Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker (Chur885)

Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker (2 Positions Available)-CHUR885

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Hours: 35 hours per week, Thursday: 9pm – 9am, Friday: 9pm – 8am,

Saturday: 9pm – 9am (3 hours meeting on Tuesday once in a month)

Salary: $52,348 annually (Level 6), plus comprehensive benefits

Location: 389 Church Street Toronto, Ontario M5B 2E5

Internal Application Deadline: Monday, July 24, 2023

External Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Join Our Team

YWCA Toronto strives to uphold anti-discrimination practices and anti-oppression principles to ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected and protected. We work to promote a climate that is welcoming of all women and individuals who identify as trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people from all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

The Overnight Housing Support Worker (HSW) is responsible for supporting tenancy through: Eviction prevention activities in a complex permanent housing environment, developing and implementing community safety initiatives and offers a range of services and supports to tenants through a trauma-informed, harm reduction and Anti-oppression (AOP) lens that meets the wellness needs of the tenant community.

With in-depth knowledge in the area of trauma supports, this role performs a variety of functions to support the health and safety, social and mental well-being of tenant’s onsite, and facilitates in partnership with security personnel the overall effective operation of the building on the overnights. The HSW role acts as a resource to staff and tenants and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes mental health and addiction supports, monitoring the activities of tenants and visitors, assessing and responding to potential crisis situations, maintaining building common areas and supervising the property.

About Ywca Toronto – Housing Support Program, Church Street

YWCA Toronto Church Street facility includes 120 units of permanent housing. The Case Worker is responsible for providing case management support to women and gender diverse people including: individuals with complex mental health issues and who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness; individuals transitioning from provincially-funded institutions and service systems such as hospitals or prisons; Indigenous women/two-spirit people. The program goals include housing stabilization, harm reduction, and health promotion. Individual and group support assists tenants to identify and build the skills required to address the barriers they experience in their lives and to maintain their housing.

Key Responsibilities

• Working with the Manager, participates in the team as a specialist in the area of innovative community development and capacity building with marginalized and mixed communities;
• Conducts health and safety assessments, and identifies tenants’ issues/resources;
• Provides crisis prevention, intervention and counseling for women and children and gender diverse people to respond to crisis in ways that support individual and community well-being;
• Monitor and update caseworkers on tenants’ health and wellbeing;
• Provides case management follow-up supports, and referrals in the areas of health and wellness, harm reduction, counselling, income and food security;
• Models and coaches tenants to use conflict resolution and mediation skills to support positive relations between tenants;
• Applies trauma informed practice knowledge, stays current and demonstrates skill in the area of trauma support and acts as a resource to security staff and tenants during the overnight;
• Uses effective eviction prevention measures to assist tenants to assume and maintain their tenancy obligations;
• Ensures accurate, timely documentation of program and tenant support initiatives.
• Demonstrates and maintains knowledge of relevant legislation regarding housing services, Child Welfare, the dynamics of gender violence, substance use and mental health, and effective support strategies;

Qualifications

• 1 - 3 years directly related experience working in a housing/shelter setting in a direct service setting with children, youth and adults who experience impacts of poverty, homelessness/ violence/trauma, mental health/addictions, or concurrent disorders;
• Proven experience working independently, developing and facilitating groups;
• Strong knowledge and understanding of community resources;
• Excellent crisis intervention and conflict mediation skills, with ability to remain calm in crisis;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating leadership within groups and developing dynamic and innovative programming;
• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Bachelor of Social Work) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered);
• Supportive counseling and group-work approach that is flexible, client-centered and strengths-based working knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice; knowledge of community resources and supports focused on trauma;
• Demonstrated understanding and proven ability to work from Anti-oppression, Trauma Informed, Harm Reduction, and feminist frameworks.
• Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing Services Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft office suite;

Vaccination Policy: - In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health.

How To Apply

Please submit your cover letter and résumé to Teshia Allen, Manager of Housing Support Program- Church Street, at [email protected].Please quote JOB ID number CHUR885 and your name in the subject line.

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate prior to hiring. YWCA Toronto is a unionized workplace. Staff are represented by CUPE Local 2189. This position is within the Bargaining Unit. Please indicate on your cover letter and your email subject line, if you are an internal candidate. For internal applicants, this position is not secondable.

YWCA Toronto promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

YWCA Toronto provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.

Posting Date: July 14, 2023

About YWCA Toronto

YWCA Toronto is dedicated to improving the lives of women, girls and gender diverse people. We help women and girls flee violence, secure housing, find jobs, establish their voices, enhance skills and develop confidence. We offer a range of housing options, employment and training programs, community support programs, girls' programs and family programs; we also engage in systemic advocacy. As part of a national and international movement, the YWCA is a turning point in the lives of 25 million women and girls world wide. We welcome women of all faiths, sexual orientations, races, cultural affiliations and creeds. YWCA Toronto is funded by the United Way Toronto & York Region, the City of Toronto, the Province of Ontario, the Government of Canada, as well as many corporate sponsors, foundations and individual donors.