Building the Capacity of the Homeless Service Workforce

ABSTRACT

The available data are imperfect but suggest that between 202,300 and 327,000 workers provide homeless services. However, little is known about the composition of this workforce and little attention has been paid to developing its capacity to address the multiple problems of those living without homes. Workforce development covers a range of activities from recruitment through training and credentialing—all of which support the goal of strengthening the professional identity, skills, and resilience of the workforce. Success in ending homelessness is likely to be out-of-reach without serious investments in the professional development of homeless service providers. The Interagency Council on Homelessness is ideally positioned to establish a national agenda for workforce development in homeless services and to leverage action across federal agencies to build workforce capacity.

Keywords:

Workforce , homeless services, wages, recruitment, retention, labor shortage, competencies, skill standards, training, career ladders, certification.