Women Alive! Program

 ....‘one bright aspect of this work is contemplating how a person, insufficiently cloth and fed and deprived of all  worldly goods, maintain their courage and dignity’…..’ 'I respect them for their endurance and their patience  and for the hope which they cling to in the face of  tremendous odds.’  Dorothy Day

Vision and Mission of the Women Alive Program! The Women Alive! team is committed to homeless women living on the streets. The primary objective of this program is to create a safe, non-judgmental, nurturing space for homeless women, beginning with an emergency overnight shelter. We are committed to listening, encouraging and empowering women by providing basic resources and facilitating positive changes in their lives.

Women Alive! Program Description  Women Alive! Program is a Hospitality Center and Emergency Shelter for homeless women from the Salinas and Monterrey Area that serves homeless women who otherwise would be wandering from house to house seeking shelter from relatives and acquaintances or simply sleeping out in the cold.

Since 2005, the Women Alive! Program has opened nightly from 7PM until 7:00AM. The primary objective of this program is to provide emergency overnight shelter for homeless women. This program seeks to build community with and for those who work on the margins: we try to provide them with a nurturing space. Services include: bedding, food, laundry, some meetings for socializing, case management and advocacy.  As a hospitality center, we consider the women we serve our guests. Also, this shelter distinguishes for deeply listening, encouraging and empowering women to move forward with their lives. We hold the vision that homeless women could move beyond provision and gain experience for relationship and self-esteem building. Women find in this shelter a non-discriminatory, non-judgmental and compassionate environment. 


Goals of this Emergency Shelter: To move out of homelessness by acquiring a renewed identity that gradually supplants demoralization of homeless; advancing in their own goals recovering in work and social commitment. To learn desire to survival and improvement.

Advocacy program: We actively support of the women we serve. The advocate seeks resources and help women in their physical and emotional needs and adaptation challenges to society. Advocate offers Case Management, a process of assessment, planning, facilitating options and services to meet women’s general needs.

Some Common Problems of Homelessness

The problems of a homeless person start by being deprived from essential personal shelter, food, warmth and safety. However, they face many problems beyond the lack of a safe and suitable home, social disadvantag­es such as reduced access to private and public services, lack of real rights and fulfillment of vital necessities.  Researchers agree that poverty is the common thread among homeless individuals; it is caused by or is a consequence of substance abuse, sudden unemployment, mental illness and many other variables. Again, there is here a vicious circle where poverty is either caused by or the cause of the mental anguish of homelessness.

Other basic difficulties that a homeless person faces:

·     Lack of personal security, a quiet place to rest when they need so, lack of privacy, especially for sleeping

·     Great difficulties in safekeeping of bedding, clothing and possessions, which they may have to be carry them at all times

·     Lack of hygiene and shaving facilities

·     Difficulties in cleaning and drying clothes

·     Difficulties in keeping contacts, because of not having a permanent location or mailing address

·     General rejection or discrimination from other people for being socially ‘unworthy’, even hostility and legal powers against urban vagrancy.

·      Reduced access to health care and dental services.

·      Limited access to education.

·      Increased risk of suffering from violence and abuse.

·      Loss of usual relationships with the mainstream

·      Not being seen as suitable for employment.

·      Reduced access to banking services

·      Reduced access to communications technology

Context of Homelessness in the US. There is a lack of available shelter for homeless individuals in the USA. In 2006, a study done by the National Mental Health Association showed that supported housing is effective in helping mentally ill homeless people to get their lives on track. Supported housing is designed to provide shelter, and also mental health treatment, physical health care, education and employment opportunities, life skills training, money management training, as well as support from peers. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) in February 2009, but there is still inadequate funding, given the vast number of homeless people in America. In addition to more funding for housing, better mental health treatment is necessary. A survey by U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2008 showed that 20 percent of cities listed better coordination with mental health services as one of the top three things they needed to deal with their homeless problem. Outreach services are also more effective when workers are able to develop a consistent relationship with the people they are there to serve. Better drug treatment services are also on this list.

