Job Title: Housing Outreach Worker

City: Kamloops
Program and Site Location: Housing Outreach and Intake, 433 Tranquille Road
Reports To: Coordinator of Housing Outreach and Intake Supports
Term: Permanent Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:30 pm with ½ hour paid break
Wage Range: $25.95 to $29.76 based on education and related experience

Position Summary: Within this role, your priority will be to work in conjunction with the Housing Outreach Team to provide support and service to Program Participants seeking housing services with the hope of reducing homelessness in the community, providing services to other buildings, programs, and locations throughout the term. The overriding purpose is to assist Program Participants with multiple barriers and challengingbehaviorsin finding appropriate shelter and/or detox, treatment, health services, supportive housing, and market housing. Service delivery is based on a client-centered, non-judgmental perspective.

What We Offer:

• Competitive extended benefits including dental, vision, physiotherapy, massage, and fertility.
• Municipal Pension Plan.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program.
• On-site training and development opportunities.
• A culture of equality, inclusion, and diversity including paid cultural sensitivity days.
• Life and Accidental death insurance.
• Competitive Vacation entitlements with up to 3 weeks paid vacation in your first year (upon eligibility).

Specific Responsibilities:

• Provide individualized support, as needed to Program Participants and assist them in day-to-day support including but not limited to acquiring affordable, safe, and supported community housing.
• Identify and develop a customized support system for each client including brokering ‘active’ referrals to essential services/programs.
• Mediate between the landlord and program Participants when necessary to maintain effective working relationships as well as problem-solve with building managers and landlords.
• Liaise with key community caregivers regarding necessary support systems for the client including financial and life skills programming.
• Provide street services when required and appropriate.
• When required provide additional services to other supportive housing settings.
• Provide crisis support and assessment when required.
• Contribute to the protection of Program Participants from abuse, and support Program Participants when they are in distress.
• Work closely with referral agencies (i.e., CMHA, IHA, Friendship Centre, Brain Injury)
• Encourage and motivate Program Participants to develop a sense of their own identity, purpose, and self-esteem.
• Monitor and move along community members who are loitering in and around the property.
• Provide crisis intervention as required including overdose responses by ensuring immediate access to medical services and completing necessary incident reports when required.
• Assisting, where necessary, that cultural needs are met with respect to their ethnicity.
• Conduct assessments of potential Program Participants using the BC Housing-mandated Vulnerability Assessment Tool (VAT) when requested.
• Complete accurate and up-to-date communication/case notes.
• Provide bi-weekly reports of Program Participant interactions/engagement to the Coordinator of Housing Services.
• Maintain files and statistics as per accreditation standards on the ShareVision and HIFIS databases.
• Complete move-in/move-out documentation as required by the Property Services Department under the supervision of the Coordinator of Supportive Housing Services.
• When requested, be a member of the Society’s Performance and Quality Improvement (PQI) team.
• Ensure compliance with all Society policies and procedures.
• Other duties which may or may not be outlined within this job description.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Bachelor of Social Work, Human Services Diploma, Support Worker/Care Aid Certificate, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or lived experience.
• Strong ability to recognize and address difficult behaviors.
• Good communication, documentation, interpersonal, and conflict management skills.
• Ability to work within a team-based environment involving multi-agency support.
• Strong working knowledge of community resources.
• Understands and maintains professional boundaries.
• Valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and reliable/appropriate transportation with business use coverage.
• VAT (Vulnerability Assessment Tool) training an asset.
• Must pass an acceptable criminal record check for the vulnerable sector.
• Basic First Aid Level 1 required.
• Readiness to complete in-house online training within the first month of employment.
• Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, and Trauma Informed Practice an asset.
• As Program Participants are allowed pets, it is noted that this is a pet-friendly environment.

The ASK Wellness Society is dedicated to promoting diversity/multiculturalism with inclusion as one of our Core Values. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or age.