On Site, Toronto (Travel Within City) Full Time, Permanent Level 7 Requisition Number: YWR-2025-001 & YWR-2025-002 Covenant House helps youth ignite their potential and reclaim their lives. As Canada’s largest agency serving youth who are homeless, trafficked or at risk, we offer the widest range of services to hundreds of young people every day.

More than a place to stay, we provide life-changing care with unconditional love and respect. We meet youth’s immediate needs and then we work together to achieve their future goals. We offer 24/7 crisis shelter transitional housing options on-site and, in the community, health and well-being support, training and skill development, and ongoing care once youth move into the community.

For over 40 years, Covenant House has been dedicated to its mission of serving youth on the street and to protect and safeguard all youth with absolute respect and unconditional love. Since 1982, Covenant House has supported more than 100,000 young people.

Overview: Reporting to the Supervisor Prevention Initiatives this position is an opportunity for someone who wants to be part of ground-breaking prevention work, and who has the skills and passion for supporting young people achieve success. As part of the Youth Reconnect program team, the Youth Reconnect Worker provides community based direct support to young people who are at-risk of homelessness and school disengagement.

Youth Reconnect is an innovative ‘upstream’ homelessness prevention initiative. The goal is to help young people stay engaged in school by helping to stabilize their living situation, either by addressing issues at home that are producing the risk of homelessness, such as family conflict, or through helping youth who can no longer stay at home find housing and support options in their community. Youth Reconnect serves young people 14-18 years old, who are engaged in school, currently housed, at-risk of homelessness, and focuses on meeting the needs of youth that identify as Black and/or 2SLGBTQ.

We are currently hiring for 2 Youth Reconnect Workers. These are new roles with the expansion of the program. Responsibilities:

• Connect with youth referred by schools, child welfare agencies, and other community agencies
• Provide services in locations convenient to youth and their family members and chosen supports (such as schools, family homes, and other community settings)
• Work collaboratively with young people to assess and identify needs, and set actionable goals to help maintain school engagement and stable housing
• Provide direct support that will help youth maintain/secure stable housing and engagement in school
• Engage family members and chosen supports of youth as resources in achieving youths’ goals
• Link youth to specialized services (e.g., financial support, housing programs, mental health, addictions) as required
• Directly assist youth to develop a social safety net to support them in the future and to help them as they move forward from the program
• Facilitate group based activities, workshops and presentations as required
• Work with stakeholders and partners to develop and promote this new specialized youth service
• Contribute to analysis and evaluation of the program
• Maintain all required documentation (including client files, case notes, and assessments and evaluation tools)
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• BSW or Child and Youth Work Diploma, or equivalent in education and experience.
• 2 years’ experience working with youth at-risk of and/or experiencing homelessness
• Ability to advocate for, and promote, homelessness prevention
• Excellent ability to engage in collaborative conversations with youth, with a demonstrated ability to generate effective solutions to meet youth’s needs
• Previous experience working in a community-based mobile capacity is preferred
• Previous experience making referrals and supporting youth access community resources
• Demonstrated ability in working with a trauma informed, harm reduction approach and from an anti-oppression and culturally sensitive perspective/framework
• Excellent communication (both oral and written) and organizational skills and ability to work independently, proactively, and collaboratively
• Understanding of issues related to youth homelessness, Anti-Black Racism, 2SLGBTQ identities, mental health and substance use problems and disorders, disabilities and neurodivergence, adolescent development, and family dynamics.
• Knowledge of community resources and systems relevant to youth at-risk of experiencing homelessness
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including evening hours is required

Don’t meet every requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet all qualifications. If you are excited about the role but your resume doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the description, apply anyway. You may still be the right candidate for this or other roles.

What we Offer:

• Meaningful work.
• Competitive compensation.
• Employee perks which include discounts on gym membership, city bike rentals, auto & home insurance and more.

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter in one document no later than August 11, 2025. Only candidates selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be contacted. No agencies for phone calls please.

Use of AI and Technology in the Hiring Process Covenant House Toronto does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to make or inform hiring decisions. However, we do use an external applicant tracking system (ATS) to help manage applications efficiently.

While our ATS may apply automated filters or sorting functions, all applications are reviewed and evaluated by human recruiters. No hiring decisions are made by AI.

Commitment to Equitable Recruitment At Covenant House Toronto we believe in a workplace culture of inclusion that is welcoming, respectful and safe for all staff. It is critical to Covenant House Toronto success to eliminate barriers and promote the inclusion of equity groups. Equity groups have been, and continue to be, underrepresented and marginalized in the workforce, leadership roles, and in some specific occupations. Equity groups include but may not be limited to Indigenous persons, racialized people, gender diverse people, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities.

In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Covenant House Policy on Accommodation, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the Covenant House recruitment process.

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