Shelter jobs in Toronto, ON

Employment Type: Relief
Position status: Vacant
Work Hours: Varied as needed
Salary: $30.15 per hour (L5)
Location: 80 Woodlawn Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1C1

Application Deadline: Monday, October 26, 2026

JOIN OUR TEAM
Join YWCA Toronto, where intersectional feminism, community voices, and social justice drive lasting change. We welcome women and gender diverse people of all identities into a workplace rooted in equity, collaboration, and inclusion.
The Front Desk Support Worker is responsible for welcoming and providing supportive reception service and works within a collaborative team to create a meaningful and relevant environment for tenants, participants and guest within a feminist framework. This includes a skilled response to and knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma, mental health and oppression. The position is also responsible for completing administrative duties necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the front desk.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO - 1st STOP WOODLAWN
This program provides up to 62 shelter beds for youth (16-24yrs) and adult (25 and older) women, trans and non binary participants. This program operates as part of a congregate living site which includes 72 units of permanent housing. This shelter is funded by the City of Toronto and adheres to Toronto Shelter Standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Greets and directs tenants, participants, guest, contractors and suppliers to the site;
• Answers telephone and in person inquiries regarding 1st Stop Woodlawn and Permanent Housing and directs calls to the appropriate staff;
• Handles client complaints and issues with tact and diplomacy, de-escalating the potential for conflict;
• May be required to attend at Landlord and Tenant Board hearings and acts as a witness as required;
• Applies knowledge of the issue of trauma and the dynamics of woman abuse to respond effectively to tenant request for support;
• Assists in providing orientation to new tenants to ensure familiarity and understanding of programs, staff and community environment;
• Demonstrates and maintains knowledge of relevant community services related to tenant service needs;
• Maintains Shelter occupancy lists and updated tenant lists;
• Prepares housekeeping lists daily and communicates room vacancies to the appropriate staff;
• Delivers weekly meal vouchers and daily menus to paying tenants;
• Provides maintenance requests from the residents, tenants and staff to the appropriate property services staff;
• Inputs medical appointments and cancellations for shelter residents into ICHA website;
• Monitors activities in and around the building via video surveillance;
• Reads and responds to entries in the security logs, referring issues to appropriate YWCA staff;
• Responds to on-site emergency needs by using the on-call procedures (i.e., Directors, Property Services and Housing Support, program staff);
• Takes corrective action when responding to potential safety hazards, ensuring hazards are reported to the appropriate personnel.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Completion of an undergraduate university degree in a relevant field (e.g., Social Work) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered);
• 1-3 years directly related work experience in supportive housing;
• Excellent customer service skills, organizational skills and administrative abilities;
• Knowledge of security operating systems an asset;
• Experience working in a residential setting an asset;
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive service in a multicultural environment;
• Demonstrates knowledge of and experience working with women living with experiences of precarious housing, poverty, violence/trauma, and mental health/concurrent addictions issues;
• Knowledge and experience working from an anti-oppression framework and trauma informed practices;
• Knowledge of harm reduction framework;
• Knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act;
• Completion of the Toronto Shelter Standards training;
• Toronto Hostel Training Centre’s certificate and completion of WHMIS training an asset;
• Demonstrated experience working under pressure and remaining calm in a crisis;
• Knowledge and experience in responding to crisis situations and de-escalating conflict;
• Exceptional verbal, good written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.

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 if you are an internal candidate. For internal applicants, this position is not secondable.

Posting Date: October 13, 2026

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing.

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

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

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate before hiring.

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 may use AI-supported tools to assist with parts of the recruitment process; all hiring decisions are made by people and guided by our commitment to equity and fairness.

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.

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