Navigator

Mission Statement 

Homeboy Industries provides hope, training, and support to formerly gang-involved and recently incarcerated people, allowing them to redirect their lives and become contributing members of our community.  

Job Summary

Navigators play a crucial role in guiding clients through various stages of rehabilitation and personal development. They offer both leadership and peer mentorship, drawing from their own experiences to support clients on their journey. Navigators are essential in assessing how well clients are adapting to the therapeutic community, providing valuable insights for relapse prevention, and stepping in to maintain a safe, supportive learning environment. Additionally, they help clients stay focused on their progress, offering constructive feedback on their growth and development to encourage continued success.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead trainee cohorts and provide leadership and team-building tasks.
• Develop and support trainee work ethic.
• Engage and support trainees in healing and recovery.
• Work closely with Case Manager to coordinate internal referrals to make progress toward service plan goals (Homeboy services classes, substance abuse, legal, education, mental health, social enterprises, etc.)
• Plan team-building experiences and activities.
• Track attendance and hours
• Cultivate & maintain Homeboy Culture.
• Integrate Workforce Development/work experiences.
• Provide one-on-one mentorship to all trainees by serving as a positive and responsive role model.
• Coordinate the day-to-day operation of our maintenance department.
• Support clients in individualizing the service plan created by the Case Managers and client.
• Provide feedback to case managers on the client’s progress, based on the client’s needs, challenges/struggles, and success.
• Support, coordinate, and organize outings/events with Case Managers to enhance the client’s experience at Homeboy Industries and expose the client to new environments.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Enviroment

Qualifications and Experience

To perform this job successfully, an individual must meet the minimum qualifications listed below. These qualifications are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Ability to manage and lead people; team builder; ability to connect with staff both on an individual and group level.
• Ability to hold team members and trainees accountable, develop and empower team from the bottom up, and learn the strengths and challenges of the team to put people in a position to succeed.
• Mission-driven person with strong work ethic; challenge seeker and problem solver; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available; not afraid to take charge of a situation; can overcome resistance and take unpopular stands when necessary.
• Ability to maintain strong professional and personal boundaries, while still providing mentorship to individuals, as needed.
• Experience working with a diverse adult population with varying learning styles.
• Ability to build rapport and to develop and maintain a safe, interactive learning environment.
• Ability to work in a shared office with a fast-paced environment and frequent interruptions.
• Detail-oriented with excellent communication, organizational, and writing skills.
• Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and FileMaker Pro.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, and walk; use hands to handle or feel objects; and engage in verbal communication. The employee frequently engages in physical activity such as standing, walking, reaching with hands and arms to oversee maintenance tasks, and coordinating team-building exercises. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and may at times lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus, particularly in dynamic and varied environments.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment typically includes a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, with varying noise levels and exposure to different weather conditions. The noise level can range from moderate to high, particularly during team-building exercises, maintenance tasks, or during Homeboy events. Frequent standing, walking, and movement between locations are required, along with occasional lifting and carrying of materials.