Homeless Shelter Overnight Host

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The Haven overnight shelter in Oak Harbor is seeking volunteers!

At the Haven shelter, we strive to serve each person seeking shelter with compassion, dignity, and respect, meeting our guests 'where they are'. Operated by the Whidbey Homeless Coalition, and hosted in three to four month increments at local churches, the Haven is a "pop-up" shelter, meaning we convert the space into a shelter at night, and leave no trace of the shelter when we leave in the morning.

Host volunteers stay at the shelter overnight (paired with a staff member) to assist with ensuring safety is maintained, as well as to chat with our guests to ensure they feel as though they are being adequately cared for. It is deeply important to self-worth to be identified by name, and have folks make eye contact, and, for some guests, the shelter is the only place this happens. For these reasons, we do focus on this social piece quite a bit. Host volunteers typically arrive at 6:30PM. We turn the lights out at 9:30PM, and at that time, our volunteers do usually go rest in a private space, with many of our volunteers sleeping, watching Netflix, reading, or other relaxing activities. Staff will try to awaken the volunteer if an emergency were to arise that they are in need of help with, but, normally the nights are very peaceful. We awaken the guests at 5:30AM. The host volunteer also assists with helping folks get motivated for the day, making coffee, or helping staff tidy up. If preferable, we are also able to split this shift up into six-hour increments (6:30PM-12:30AM, 12:30AM-6:30PM). Our host volunteers have proven, time and time again, to be a huge boost to the confidence of our guests, which helps them with the motivation to move forward and out of shelter.

For roles with direct contact with guests (host, driver, mentor), we do require a criminal background check.

The Haven is committed to providing safe, warm shelter, with an emphasis on safety. We do have several rules for guests to abide by, and expect them to treat all with respect. We do not permit drugs, alcohol, or any paraphernalia on premises at all. All adult guests are screened for sex offenses. All staff are trained in CPR, first aid, AED, Narcan administration, de-escalation, trauma-informed care, and mental health first aid, with several of our staff also having specialized training to work with survivors of domestic violence, and we are continually receiving additional training, so we are able to provide a supportive, safe environment. We do serve women, men, and children accompanied by a parent or guardian. All guests are given a referral to the Housing Support Center, and connected with whatever services they have indicated they are in need of at intake. It is our goal to get every person housed.

There is nothing in this world like seeing someone flourish, and knowing you have contributed that lasting impact to their growth. If working with us sounds like something you would enjoy, please do send us an email!

All shelter guests, staff, and volunteers must still wear facial coverings, in accordance with state guidelines. We are happy to provide facial coverings and gloves for our volunteers.

Shelter guests go through a temperature and symptom check each evening before coming to the shelter. We have distancing guidelines in place, as well as hand-washing requirements. Guests must wear a facial covering in most situations (exceptions are for eating, drinking, etc).

Thank you so much for reading! We hope to see you at our next training. :)