A Psychological view of Homelessness

Researchers began to educate the­­­ public about psychology an­­d homelessness. Psychology isn't just about mental disease; it's also about learned behaviors and about unavoidable consequences of tragic events, such it is the reality of many homeless veterans. Many causes can lead to homelessness.  A psychological view of homelessness shows there is a mental factor involved in becoming homeless and also in the possibility of overcoming this marginalized condition.

While approximately 6 percent of the American population is severely mentally ill, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that 20 to 25 percent of the single adult homeless population is sick and untreated. A study done by researchers at Ohio State University, published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing in 1999, also showed that more than half of all homeless children battled depression.

A homeless person suffers from an impaired personality as a result of the circumstances leading to their condition. Becoming homeless is often a process that takes years of untreated mental disorders, poor work history and low financial status. The connection between homelessness and drug addiction has been explored. People who are homeless and suffer from mental disorders often turn to drug abuse. We learn now that drug use is both caused by and the cause of homelessness. This means that for many homeless taking drugs is a way of "treating" their illness; they do so because they cannot obtain legitimate treatment. Untreated addiction can result in worsening mental disorders an increased inability to find steady work and become re-established. This is a vicious circle that many homeless people experiment.

Diseases such as AIDS, pneumonia and tuberculosis frequently present in this population ad to more challenges to the problem. Emotional conditions such as depression need to be considered in this analysis. Homeless people frequently suffer from mental disorders such as depression. Studies have shown that due to the stresses involved in depression and other mental disorders, those who suffer from such disorders are more likely to experience homelessness at some point in their lives than those who do not. A study done by California's mental health system, found that 15 percent of people suffering from mental illness would become homeless at least once in the course of one year, the National Coalition for the Homeless reports. From the perspective of government now, the idea isn't just to have programs available, but to have well-designed programs based on solid research. In short, to treat the causes and effects of homelessness, psychological research is significant.

A 1999 article in the New York Times discussed the obstacles that many homeless people with mental illness face.

It is often difficult to diagnose bipolar disorder--an illness otherwise known as manic depression that causes extreme mood swings, including crippling depression--because, often, by the time a homeless patient is seen for treatment, the illness is in the latter stages. The further along bipolar disorder gets, the more it can mimic schizophrenia.

The lack of employment and health insurance often makes it impossible for a homeless patient to undergo continuous treatment once a diagnosis is made.

The cost of medication and counseling cannot be sustained.

Because many people with mental illness have cut ties with friends and family, peer support is often nonexistent, there is no "accountability" to help patients get to counseling or take their medication properly. Also this can be the result of the homeless person shutting their loved ones out, or friends and family backing away because it is too much stress to bear.

Other difficulties or episodal mood symptoms specific of bipolar or schizoaffective disorders: Poor judgment,   No awareness of the need of psychological treatment,  Agitation, Apathy, Agoraphobia,  Mistrust of authority,  Chronic demoralization,  Elevated mood –aggressiveness or other, Pressured speech, Anhedonia or depressed mood,  Paranoid delusions,  Disorganized thought process, Auditory and visual hallucinations.

INDICATORS OF Homelessness RECOVERY ARE:

·         Reduce hospitalization

·         Decrease symptoms

·         Increase employment

·         Improve social relationships

·         Life satisfaction

·         Cost effective solutions

Thus, the more that is known about a psychological view of homelessness, more chances of reducing or rehabilitating homeless individuals. If psychological help is made easily available or even required for certain programs, more homeless may get the treatment needed to mentally prepare them for a better life.

Homeless Access to Recovery through Treatment Act (HART). One proposal that is designed specifically to help mentally ill and drug-addicted homeless men and women is the Homeless Access to Recovery through Treatment Act (HART), which was introduced in November 2007 and referred to the Subcommittee on Health. The item was never passed, but continues to be modified in the hope that it can be re-introduced in the future. The goal of HART is "ensure homeless people with addictions and mental illness receive the necessary treatment and assistance to help them recover and end their homeless conditions."

'While addictive and mental disorders appeared to play little or no role in causing homelessness in more than one-half of 1,437 single homeless adults [studied in Santa Clara County, California, both of these problems increased significantly after people lost their residence. The increase in addictive and psychiatric problems following homelessness suggests that interventions that prevent loss of housing will be more effective and less costly than interventions that provide economic and social assistance after the loss of shelter," Marilyn Winkleby, a senior research scientist at the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention. Role of addictive and mental disorders in causing homelessness; Data regarding interventions that prevent the loss of housing.

