Job Postings

To apply: Send a resume and cover letter to Danielle Cosgrove, danielle.cosgrove@clevelandmediation.org

Job title: Mediation Advocate (Reentry and Tenant/Landlord)

Reports to: Mediation Coordinator

Date: July 2024

 

Summary

 

The Mediation Advocate Reentry, Landlord Tenant, and Shelter will mediate and train in conflict resolution in corrections facilities, will mediate with landlords and tenants to prevent eviction, and will mediate between shelter staff and shelter residents.

 

In the Re-Entry work, the Mediation Advocate works closely with Oriana House at the McDonnell Center Community Based Correctional Facility (CBCF), and the Community Corrections Treatment Center (CCTC) for men and women to provide conflict resolution training to individuals who are incarcerated at the facilities using Cleveland Mediation Center’s training.  Oriana House staff will send the list of individuals who will be attending the class to CMC. The Mediation Advocate will document individuals’ attendance at the trainings in an Excel spreadsheet and will share attendance with Oriana House staff. The Mediation Advocate will also mediate between individuals incarcerated at the facilitates and also between individuals who are incarcerated and the staff. These mediations will be scheduled upon request. The Mediation Advocate will document all mediations in an Excel spreadsheet. This work will comprise 10-15 hours/week.

 

Landlord Tenant Mediation- The Mediation Advocate works closely with individuals and families in Cuyahoga County who are at risk of losing their housing. Community members contact CMC when they are behind in their rent or having conflict with their landlord. The Mediation Advocate facilitates virtual or in-person mediations between the landlord and tenant to address the concerns. The Mediation Advocate will provide referrals and linkages to other services as needed, particularly for rental assistance. Mediations will be documented in an Excel Spreadsheet. This work will comprise of 15-20 hours/week.

 

The Mediation Advocate provides mediation services within area homeless shelters. In cases where the other party does not wish to mediate, the Mediation Advocate provides conflict coaching to the originating party to help them resolve the issue on their own. The mediation advocate will accept referrals of cases from local homeless shelters to mediate between shelter staff and shelter residents so that shelter residents can be discharged to permanent housing. The Mediation Advocate will document all mediations and report out on outcomes for the Shelter Mediation Programs.

 

This position will be primarily in-person with some flexibility to work remotely.

 

Essential Job Functions

 

  1. Facilitates conflict resolution trainings at the CBCF and CCTC men’s and women’s facilities.

  2. Mediates between individuals who are incarcerated and individuals who are incarcerated and staff to address conflict.

  3. Mediates between landlords and tenants to prevent eviction so that the tenant can stay in housing.

  4. Provides clients with referrals and linkages to other services as needed.

  5. Outreaches to landlords and tenants to schedule mediations, speaking with both parties beforehand to explain the mediation process.

  6. Documents mediations, conflict coaching, and attendance in trainings in Excel Sheets.

 

 

Additional Duties and Resonsibilities

 

  1. Speaks and acts in a manner that is sensitive and responsive to a person’s ethnic, cultural and developmental background, to any disabling conditions, and to conditions that may affect the person’s ability to form accurate perceptions, process information, understand directions, and communicate important information.

  2. Consistently interacts with members of this and other organizations in a respectful, professional manner

  3. Assumes additional responsibilities and performs special projects as needed or directed.

 

Required Qualifications

 

  1. Prior work and knowledge or interest in mediation and/or conflict resolution.
  2. Experience working with people from different economic and cultural backgrounds
  3. Commitment and ability to engage in an empathetic, non-judgmental way with people in stressful situations, and commitment to treating others with dignity and respect
  4. Valid Ohio driver’s license with good driving record and proof of insurance; adhering to the minimum requirements of Ohio’s Financial Responsibility Act.).

 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

 

  1. Developed knowledge of homelessness, and related community resources.

  2. Be willing to attend Safe Space training and espouse the philosophy of being a Safe Space for those in the LGBTQ+ community.

