Community Programs Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Title: Community Programs Case Manager, Full-Time

FLSA Status: Salary, Exempt

Salary: $44,000 /year

Reports To: Asst. Director of Community Programs

Case Manager, Full-Time Community Programs

Ignite stands with youth on their journey to a home and a future with promise. We are a leading non-profit, human services organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty for youth, ages 10-26. While Ignite has a long-standing history that dates back to 1976, we continue to create new ways to serve our community. Today, we have more than 63 full-time and part-time staff as well as over 100 volunteers who contribute to our mission. Through housing, education, employment, career planning, financial empowerment, mental health support, and community connection, we enroll more than 800 youth per year, on the path to reaching their full potential. Following their time with Ignite, many of our youth achieve financial stability and move into their own long-term home. Ignite intends to be the last program our youth will ever need, but the family and place they can always call home. As a 2025 Chicago Innovation Award winner, Ignite is leading the way in creating new housing and service models that help youth put homelessness behind them for good. At Ignite, we envision a world where all young people have the support they need to be defined by their potential, not their circumstances.

Functions: The Community Programs team is dedicated to building community, hope, permanent connections, social and emotional well-being and opportunities for youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Our team provides youth with structure, support, and guidance in order to increase their self-sufficiency, health, independence, and overall well-being. Community Programs participants receive engagement and support through street outreach, community engagement, and the agency’s Drop-in Resource Center (DiRC). The team provides participants with access to a variety of services including meals, transportation assistance, hygiene items, resources and case management services with a focus on increased self-sufficiency, safe & stable housing, and both educational & employment resources and opportunities. Community Programs Case Managers are responsible for working as a team to establish and maintain the collaborative and positive tenor of program services. Case Managers are responsible for the direct care of program youth and must demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the mission and core values of Ignite. The position reports to the Assistant Director of Community Programs.

Duties: The following duties are the essential functions of this position.

Case Management

• Provides intake and assessment services.
• Provides trauma-informed care and interventions for youth in need or in crisis.
• Provides case management services, including addressing youths’ increased basic life skills, housing needs, education, employment, physical and mental well-being and makes referrals as needed, unless otherwise directed.
• Assists youth with applying to public aid benefits and in obtaining any necessary documentation.
• Maintains a working inventory of client’s needs, such as hygiene, clothes, housing, bus
• passes, food, and food cards, and assist clients in reaching their goals.
• Coordinates with clients to ensure attendance at and participation in appointments, meetings, and activities.
• Distributes CTA passes to youth, (under the terms of the youth’s accountability contract), when transportation is needed for employment, housing, or other critical appointments.
• Provides appropriate referral and placement services for homeless or precariously housed youth.
• Works in collaboration with the Youth System Integration team and clients to determine the most appropriate housing and secure placement within the Continuum of Care, if appropriate.
• Conducts collaborative community case management to support clients with transitioning into identified housing matches.
• Documents all services clearly and thoroughly in HMIS, Salesforce, and paper files in a timely manner.

DiRC Milieu Support

• Provides general supervision and appropriate intervention to clients and children present in the DiRC community space, specifically covering at least two shifts per week.
• Conducts weekly educational and personal development groups in coordination with other staff and/or volunteers in consultation, as assigned.
• Monitors the DiRC capacity and environment to ensure the safety of youth and staff by assessing the tone and tenor of the milieu and implementing de-escalation techniques as needed, and/or making adjustments to the number of youth accessing the space at any given time.
• Manages any crisis and/or emergency that may occur on the DiRC milieu, whether client or staff-related, and effectively complete follow up documentation.
• Assists the Director of Community Programs in developing the DiRC schedule of services.
• Helps clients navigate DiRC group schedules, activities, and resources, such as volunteer lead projects, locker program, youth storage, and respite within DRC.
• Oversees, and works in collaboration with, volunteers and interns in the community space and assigns tasks as appropriate.
• Functions as a mentor and advisor to Peer Educators during outreach and activities.

Street Outreach and Community Engagement

• Drives the Outreach van to conduct street outreach and community engagement activities at the direction of the Director of Community Programs, and assists in developing the outreach calendar and community engagement plan.
• Provides appropriate youth engagement and intervention in all settings, (e.g., street, schools, partner agencies, etc.).
• During street outreach, dresses in a neat, clean and well-groomed manner in order to model positive life skills for youth participants.
• During community engagement events, dress in a professional manner that is neat, clean and well-groomed in order to model the professionalism of Ignite as an agency.
• Arranges for street outreach clients to access laundry and showers resources offered by Ignite, and arranges for staff supervision of the youth while they utilize the services.
• Conducts presentations for community partners, outlining the services provided by Ignite.
• Functions as a mentor and advisor to Peer Educators during outreach and activities.

General

• Has a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record and is willing and able to drive the agency vehicle when requested – Following background check, MUST be insurable
• under the agency’s insurance coverage.
• Works as a part of a team to provide support and assistance whenever needed.
• Prepares and submits all required forms and statistical programs. Maintain documents
• regarding participants’ cooperation, daily activities and other records in compliance with agency and external policies, procedures and applicable licensing standards in a timely manner.
• Participates in program planning and evaluation.
• Participates in ongoing training.
• Participates in and contributes to regularly scheduled supervisory and team meetings.
• May supervise volunteer and/or intern tasks, as assigned.
• Participates in on-call rotation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.