POSITION TITLE: Outreach Peer Advocate (part-time 10-20 hours/week, hourly)
REPORTING TO: Executive Director
SALARY: $20/hour; benefits include health care stipend, mileage reimbursement and more!
Deadline to Apply: October 24, 2025 @ 12:00pm
Interviews: October 27-31, 2025
Approximate Start Date: November 5, 2021
How to apply: Send brief letter ( which can be dropped off at 1202 Williamson St Suite 101, Madison, WI 53703) or email of interest to office@madisonstreetmedicine.org including:
- What interested you in this position
- A brief description of your experience with homelessness in Dane County including what services you’re familiar with or if you preferred not to use services
- A list of 3 things you’d like to see changed in the the homeless services system
- A list of 3 health issues you’d like to see addressed for people living without permanent housing
The Outreach Peer Advocate works with an interdisciplinary team of staff and volunteers to provide housing services for Madison Street Medicine programs dedicated to filling gaps in access to healthcare and housing in the Madison Area. The Outreach Peer Advocate focuses on outreach to individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness where they live and provides outreach, engagement and housing resources for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The Outreach Peer Advocate actively participates in the Outreach Circle and other sociocracic circles as assigned as well as Outreach related Homeless Services Consortium meetings as needed. The position reports directly to the Executive Director.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
- Outreach: Participate in at least one weekday, daily outreach to places where unsheltered homeless individuals reside providing basic survival gear and other supplies. Serve as a resource for unsheltered individuals to meet needs.
- Engagement: Once a relationship is developed through outreach, engage with individuals about goals and needs while providing information about community resources and make referrals to case management as appropriate.
- Housing Search & Placement: Assist interested individuals in getting connected to Coordinated Entry as well as perform other housing search and placement tasks as directed.
- General Expectations: Be a dependable team player aligned with Madison Street Medicine’s vision, mission and values including respectful and compassionate interactions with people experiencing homelessness and maintaining client confidentiality. Maintain a positive attitude, exercise good communication skills, meet deadlines, follow personnel policies, attend required staff meetings, one-on-ones and trainings and use technology provided by the organization. Actively participate in sociocratic circles as assigned.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Proactively participate in at least one weekday, daily outreach and engagement activities to various places people experiencing homelessness reside (street, woods, parking lots, etc.) providing basic supplies and information and referrals.
- Work at least one desk shift each week, providing services to walk-in clients.
- Provide peer support and advocacy for people experiencing homelessness.
- Participate in appropriate organizational meetings assisting in making decisions for the organization.
- Assist in developing programs to address needs identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment
- Proactively identify programs and services that would be useful to people experiencing homelessness and assist in the development of those programs and services
- Use individual skills and strengths to contribute to the organization’s success including direct and indirect services and activities as desired.
- Complete housing needs assessment questions.
- Identify resources and locations for outreach.
- Ensure confidentiality for our clients.
- Assist in connecting clients to other housing and mainstream resources, as needed.
- Other duties as assigned.
Skills and Qualifications
- People with lived experience of homelessness encouraged to apply
- A passion for ending homelessness and working with people without permanent housing
- Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of our program participants with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
- Ability to read and respond to emails and text messages on a daily basis. Devices and internet resources can be made available or provided
- Ability to attend trainings, Homeless Services Consortium and other meetings (in-person or via Zoom)
- Familiarity and experience working with community-based agencies, homeless services programs and an ability to learn about government or social services agencies that assist people without homes
- Ability to work collaboratively in partnership with nonprofits, public agencies and other stakeholders
- Experience in engaging with individuals and families experiencing homelessness
- Ability to function as part of interdisciplinary team
- Organizational skills, ability to multitask and work on multiple projects
- Ability to have positive working relationships with people of diverse racial/ethnic, socio-economic, and educational backgrounds
- Commitment to the mission of a small, volunteer driven non-profit organization
- Ability to have a flexible schedule
- Ability to provide your own transportation (bus passes can be provided)
- Bilingual in Spanish or ASL a plus