs and policies.
- Maintain upkeep of the Rapid Rehousing Program, which includes updating a local
database of housing inventory, negotiating with property managers, creating financial
action plans, and ensuring housing assistance funds are disbursed equitably and in a
timely manner.
● Food Pantry (Grub Hub) Operations
- Coordinate food deliveries with local and regional food sources.
- Oversee weekly mobile farm stand (Produce on Wheels) with Grub Hub employees and
the Old Fort at Hesperus Farmers-in-Training Americorp members.
- Oversee pilot sliding-scale CSA program for Fort Lewis College staff/faculty with the Old
Fort at Hesperus.
● Outreach: Support marketing and outreach efforts at on-campus events, including Information Fairs, New Student Orientation, etc.
● Data Collection and Analysis: Track data and progress for case management.
● Track host site and AmeriCorps data
● Attend Team UP AmeriCorps regional trainings, cohort connection days, and Days of Service
Community Need Addressed
Fort Lewis College (FLC), a public liberal arts, Native American Serving Non-Tribal Institution, is one of the most diverse campuses (58% students of color, 34% low income, 46% first generation). The FLC Grub Hub (GH) is the campus basic needs resource center that provides hot meals, a food pantry, non-food items, resource navigation, and housing assistance.
Position Outcomes
Support more students through case management, Food Pantry Operations, and Outreach
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Student loan forbearance, Training
● An education award of $6,895 upon successful completion of term of service.
● Health Insurance
● Childcare Assistance, if qualifications are met
● It is possible to temporarily postpone repayment of qualified student loans through forbearance
while serving as an AmeriCorps member
● Mileage reimbursement for travel to required AmeriCorps trainings, events, and days of service
● Non-tangible benefits including extensive training, valuable experience, networking, and the
opportunity to serve the local community in a crucial area of need
Education Benefits
Team UP AmeriCorps members receive significant training and experience in community engagement, project implementation, leadership, diverse populations, and more. Up to 20% of total hours served may be spent in applicable, approved trainings.
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, Turn taking, 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, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Derive consensus, Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, 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, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Drive decision making, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, 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