  3. Able to work effectively as part of a team.

  4. Belief that all people are experts in their own lives

  5. Creative and flexible problem-solving skills.

  6. Team building skills; organizational and staff development skills.

  7. Highly effective communication, listening, interpersonal, and mediation skills.

  8. Computer skills; word processing and spreadsheet software capabilities.

 

Preferred Qualifications

 

  1. Previously attended Basic Mediation Training
  2. Prior experience in facilitating mediations.

Job title: Diversion Advocate (H4EN)

Reports to: CMC Diversion Coordinator

Date: August 2024

 

Summary

 

The Diversion Advocate (H4EN) empowers individuals who are unsheltered and/or living in encampments so they can chart their own path to stable housing. The Mediation Advocate also provides support as needed to assist with implementing their plan.

 

The Diversion Advocate's role supports persons who are unsheltered by helping them to identify possible permanent housing options with family and friends. The Diversion Advocate can also rebuild connections with family and friends even if this isn’t an option for permanent housing as this can recreate a social safety net. The Diversion Advocate will use an empowerment approach based on conflict theory to bolster the person’s own ability to think for themselves, weigh and consider options, advocate for their own needs and ultimately act on their own behalf. The Diversion Advocate will be the primary contact for requests for Flexible Funding to support unsheltered individuals in addressing barriers to permanent housing.

 

The Diversion Advocate will also mediate between shelter staff and shelter residents and between homeless shelter residents so that shelter residents are able to exit to permanent housing instead of to homelessness. The Mediation Advocate will coordinate the schedules of shelter residents and staff to schedule the mediations.

 

The Diversion Advocate will document all mediations and diversion conversations in Excel Spreadsheets and also in the Homeless Management Information System.

 

Schedule is in-person on Mondays and Thursdays and the option of virtual work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mondays or Thursdays will be 10AM-6PM and the remaining days will be 9AM-5PM.

 

Essential Job Functions

 

  1. Meets in-person with individuals who are living in encampments or experiencing unsheltered homelessness in other areas to engage in diversion conversations to help them identify permanent housing options with families or friends.

  2. Mediates conflicts that arise between individuals living in encampments.

  3. Schedules and facilitates mediations between homeless shelter staff and shelter residents and between shelter residents.

  4. Enters program data into Excel Spreadsheets and the Homeless Management Information System.

  5. Acts as the primary contact for the Flexible Fund requests.

  6. Support family diversion and LGBTQ+ cases as needed.

  7. Establishes an in-person presence at area homeless shelters to connect with individuals in the LGBTQ+ community.

  8. Other duties as requested.

 

 

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

 

  1. Speaks and acts in a manner that is sensitive and responsive to a person’s ethnic, cultural and developmental background, to any disabling conditions, and to conditions that may affect the person’s ability to form accurate perceptions, process information, understand directions, and communicate important information.

  2. Consistently interacts with members of this and other organizations in a respectful, professional manner

  3. Assumes additional responsibilities and performs special projects as needed or directed.

 

 

Required Qualifications

 

 

  1. Prior work and knowledge or interest in mediation and/or conflict resolution.
  2. Experience working with people from different economic and cultural backgrounds
  3. Commitment and ability to engage in an empathetic, non-judgmental way with people in stressful situations – to establish rapport in order to help them resolve their immediate housing crisis and commitment to treating others with dignity and respect
  4. Certifications, Licenses, Registrations
  5. Valid Ohio driver’s license with good driving record and proof of insurance; adhering to the minimum requirements of Ohio’s Financial Responsibility Act.).

 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

 

  1. Developed knowledge of homelessness, and related community resources.

  2. Be willing to attend Safe Space training and espouse the philosophy of being a Safe Space for those in the LGBTQ+ community.

  3. Able to work effectively as part of a team.

  4. Belief that all people are experts in their own lives

  5. Creative and flexible problem-solving skills.

  6. Team building skills; organizational and staff development skills.

  7. Highly effective communication, listening, interpersonal, and mediation skills.

  8. Computer skills; word processing and spreadsheet software capabilities.

 

Preferred Qualifications

 

  1. Previously attended Basic Mediation Training
  2. Prior experience in facilitating mediations.