Women Alive! Program Organizational Culture

Guiding beliefs in the Women Alive! organization: This work operates with fundamental rules and it is deeply spiritually rooted in collaboration and community work and life practices.

Theories in use in this organization; pacifist conflict resolution, compassion, work of mercy, personalism.

SPECIAL TYPES OF SKILLS REQUIRED IN THIS WORK: Soft Skills are the counterpart of Hard Skills (technical, physical). They include the ability to listen to people in such a way that one understands what they mean and why they said it that way; the ability to ask for something in such a way that it can be delivered effortlessly. Mastering these skills, which are in all cases related to human interaction, enables things to work smoothly or make things happen. Most forms of communication, negotiation and leadership are soft-skill-related: achieving things in an unexpectedly easy way in a positive atmosphere. Soft Skills are not just a matter of being friendly or amiable. Moreover, even if it was possible to give a norm for the aforementioned, it would be very difficult to provide a kind of ‘standard’ that decides whether behavior is friendly or nice enough to achieve results when working in a group. Also, depending on the situation, it is sometimes even not that smart to be very friendly. There are occasions where a firm, vigorous action is needed, and in that case friendliness is not the most obvious choice to make things work. Soft Skills, no matter how we define them, have everything to do with communication and emotional intelligence applied to the workplace.

Some soft skills

Socializing with someone, Participate in a team, Lead a team , Unite a team amidst cultural differences, Teach others, Coach others, Motivate others, Provide services, Negotiate, Decision making, Problem solving, Observe forms of etiquette, Active Listening, Maintain meaningless conversation, Maintain meaningful conversation, Defuse arguments with timing, instructions and polite, concise language, Foresee situations, Establish rapport, Empathic communication, Self-awareness, Proactive Attitude

Other desirable generic ‘soft’ skills:

• Deep Listening Skills: Ability to be present for others by listening fully and empathically; by balancing energies in relationships; the ability to facilitate the pure kindness and expression of the soul in oneself and other
• Positive Communication: Strong and positive communication skills and interest in developing these skills further to meet the needs of our guests hose. Master a language of inclusiveness, diversity, collaboration and honor human dignity and kindness at all times. Having the talent to use positive psychology (spirituality) and competencies that leads to harmony and conflict resolution.
• Person to person management: and relationship-building
• Self regulation and leadership: Ability to maintain composure and an individual compassionate center during chaotic or stressful situations; Ability to respectfully redirect disrespectful, disruptive or dangerous behavior
• CCapability to study, reflect and grow from the practice: Desire and ability to put this work into perspective. Willingness to make decisions in new situations.

The Softer Leadership possible, according to the Tao Te Ching
Act without doing
Work without effort
Think of the small as large
And the few as many
Confront the difficult
While it s still easy
Accomplish tasks by a series of small acts
When running into a difficulty
Stop and give yourself to it
Prevent trouble before it arises
Put things in order before they exist


Take action by letting things take their course
Act without expectation
Succeed without taking credit
Remaining as calm at the end as at the beginning
Be profound and subtle


Posses nothing so you have nothing to lose
Desire non desire and learn to unlearn
Simply remind others the value of their humanity
Learn to use the simplest and clearest pattern


Enjoy the labor of your hands
Be content with an ordinary work life
Nourish your work by not forcing, not dominating
Accord with the ways things are
Keep in mind the duty of delight
Be compassionate towards yourself and reconcile all beings in the world
Show all people the way back to their own true nature
Using the power of humility
With feelings of gratefulness instead
With no feelings of oppression or manipulation


Follow the will of the people
Embody the virtue of non competition but keep your spirit of playing alive
Role model simplicity, patience, compassion
Return to the source of being
Go forward without advancing
Push back without threatening
Dissolve the hard and inflexible
Remain serene

SCHEDULES

• Staff person normally is expected to be present 6:30PM and overnight at 7:00pm to 7am
• Support Staff or Volunteers expected to be present between 6:30pm – 9:30pm
• Shelter door open at 7:00PM
• Dinner is served at 8:00pm
• Doors and shades close at 8:30PM (nobody else in), ladies get ready for bed.
• Activity or relaxation time 7PM – 10:30PM
• Lights out at 10:30PM
• Lights up at 5:30AM
• Guests and volunteers out and space caned up by 6:30AM Overnight shift ends at 7AM

