Do you feel called to walk alongside moms and babies in their journey of recovery—offering hope, advocacy, and Christ-centered care from first contact to lasting transformation?

The Social Worker is responsible for the women, primarily moms and babies, who enter the Joanna Home program from intake to discharge. This position makes the first contact with those who have been referred to Joanna Home and conducts interviews; provides tours; introduces new participants to the Program; updates ETO; assists with intake and discharge tasks and orientation. You create and maintain networks with external partnering organizations, and regularly attend meetings with external service providers. You assist the moms to obtain needed services and support in order to increase the likelihood of success for recovery and/or independent living. The Social Worker performs individual assessments to gather information and identify areas of concern; helps participants develop plans for their next steps and connects them with appropriate resources; advocates on their behalf with government agencies or external service providers; and models nurturing mothering skills (e.g. eye contact, attachment behaviours, responding to infant developmental changes). You also support the Supportive Recovery Team by filling in when they are absent with research, referrals, advocacy, SEPs, Outcome Star/My Recovery, meetings, accompaniments, and crisis management. The Social Worker takes a faith-based approach, which includes ministering to these women by forming relationships, loving them, praying with/for them, and declaring the good news of Jesus Christ. In addition, this position coordinates referrals from the community specific to the Moms & Babies program for UGM’s Women and Families Centre, and serves as a resource to other Sanctuary staff.

Due to the nature of the participants, we serve, only female candidates will be considered for this position.

This is a permanent temporary, part-time (22.5 hours per week) position. The starting range for this position is $35.20 to $38.46 per hour.

Who We Are

Demonstrating the love of Christ, UGM feeds hope and changes lives through a faith-based continuum of care. We are a proud member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities and have earned the Best Christian Workplace award again in 2021. We provide competitive salaries, generous vacation and sick leave, an RRSP matching program, as well as the potential for educational assistance and flexible work arrangements. In addition, our extensive benefits plan is fully employer-paid and includes extended dental and medical, as well as $4,500 per year in pooled paramedical expenses. A focus on employee resilience, support for professional development, engagement in meaningful work, and a fun and caring environment are all part of being a member of the UGM team. If you are someone who desires to learn and grow, has a passion to serve and make a difference, and connects with others with both humility and humour, then you will be a great fit at UGM.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Model Christ in word and deed.

Case Management (40%)

• Assist guests in establishing goals, monitoring progress, and preparing a case plan for their next steps (housing, employment, addiction services, life skills, health, education or other case specific needs), advocate for participants and refer them to the appropriate community resources for achieving these goals.
• Document all relevant case notes and maintain accurate case files and records for future reference.
• Collaborates with the Joanna Home team to strategize treatment planning in order to assist participants in establishing goals, monitoring progress, and preparing action plans via Outcome Star/My Recovery for their next steps (housing, employment, addiction services, life skills, health, education, infant care, or other case specific needs).
• Model healthy relationships and secure attachment, providing coaching, skills training, and crisis management.
• Assess, record, and report observed behavior as necessary to appropriate authorities.

Intake/Discharge (10%)

• Analyze, screen, and process intake applicants or attend interagency consultations.

• First point of contact upon arrival. Complete paperwork, introduce and orient to the new building and complete/assist bed bug protocol, key system etc.

• Assist each participant with intake and discharge, including research, referrals, and administrative support.

Advocacy (30%)

• Partner with outside agencies, government ministries, individuals, and families to meet on and offsite regarding the current and future well-being of the Joanna Home participants and their babes.
• Schedule and record minutes of ongoing interagency meetings with participants , family members, Child Protection Social Workers and community supports. Together with the Case Manager team establish and implement individualized Action Plans.

General (20%)

• Participate in staff meetings, training and development opportunities.

• Perform other duties as required by your supervisor, including assisting Sanctuary staff when required, and lead group programming as required.

• Adhere to all UGM published policies, practices and procedures, including Occupational Health and Safety.

KSA’s

• Agreement with UGM’s Mission Statement (see www.ugm.ca) and Statement of Faith.

• A vibrant and growing relationship with Jesus Christ, our Creator, as Saviour and Lord.

• Bachelor of Social Work and current full registration with the BCCSW required.

• 2 - 3 years of related work experience is required, with knowledge of issues related to poverty, addiction and parenting.

• Consideration may be given to alternate combinations of lived experience and education.

• Understanding of Stages of Change and Attachment Theory

• Understanding of and/or experience with Child Protection Social Worker involvement with families under the Child, Family and Community Services Act.

• Experience with therapeutic approach to motivational interviewing.

• Experience working in a community organization, foundation or ministry.

• Intermediate computer skills (Excel, Word and Outlook).

• Valid Class 5 drivers’ license required.

• Able to work collaboratively with partnering community agencies and with participants in a respectful and culturally-sensitive manner.

• Able to nurture mothers in advancing their parenting skills while supporting the safety and well- being of their children.

• Completion of UGM’s Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training and all other mandatory training, including First Aid training/certification and Naloxone training/certification.

• Willing to provide vaccination information.

• Technical Competency—Trauma-Informed Care (Level 3): Help identify negative events that have impacted the client’s functioning, and develop interventions that emphasize safety, choice, and personal control.

Working Conditions

• Work Location

Work is generally performed indoors; up to 30% of time spent outdoors in all types of weather.

• Physical Requirements

Duties require extended periods of standing and/or walking. Duties require occasional periods of climbing, pulling/pushing items, lifting/carrying items, keyboarding, reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling. Employees are required to look at a computer screen for up to 50% of the time. Must be able to lift up to 35lbs occasionally.

• Work Conditions

Working environment is generally favorable. Lighting and temperature are adequate. Work is performed amid normal conditions of dust, odors, fumes, and noises. Regular environmental exposures to cold, heat, and water. This position is required to work in an environment often dealing with clients in crisis situations brought about by diverse problems. The ability to function independently and frequently under pressure, while managing multiple concurrent tasks including emergency situations is an ongoing expectation of this position.

• Hours of Work

This position typically works weekday daytime shifts. Some work on scheduled days off may be required. Moderate overtime may be required. Work on statutory holidays may be required.

• Hazards

Job requires frequent interaction with the public some of whom may be upset, abusive, and/or violent. Job requires working frequently with people in unhealthy conditions and may include exposure to bodily fluids, lice and bedbugs. Employee is required to hear information about clients’ lives which may be troubling or upsetting; may cause emotional issues (vicarious trauma).

• Other

Due to the nature of the job, and our commitment to a safe environment, the candidate is subject to a criminal record check and must submit a current Driver’s Abstract.