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BACKGROUND

The Fremont Family Resource Center (FRC) is a collaborative effort of over 20 State, County, City and non-profit agencies that support families in a variety of ways.   Services available at the FRC include: adult and youth employment; child care information, referral and subsidies; counseling and case management; housing information; parent support; immigration services; services for the disabled; nutrition services for mothers and children; health insurance counseling and SparkPoint FRC to help families build their financials assets.   The City of Fremont Human Services Department is the lead organization in the FRC collaborative and in SparkPoint FRC.

SPARKPOINT FREMONT FRC

Helping families get ahead financially is one of the core strategies identified by the FRC as an effective means of empowering and strengthening families and children.  In this vein, the FRC is one of 10 Bay Area SparkPoint Centers, and initiative coordinated by United Way of the Bay Area aimed at helping families to reach their financial goals.  The FRC is also a partner in “Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Alameda County, the county wide free tax preparation campaign helping families to claim the EITC.  

THE POSITION

Under the supervision of the SparkPoint Program Coordinator, the VITA Site Coordinator oversees site operations at a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site at the Fremont FRC, and 2 satellite sites located at Tri-Cities One Stop Career Center; and New Haven Adult School in Union City.  The Site Coordinator manages volunteers and works together with the VITA Quality Assurance Coordinator to efile returns in TaxSlayer and sends required reports to UWBA. The Site Coordinator coordinates and works with the Quality Assurance Coordinator, the VITA Coaches and Trainers and Quality Reviewers and FRC Staff to ensure that the site operates according to all guidelines, and that required statistics and surveys relating to the taxpayer information is handled appropriately.

This position is a part-time, temporary assignment.  The work schedule is as follows:
- 20 - 30 hours/week through December 16, 2019,
- 40 hours/week January - April 17, 2020, then
- 20 hours/week through October 2020 with two months off in July and August

Ability to attend monthly UWBA Site Coordinator meetings and trainings in Oakland required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Oversee all operational needs of a tax site.
- Recruit volunteers and ensure all volunteers meet the IRS training and documentation requirements according to their volunteer positions.
- Coordinate closely with quality reviewers and coaches and support their efforts to ensure accuracy of returns.
- Work closely with SparkPoint Coordinator to develop seamless connections to other SparkPoint Asset Building programs and services for clients.  
- Coordinate services with Census Fremont project, sharing opportunities for cross training and outreach.  
- Track and report hours for volunteers.  
- Maintain and monitor on-line customer appointment logs.
- Work collaboratively with In-take Sites and UWBA to coordinate the virtual VITA process.  Responsible for assigning returns to tax preparers, tracking return status, contacting customers, and updating and maintaining appropriate log sheets.
- Communicate effectively with site staff and to manage facilities support and scheduling issues
- Ensure timely electronic filing of tax returns and resolution of rejects, working closely with the VITA Quality Assurance Coordinator.   
- Address equipment, software, supply and other site needs in a timely fashion, working together with the IRS and UWBA EIKISI staff.
- Coordinate volunteer hospitality and volunteer recognition event, in collaboration with SparkPoint Coordinator.
- Communicate regularly with volunteers and maintain volunteer database.
- Create marketing materials for the VITA Program, i.e. flyers, articles for newspapers, electronic newsletters, email blasts, etc.
- Execute site procedures according to UWBA Campaign guidelines.
- Manage workflow of tax site: set-up space; facilitate client sign-in and intake; ensure orderly and thorough screening process and reduce wait time.
- Manage supplies and materials, keep files and supplies organized, and order new supplies when necessary. Keep track of site budget and expenses.
- Ensure security of confidential information.
- Ensure proper reporting and record keeping. Collect, compile and submit to the Campaign required statistics and surveys relating to the taxpayer information.
- Serve as the main contact for clients to address questions or concerns about their experience at the tax site. Promptly respond to inquiries from clients or the IRS.
- Other related duties as assigned.

BACKGROUND: In service to the City of Fremont and the Tri-City community for over 35 years, the City of Fremont’s Human Services Department (HSD) provides services to youth, families, and seniors.  During its tenure, HSD’s ability to build strong partnerships throughout Fremont’s diverse community has allowed it to become a trusted ally to residents who are most in need. As such, HSD is well suited to engage with hard to count populations to help educate them on the importance of the 2020 Census.  Under the direction of the City Manager’s Office, the Human Services Department, through its Aging and Family Services and Family Resource Center Divisions, will provide the platform for a targeted outreach and education effort that will ensure a complete count of the Hard to Count (HTC) residents living in southern Alameda County.

THE POSITION: The Census 2020 Volunteer Coordinator will work under the direction of a Management Analyst in the Fremont City Manager’s Office to oversee a coordinated effort to recruit and train Census 2020 volunteers who can educate and assist individuals to complete their census questionnaire.  

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
- Work with targeted community leaders to recruit volunteers within diverse community organizations.
- Develop a recruitment strategy using social media, Volunteer Match, current connections and email groups.
- Recruit volunteers with strategies used to attract volunteers for the FRC’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
- Develop a training curriculum using tools provided by Complete Count Alameda County and State and Federal Complete Count resources as well.
- Embed Census volunteers in the FRC VITA program screening room, and at the FRC Welcome Center.
- Develop a staffing calendar for volunteers to be placed at VITA sites and the FRC Welcome Center to serve as our Question Assistance Center (QAC) at the Fremont Family Resource Center.
- Develop a strategy for conducting a complete count of the unhoused population, working in partnership with homeless service providers and the Winter Shelter. Develop a quasi-mobile Question Assistant Center, training homeless individuals to volunteer. By engaging volunteers who are experiencing homelessness in this activity, we feel other homeless individuals will be more likely to trust the information and complete the Census.
- Train volunteers to use technology required for Census completion use.
- Train partner agency volunteers on the use of technology required by this project.  
- Develop a volunteer outreach schedule as well to ensure that HTC residents are educated about the Census
- Other related duties as assigned.

POSITION
The City of Fremont’s Human Services Department is currently looking for several on-call, temporary employees to work evening shifts. Shifts will be from 6:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. from November 15th through March 15th. The City of Fremont will open their Winter Relief Shelter to provide a safe and welcoming environment for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Participants will have access to the shelter from approximately 6:30 p.m. to 7 a.m., where they will be provided with a warm meal, restroom facilities, sleeping bags, cots, breakfast, and a to-go bag. 
The position will work up to 30 hours per week. 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
• Maintain the health and safety of homeless individuals and families who are living on the streets or in their cars and are in need of emergency shelter from cold weather and rain.
• Welcome and pre-screen new participants and supervise participant movement.
• Maintain a friendly and inviting environment.
• Work compassionately with those who have difficulty engaging with service providers.
• Effectively resolve conflicts among participants and de-escalate potentially violent situations.
• Monitor participant activities, oversee showers and food distribution; help coordinate medical transportation to morning appointments.
• Maintain a safe and supportive environment.
• Direct volunteers who will assist in bringing food and serving homeless clients.
• Setup tables for food service, hand out bedding, warm clothing and other amenities such as shampoo, tooth brushes, etc. 
• Ensure participants adherence to rules, especially related to behaviors that are unsafe. If necessary, notify public safety personnel to help “exit” clients with inappropriate or unsafe behaviors.
• Respond appropriately to emergencies.
• Maintain daily sign-in sheet.
• Ensure facility is maintained in a clean and orderly fashion.
• E-mail information to Human Services Director after each shift regarding the number of participants, any need for supplies, and reports of clients who exhibited inappropriate behavior. 
• Other duties as assigned.