Invitation to the guests

WA invite their guest:

(A) To live, to love, to do things together in harmony, to create relationships with others that are mutually enriching, beneficial, supportive and at the same time are pure and kind to liberate the soul and celebrate the best of each other, to acknowledge and serve the ones in need, including those in deep emotional distress; to pursue balance, beauty and grace in all moments and conversations; demonstrating respect and dignity for all. (Note: this is an adaptation of the Franciscan Workers Mission)

(B) To share this shelter by understanding and following the rules and polices of the shelter organization. This is what we explain: Rules and policies are here for a reason, the main reason is to share this shelter.  Rules have to be followed and obeyed at all times: Individually you may not agree with or dislike certain rules or policies, but we can all agree in that rules serve a purpose: Rules and policies demand a united code of behavior that ensures safety and well being for all: It is everyone’s responsibility to know the rules and policies of Dorothy’s Place and become familiar with all regulations and controls and obey them, staying safe and legal within the shelter; Always behave within the boundaries prescribed by the rules and policies in place. You may not be always free of trouble but by following the rules you will be contributing with the goals we are trying to accomplish; Following the rules can become an opportunity for self discipline and character building. The more you expose to learning and behaving within certain rules and policies the more systematically you learn, enrich your experiences of life and become part of a community.

Petition to the guests

• Be approachable and available to the staff and attentive to the instructions given by them.
• Follow the rules, it is important to create some order and neatness
• Be visible and friendly; take time to talk to the shelter aid.
• Contribute with harmony, peace, engage actively and beautifully in learning and purifying the emotional environment and breaking down aggressiveness.

Women Alive! Shelter Expectations

EXPLANATION OF ROUTINES IN THE SHELTER

©  The front door will remain unlocked until 8J0pm. The ladies are allowed to come and go as they please until then. After 8J0 the doors are locked and the woman prepare for bed. If someone decides that they are not going to stay, this is the time they are asked to leave.  

© Male visitors are not allowed.

©  Male volunteers are allowed on the kitchen side but they are asked to respect the personal space of the women.  

©  Pets are not allowed in the building. If the pet is domesticated, the owner feels confident, and the staff feels confident, the pet doesn’t have to be secured. The owner must be aware that Dorothy’s cannot claim responsibility for the pet.

© The smoking of cigarettes/tobacco is the only kind of smoking allowed on Dorothy’s property.  Smoking in building is not allowed; there are designated smoking areas available until 10:30pm with the presence of staff or a volunteer.

©  Drugs and alcohol are forbidden from premises save for prescribed medication. Weaponry is also not allowed.  

©  Guests, volunteers, and staff members are expected to act safely and respectfully at all times or they may be asked to leave.

© Guests may use shower (10 minute blocks) 7PM – 10PM.

©  Depending on staffing and laundry back-up, guests may ask to do laundry between 7PM and 9PM.

©  Shower and laundry services stop at 10pm

©  Unless accompanied by staff or volunteer, guests should refrain from entering the kitchen.

©  All overnight guests are expected to be in bed by 10:30 and will be woken up at 5:30am.

©  Dinner is offered at 8pm. All ladies are welcome to eat in the kitchen. Plates of food are not allowed outside.

Shelter Coordinators: The Nature of this Work

This is an organization where skills and knowledge of shelter aides are found in many forms. Shelter Aides believe that accurate relevant info must flow freely in a fully connected network of people that Dorothy’s Place. They are proactive, problem solvers and that true learning of this work come from a spirituality that is pragmatically discovered.  Both task and relationships orientation are they key for doing this work.

Although normally shelter/guest aids do not have formal trainings as psychiatric clinicians, many of them have unsurpassed experience and excellent judgment, intuition and the ability to form therapeutic alliances. They may not have all the answers but they must provide temporary stability and emotional reassurance while the answer is being worked out.  In the WA Program guest/shelter aides and guests work things out together and pretty much no one is consider being an ‘expert’ enough to provide an answer. They deal with special emotional issues that arise in the work, they frequently and naturally help the guests to identify the emotional issues and deal with them. Guest Aides do a difficult ‘psychological work’ that is challenging: they often absorb and contain the anxiety that is unleashed when things do not work as they should; they deal with disconfirmation, guilt and anxiety and the urgency to create psychological safety.

