#SaferAtHome is difficult for many of us. Here are some things to consider for yourself & participants.

FOR THE PROFESSIONAL

The COVID situation has caused hardship for most of us; me included. My children & I are healthy, although we know several people who are not well or have not survived the virus. As I juggle kids, work, life & concerns re: COVID; I am consistently reminded of how grateful I am to be in community with so many great people.

A recent free webinar by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (www.pesi.com) helped to clarify what I've been feeling: grateful, frustrated, overwhelmed, emotional, happy, etc. Anything you are feeling is a normal reaction to a very abnormal situation. Your capacity to care for yourself & others is tested over & over again; some of us are experiencing moral fatigue on top of everything else. Simplistically, moral fatigue is feeling saturated or exhausted by decisions to take care of others in the best way possible without the "right" means (e.g. funds, PPE, etc.) &/or putting other's needs before our own.

We are in what Dr. van der Kolk refers to as "Preconditions for Trauma". What follows is a very quick summary with ideas to counter these preconditions.

1. Lack of Predictability: Mirror your typical routine/schedule as much as possible
2. Immobility (loss of physical sense of agency): Move your body: exercise, dance...
3. Loss of Connection: We need to see & hear people; especially those who fill us up
4. Natural Reactions of Numbing & Spacing Out: Practice being pleasantly present
5. Loss of Sense of Time & Sequences (no sense of future): Look forward to something every day, week & weekend
6. Loss of Safety: Touch & cuddle people, pets & selves
7. Loss of Sense of Purpose/Identity: Do what fills you up & affirms who you are; art, music, etc.

I will do my best to build upon this information each week. If you need additional support for yourself &/or staff, please reach out; I'm happy to help if I can. Or join our Monday 10am CST eGatherings for Self Care. Email me if interested.

FOR PARTICIPANTS

Working with people virtually or in-person during this time is brings unique challenges for all of us. Here are some tips.

1. Transition between tasks, conversations, work-time, life-time
2. Prepare before conversations
3. Use your compassion first, skills second; set time to talk about how people are struggling, as well as time to talk about their successful coping strategies (use time as the reason to move on)
4. Listen to understand
5. Demonstrate understanding
6. Reflect
7. Validate
8. Teach about stress/trauma including current pre-conditions, especially to normalize reactions, concerns, etc.
9. Summarize a plan, even if it an open-ended plan on who will reach out when or why
10. Cheerlead, affirm coping efforts & appreciation for strengths, sharing, etc.

INTEGRATION

Please consider one thing you can do for yourself & one thing for your job in the next week.

How well you do on the job is dependent upon how well you care for yourself.

Your resilience depends on your action; especially now. Do what you can to set an intention & evaluate (with grace) how you’ve done each day.

The current state requires more coping, patience, and practice of approaches. Be kind to yourself along the way.

Keep on Keeping On & Wash Your Hands.

Be well,

Melinda

--

Compassion starts with Self Compassion. Be nice to you.

Melinda Marasch, LCSW

Aspire Training & Consulting

Melinda@Aspire2BU.org

(920) 415-4430 or (303) 378-8140

The power is in the pause.

Be the Change!

Pillars Job Announcement:

 Community Engagement Director

Position Summary

From homelessness to coming home, Pillars provides shelter, support, and solutions to address the housing needs in our community. This full-time exempt position is part of the Leadership Team of Pillars and leads the Community Engagement Team, which is responsible for connecting the resources of our community with the needs of Pillars. The Community Engagement Director is responsible for overseeing all fund development and community engagement, including volunteer coordination, event planning, grant writing and research and communication management.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Displays agency values: Respect, Collaboration, Empowerment and Grit and has passion for the mission of Pillars.

·       Active member of the Pillars Leadership Team.

·       Participates in monthly Board of Directors’ meetings and coordinates the Board of Directors Development Committee meetings. Prepares Development Committee agenda, monthly notes and reports on fund development activity.

·       Leads development of strategic fund-raising plan to meet revenue needs of Pillars. Plan includes special events, sponsorships, grant writing and individual donations.

·       Leads development of a comprehensive community engagement plan for Pillars, including volunteerism and community awareness and education strategies. 

·       Works with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to ensure department plans are integrated with the larger Pillars strategy.

·       Manages and cultivates donor relationships, including existing donors and identifying new prospects. Partners with Board members to coordinate personal engagement plans. Oversees maintenance of the in-house donor tracking system, scheduling donor visits, monthly reporting and reconciliation of donations, and annual appeal letters.

