Position Summary 

The Overnight Shelter Advocate is responsible for providing overnight supervision, direct care, behavior management, and crisis support for youth residing in the shelter. This position helps ensure the safety, security, cleanliness, and overall well-being of residents during overnight hours. 

Because residents are typically asleep when this shift begins, the primary focus of this role is to ensure residents remain safely in their rooms, complete required bed checks and documentation, maintain a clean and safe shelter environment, respond to resident needs or emergencies, and assist with morning routines, including waking residents for school. 

This position supports Ain Dah Yung Center’s mission by providing a safe, respectful, culturally responsive, and supportive environment for American Indian youth and families. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Resident Supervision and Safety

• Provide direct care, supervision, and overnight support to shelter residents. 
• Monitor residents to ensure they are safely in their rooms and following shelter expectations. 
• Complete required overnight bed checks according to shelter procedures and documentation requirements. 
• Monitor resident health, safety, personal hygiene, behavioral status, emotional status, and overall well-being. 
• Respond promptly to resident needs, concerns, or emergencies that arise during the overnight shift. 
• Provide crisis intervention, conflict resolution, counseling support, and behavior management as needed. 
• Help maintain a calm, safe, trauma-informed, and respectful shelter environment. 
• Wake residents for school or other scheduled morning responsibilities. 

Medication, Health, and Resident Support

• Assist with medication administration and related documentation according to agency policy and training. 
• Observe and report health, behavioral, emotional, or safety concerns to the appropriate supervisor. 
• Support residents with basic needs and routines while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. 
• Follow all shelter procedures related to resident care, mandated reporting, confidentiality, and safety. 

Intake, Referrals, and Phone Support

• Answer incoming telephone calls and provide housing resources or basic program information as appropriate. 
• Receive and document referrals for potential residents. 
• Complete resident intakes on an as-needed basis. 
• Communicate relevant referral, intake, or resident information to the appropriate shelter staff or supervisor. 

Cleaning and Facility Responsibilities

• Complete assigned overnight cleaning duties according to the shelter staff cleaning log. 
• Complete and document bed checks according to the shelter staff cleaning log and bed check procedures. 
• Help ensure common areas, resident areas, bathrooms, kitchen areas, and other assigned spaces are clean, safe, and prepared for the next day. 
• Identify and report maintenance, safety, or facility concerns. 
• Follow health, safety, sanitation, and infection control procedures. 

Documentation and Communication

• Accurately complete shift notes, bed check logs, cleaning logs, incident reports, medication records, intake documentation, and other required forms. 
• Communicate significant resident updates, safety concerns, behavioral concerns, incidents, maintenance issues, and follow-up needs to appropriate staff. 
• Maintain confidentiality of resident, family, and agency information. 
• Participate in required meetings, trainings, supervision, and program communication as scheduled. 

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required. 
• Experience working with youth, families, shelters, residential programs, human services, behavioral health, social services, or a related setting preferred. 
• Ability to work awake overnight hours, Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. 
• Ability to respond calmly and appropriately to crisis situations, conflict, and resident needs. 
• Strong communication, documentation, and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality. 
• Ability to work independently while following established policies and procedures. 
• Must be able to pass required background checks and meet all agency and licensing requirements. 
• Valid driver’s license may be required depending on program needs. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with American Indian youth, families, or communities. 
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, de-escalation, crisis intervention, and youth development. 
• Experience in a shelter, residential care, group home, transitional housing, or outreach program. 
• Familiarity with community housing resources and referral processes. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to create and maintain a safe, calm, and supportive overnight environment. 
• Ability to build respectful and appropriate relationships with youth. 
• Ability to observe, assess, and respond to behavioral and emotional needs. 
• Ability to provide conflict resolution and crisis support when needed. 
• Ability to complete accurate documentation in a timely manner. 
• Ability to follow shelter procedures, safety protocols, and cleaning expectations. 
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds in a culturally respectful manner. 
• Ability to support the mission, values, and culturally specific work of Ain Dah Yung Center. 

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Ability to remain awake and alert during overnight hours. 
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, and move throughout the shelter during the shift. 
• Ability to perform routine cleaning tasks and safety checks. 
• Ability to respond quickly in emergency or crisis situations. 
• Work is performed in a residential shelter environment and may involve exposure to crisis situations, emotional distress, conflict, and varying resident needs. 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Ain Dah Yung Center is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse, inclusive, and culturally responsive workplace. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. 

Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. 

Additional Duties

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties may be modified as agency or program needs change.