Since the WA Program organization is constantly changing, shelter/guest aides require to constantly be learning and find ways to provide support to the woman homeless, particularly in understanding behavioral features of mental illness and, in general, mental conditions and associated behaviors (e.g. social withdraw, paranoia, etc) as well as in being specific in reporting problematic behavior and communicating information back to the shelter

The nature of the work of Shelter/Guest Aides have the greatest natural psychological contract with guests and can often provide a wealth of information about the shelter’s functioning. They obtain feedback from their learning at work and develop the ability to induce cognitive redefinition by articulating new visions and concepts that leads to revitalization, continuous growth and renewal for the mission and vision of this program.

To gain participation and trust from the part of the guests, Guest Aides approach a person with respect and hope, balancing respect for privacy with the need for contact and discuss individual concerns on how the woman is doing in the shelter.

Shelter Coordinator or Shelter Aide

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Shelter Aide is a part-time staff member of Women Alive! works in scheduled shifts and shows hospitality to the women guests by meeting and engaging them in the activities of the shelter: she participates in the implementation of the WA program and transformational efforts.  Staff ‘hold the space’ in the room by considering the needs of all who are present and make decisions on a moment-to-moment basis. New staff members is trained and familiarized with the shelter operations.

Qualifications:

1.   Knowledge and ability to work with the poor, with a diverse population of homeless women; including personal commitment to carrying out the mission of the Franciscan Workers: (1) to live, to love, to work together in harmony, to serve the marginalized, to create partnerships which are mutually liberating and to pursue social justice with respect and dignity for all. (2) “Imagine Paradise, Practice Beauty.”

2.   Ideally, has been exposed to some type of diversity in either formal or informal training, understands gender differences and inequalities and knows about the particularity of women’s psychological and social challenges.

3.   Previous social service experience, including group leadership, is a plus.

4.   Openness to reflect on issues of social and economic class and power. Enthusiasm for develop one’s personal interests and skills in the service of connection, empowerment, expression, and social change!

5.   Excellent listening skills; oral and written communication skills.

6.   Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn additional applications in a timely manner as needed.

Responsibilities:

1.   Participate in the design and implementation of the WA staff, volunteer and community meetings, to maintain ongoing dialogue between guests, volunteers, and staff.

2.   Strive for the highest level of accuracy in work performed, while maintaining safe, neat, and orderly work stations. Maintain a clean office and keep any paperwork organized and accessible for your fellow staff members.

3.   Maintain a clean, neat appearance and attire consistent with the type of work been performed in the shelter and with safety considerations, well-organized work; Attendance & Punctuality

4.   Practice a work based on personal proud and commitment, perform systematic report, reflection of action, and feedback with the team, individual and collaborative decision making.

5.   Maintain confidentiality in regards to the services, volunteers, and grantors.

6.   Commit to monthly schedules Capable to work both short shifts and overnight shifts.

7.   Model and support behavior that facilitate self awareness and personal development of our guests

8.   Available for “on call” in case of emergencies.

9.   Communicate and/or meet weekly with the Shelter Aid Coordinator to ensure the efficiency and progress of our mission.

10. Write in the online log book a summary of what happened during the night after doing an overnight shift and report by phone to the Guest coordinator and the WA Director any special issues that have arisen.

11. Provide support for the guests, volunteers and administrative personnel of the WA Program as needed. Embrace a security perspective: practice self protection and protection of others

12. Refer any guests that need further help from the advocate.

13. Be informed about the volunteer incentive program and promote it to our guests.

14. Participate in Performance Evaluation and Developmental Feedback every three months.

15. Exchange common courtesies, to respect the rights of others and work as a member of the organization’s work team.

16. Contribute any innovative organizational strategies, solutions and positive initiatives as organizational challenges arise; e.g. Provide constructive recommendations to coworkers and guests in problem solving situations in order to accomplish and sustain an efficient and productive working environment.