·       Directly supervises the Community Engagement Team, currently consisting of 2 Full-Time Donor Engagement Managers, 1 Full-Time Volunteer Manager, and 1 FTE Events Manager; indirectly supervises volunteers. Provides leadership and professional development opportunities to guide efforts of the team to reach established goals. Leads team by prioritizing work, making process improvements, monitoring progress, and analyzing trends.

·       Responsible for external agency communications produced by the team, including annual report to the community, press releases, newsletters, social media communications and collateral materials (brochures, presentations, etc.).

·       Serves as the primary point of contact for media requests, as well as external requests for speaking engagements and tours.  With the Events Manager, coordinates and conducts speaking engagements and tours and tracks activities.

·       Prepares annual budget and assists with periodic reconciliation and audit processes related to community engagement activities.

·       Recommends process improvements to the Executive Director.

Core Competencies

·       Confidentiality - Ability to maintain confidential information and safeguard the security of information of Pillars and our clients. Keep private information from unauthorized individuals, either within Pillars or others outside the organization.

·       Problem-Solving – Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner.  Gathers and analyzes information skillfully.  Develops alternative solutions.  Works well in group problem-solving situation; remains calm when dealing with emotional topics.

·       Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities.  Gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit.

·       Building Relationships – Demonstrates exceptional relationship-building ability with donors and potential donors, volunteers, Board and Committee members, and visitors to Pillars.

·       Project Management – Takes initiative to ensure projects are on track to be completed in a timely manner; demonstrates strong organizational ability; has a passion for working collaboratively with others to attain a positive outcome.

Education and/or Qualifications

·       Bachelor’s degree plus 5 years fund development related work experience required

·       Previous management and leadership experience required

·       Demonstrated success planning for and achieving revenue goals

·       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively build and manage relationships

·       Ability to travel locally, with access to a reliable vehicle and possess a valid Wisconsin driver’s license and automobile

Compensation

The wage for this full-time position is competitive pay commensurate with experience.

Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, vacation, holidays, sick leave, short & long term disability, life insurance, 401k retirement account and an Employee Assistance Plan.

 DEADLINE TO APPLY: APRIL 6, 2020 BY 8:00 AM             

             

Send resume and cover letter to tmelzl@pillarsinc.org or mail:

Tracy Melzl, Human Resources Assistant, Pillars, Inc., 605 E Hancock Street, Appleton, WI 54911

Pillars is an Affirmative Action Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to achieving a diverse workforce and to maintaining a community which welcomes and values a climate supporting equal opportunity and difference among its members. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, religion, age, genetics, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED Community Mental Health for Professionals

Spread the Word & Register Today! Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Miron Construction (Wenzler Room) 1471 McMahon Dr, Neenah, WI 54956

NAMI Fox Valley, in collaboration with the Fox Cities Housing Coalition, is pleased to offer Community Mental Health for Professionals! This one-day training equips participants with knowledge and resources to better understand and assist individuals living with mental health challenges. Lunch will be provided. This year, NAMI Fox Valley will be joined by experts speaking on topics of: "The Role of a CIT Officer," "Addressing Cultural Barriers to Care," "Nutrition and Mental Health," and "New Treatment Options." View the agenda here. Registration is required, and there is a fee to attend. The non-member registration fee is $75 per attendee, and the member* registration fee is $50. For questions regarding this event, please email Megan Zimmerman or visit www.namifoxvalley.org/cmhfp.

Pillars Adult and Family Shelter Manager

Job Announcement

Position Summary

From homelessness to coming home, Pillars provides shelter, support, and solutions to address the housing needs in our community. This full-time exempt position is part of the extended leadership team of Pillars and reports to the Crisis Housing Director.  The Adult and Family Shelter Manager directly manages staff and select volunteers, manages shelter expense lines to budget, assists the Crisis Housing Director in the provision of quality services to people experiencing homelessness and those at risk of homelessness, and produces and analyzes strategic reports for the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

·       Directs the activities and programs of the shelter within established policies and procedures. Maintains the quality of the shelter program. Recognizes ongoing needs of people experiencing homelessness; in concert with shelter client advocates, case managers, the Leadership Team and community partners, develops and implements programming to meet those needs.  Prepares for and participates in shelter and program monitoring.

·       Contributes to strategic planning for the organization, including identifying and analyzing the changing root-causes of homelessness, and develops programs, staff training, or outreach to address those causes.

·       Directly supervises Shelter Client Advocates, Operations Coordinator, Maintenance staff, Peer Support Specialists, Recovery Coaches and other designated staff, to include: hiring; training; writing and delivering performance reviews; addressing performance issues and /or employee concerns; assigning, developing, delivering ongoing training and development and approves timesheets and expense reports for direct reports.

