Shelter Worker jobs in Toronto, ON

ABOUT YELLOW BRICK HOUSE:

Yellow Brick House is a leading provider of life-saving services to women, families and children who have experienced violence and abuse. We offer emergency shelter, individual, group and child counselling, legal support services, and transitional housing support.

PROFILE:

This position provides transitional and housing support to community-based and shelter service users. This position is responsible for providing service users with advocates and liaison with various local and regional agencies and organizations for ongoing support and assistance with transitional needs, as service users work towards securing housing, and to develop safety plans for addressing immediate and future safety concerns and needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The major responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

Direct Service:

• Provides transitional and housing support and services for service users and their dependents, who have experienced abuse, to help them connect with community support and find and maintain housing.
• Provide services from a trauma-informed, integrated feminist, anti-racist, anti-colonial, and anti-oppression framework.
• Supports the development of a transitional support plan and a safety plan for service users and their dependents, who have experienced abuse, based on the principles of person-centered planning, self-determination, and choice, and that services provided are reflective of these plans.
• Assists service users to develop short- and long-term goals in housing security, securing legal assistance, applying for social housing, securing financial assistance, connecting with counseling and other support services, connecting with community resources (schools, legal,).
• Provide referrals and advocacy pertaining to housing, long-term counselling, parenting support, educational upgrades, job training, applying for income support, immigration process, cultural interpretation, writing priority housing letters, legal process and health and wellness services etc.
• Assist service users to understand the cycle of violence and the effects of violence on themselves and their children.
• Provides emotional support to service users as required.
• May accompany service users to appointments when necessary, and if appropriate.
• Engages fully and openly in supervision; keeping manager fully informed at all times.
• Active participation in regular team meetings
• Maintains a positive approach and a professional manner at all times.
• Reads, understands, and follows agency policies and procedures.
• Keeps up-to date on issues relating to violence against women and evidence-based practices for intervention.
• Provides support to students and volunteers as required.
• Maintains community awareness of Yellow Brick House programs throughout York Region
• Other duties as assigned.

Referral and Advocacy:

• Assesses Service User needs and makes appropriate referrals to agencies in other regions, particularly York Region and Greater Toronto Area.
• Advocates with Ontario Works, Housing Authorities, Police, CAS, and other agencies on behalf of service users.

Documentation:

• Maintains daily confidential, pertinent, accurate and non-judgmental logging on each service user as per Yellow Brick House procedures.
• Create and maintain service user files according to Yellow Brick House policies.
• Compile caseload statistics and prepare program and service user reports as required.
• Provides quarterly reports on program delivery, effectiveness, and initiatives.

Engagement:

· Communicate fully and openly with supervision; keeping supervisor fully informed of relevant service user and staff member information, at all times.

· Active positive participation in regular team meetings

· Maintain a positive approach and a professional manner at all times.

· Keeps up-to date on issues relating to gender-based violence and evidence-based practices for intervention as it pertains to woman and children.

· Maintain community awareness of Yellow Brick House programs throughout York Region

· Acts as a Brand Ambassador for the Yellow Brick House

· Participates in internal/external committees as required.

· Attend training sessions as required.

· Works in a team environment; provides support and information to team members and assists other staff when required.

· Fosters and maintains an anti-oppression working environment.

HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBLITIES:

· Follow the duties and responsibilities specified under the Occupational Health & Safety Act Sections 28.

· Ensure all safety and non-safety rules and regulations are followed.

· Ensure adherence to established safety, quality, and housekeeping standards.

· Attends Environmental Health and Safety training.

· Adhere to Yellow Brick House health and safety, environmental, and quality standards, policies, and procedures.

· Report any known hazard, defect, incident or compliance issue to the employer or supervisor.

Understand BILL 132 & Bill 168 and uphold the policies that prohibit domestic violence, workplace violence, and sexual harassment in the Workplace.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

· Service User Outcomes & Housing Stability

· Housing Support Planning & Service Delivery

· Advocacy & System Navigation

· Program Delivery & Caseload Management

· Documentation, Reporting & Compliance

· Community Partnerships & Housing Coordination.

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

· Completion of Social Work Diploma with practicum of 500-700 hours. Completion of BSW, MSW considered an asset.

· 2-3 years working with diverse service users.

· Knowledge of community, financial and government supports for stabilized service users (options for education, economic, and professional development)

· English language as well as other languages used by service user population (i.e., Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Farsi, Russian, etc.) considered an asset.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database applications. WISH would be considered an asset.

· Familiar and comfortable with technology-assisted platforms, specifically video conferencing, MS Teams, Zoom, etc.

· Capable of working in a multidisciplinary environment with a variety of community professionals.

· Knowledge of the Canadian legal system (immigration and criminal law and refugee issues) as it relates to abused immigrant women would be an asset.

· Must be able to work flexible hours.

· Must have reliable transportation.

· Working knowledge of application of Anti-Oppressive and Feminist frameworks

· Experience completing reports and other service user-related advocacy letters.

· Experience working with abused women.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

· Anti Oppressive & Culturally Responsive

· Communication & Collaboration

· Documentation, Organization, and Accountability

· Critical Thinking & Decision Making

· Adaptability, Initiative & Continuous Improvement

· Health, Safety & Risk Awareness

· Transitional Planning & Housing Support

· Advocacy & System Navigation

· Case Management & Service Coordination.

· Community Resource & Partnership Coordination.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

· Works in a comfortable environment either inside or outside in typically pleasant conditions. Typical conditions are such that some risk of injury or harmful effect is likely in dealing with vulnerable service users.

· Some travel required between multiple locations.

· Interacts with service users, staff, visitors, government agencies, personnel under all circumstances, which may be traumatic situations.

· Must be able to sit/stand for extended periods of time.

Compensation: The compensation for the position is$55,385.41

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 9am-4:30pm, Hybrid, (onsite as required)

How to Apply: Please send your résumé and cover letter to jobs@yellowbrickhouse.org

Accommodation

Yellow Brick House is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce and is committed to hiring practices that are fair and equitable. The company and its hiring managers always seek to hire the most qualified candidate for a position. A protected characteristic under the Human Rights Code is never used against a person during the hiring process.

Pay: $55,385.41 per year

Benefits:

• On-site parking

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1L9: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• Secondary School (required)

Experience:

• working with diverse population: 2 years (required)
• Transitional: 2 years (required)

Language:

• other languages (preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1L9