·       Collaborates with Teams to collect and maintain all statistic and demographic data on clients and contributes to ensure monthly/quarterly/annual reports to grantors, board of directors and other funding sources are completed as necessary. 

·       Fosters a work environment of high ethical and service standards, professional competence, sensitivity to low income individuals, and overall team engagement.

·       Contributes to agenda facilitation of staff meetings for all shelter employees.

·       Oversees the Operations Coordinator in the daily operations of the shelter facility, including managing vendor relationships, sourcing vendors, and requesting and reviewing bids for services.

·       Develops and manages budget expense lines regarding the operations of the shelter.

·       Maintains and updates policies and procedures for employees and clients.

·       Prepares and files reports of accidents and injuries.

·       Analyzes reports on shelter statistics.

·       Attends staff, board and committee meetings as requested.

·       Other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies and Qualifications

·       Strategic Planning – in conjunction with the Pillars Leadership Team, Executive Director, and employees, determines the direction of Crisis Housing programs. 

·       Communication – Strong verbal and written communication skills are required on multiple levels: with clients, coworkers, Pillars Leadership Team, other community agencies, and emergency services.

·       Decision Making – Displays sound judgment when making decisions, at times with limited information; applies knowledge of human services and human resources fields, follows organizational policies and procedures; aware of implications of state and federal regulations; able to make complex decisions in line with agency’s mission, vision and values; able to effectively troubleshoot gray areas for the sake of efficiency and problem resolution.

·       Conflict Management – Reacts and responds to complaints, solves problems. Helps clients and staff come to agreement; deescalates charged situations. Reacts quickly to assess the conflict and determine appropriate steps to resolve. Remains calm and professional during high stress situations.

·       Interpersonal Skills – Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others’ ideas and tries new things.

Education and/or Experience

·       Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or a related field highly preferred.

·       Minimum of two years of direct supervisory experience in human services preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

·       Experience with various case management approaches and training (Motivational Interviewing, Trauma Informed Care, Client Centered approaches, etc.) preferred.

Compensation

The wage range for this full-time position is $43,000-$60,000.  Competitive pay commensurate with experience.

Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, vacation, holidays, sick leave, short & long term disability, life insurance, 401k retirement account and an Employee Assistance Plan.

To Apply                           DEADLINE TO APPLY: 3/05/2020 BY 8:00 AM     

             

Send resume and cover letter to tmelzl@pillarsinc.org or mail:

Tracy Melzl, Human Resources Assistant, Pillars, Inc., 605 E Hancock Street, Appleton, WI 54911

Pillars is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

New Housing Report Shows Need for Affordable Housing

This is an interesting new report and research coming out of UW-Madison. Some or most of the information is probably not new to you, but

New Housing Report Shows Need for Affordable Housing
A new report done by UW Madison Professor of Urban and Regional Planning Dr. Kurt Paulsen, and released by the Wisconsin Realtors Association, says, “Wisconsin has a workforce housing shortage.” The report cites the U.S. Census from 2000-2017 saying, “The median household income in Wisconsin grew 35 percent, not adjusted for inflation, while the median house price grew 59 percent, not adjusted for inflation.” The report went on to say, “In Wisconsin, for example, rents grew 21.7 percent while incomes only grew 17.3 percent, not adjusted for inflation.”

READ MORE

It’s that time of the year again! The Fox Cities Housing Coalition Point in Time committee has been working hard to put together another successful event, but we need your help.

Twice a year, the Fox Cities Housing Coalition, in conjunction with homeless and housing providers across the State of Wisconsin, coordinate a local count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the Fox Cities called the Point in Time Count. Groups of volunteers are led by coalition staff members throughout the Fox Cities in an effort to identify persons residing on the streets, in campgrounds, under bridges and other places not meant for human habitation, in an effort to provide outreach and engagement to those in our community that are in need of housing resources.

For the past several years, the Fox Cities has seen a marked increase in individuals and families seeking homeless services, which has translated to more people sleeping in places not meant for human habitation. By assisting the coalition in conducting the count, not only are we able to better communicate the need for housing within our community, but more importantly it provides us with an opportunity to engage and connect with individuals on the streets so we can begin assisting them in transitioning into housing.

As a past volunteer, The Fox Cities Housing Coalition is reaching out to invite you participate in this winter's Point in Time Count. The count will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd and run through the early morning hours of the 23rd. We will continue with having only one shift. The shift begins at 11:30 pm, with a brief training upon arrival, and ends at 3:00 am.

If you are interested in volunteering please following the link below: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080548A5A823A5FD0-january2 

Please connect with Betsy Borns, Project RUSH Manager, at bborns@pillarsinc.org with any questions.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration!

Motivational Interviewing Training - Sign Up Today!