JOB OPPORTUNITY: Housing and Life Skills Worker

Housing and Life Skills Worker Competition #30-25

About Our Opportunity:

Directions Youth Services is a division of Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV), which for more than 90 years has provided a variety of essential resources for children, families and individuals in the Greater Vancouver community. We believe in the resiliency of Vancouver’s youth who are at-risk, homeless, and street-involved. We assist youth under the age of 25 to get counselling for trauma, mental health or substance issues. Our teams strive to create spaces and build connections with youth who are facing challenges of street life, substance use, mental health concerns, and disconnection from their communities. Directions inclusive programs of shelter and drop-in, safe houses and other unique programs are committed to being a community leader in harm reduction work and fostering low-barrier spaces where all youth are welcome.

This position reports to the Program Manager of Youth Transition Supports, Directions Youth Services. In collaboration with the 10K Program Supervisor, the Housing and Life Skills Worker will support and assist at-risk youth to secure safe, affordable housing, and work one-to-one and in groups with youth to promote positive choices and to further develop their life skills. Position works on supporting youth in successfully fulfilling their independent housing goals, including finding and/or maintaining housing. Staff work collaboratively within the team and with internal and external service providers to provide case management support. Priority given to youth with ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services (VACFSS).

We Value You- Benefits:

• Three weeks’ vacation for full-time staff * entitlement increases from there

• Three paid household leave days a year

• Two paid Wellness Days a year

• Paid sick days

• Two and a half paid Agency days for full-time staff *

• Five paid days for education leave/year

• One paid Moving Day/year

• Subsidized professional association annual dues (if applicable)

• A work culture that values transparency, teamwork, learning, fairness and integrity

• (pro-rated for part-time staff)

Health and Wellness Resources:

• Generous health/dental benefits after 3 months.
• Three flex benefit options to meet your individualized needs
• Option of psychological/counselling services (up to $1500/year)
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Long Term Disability Plan
• Insurance, Travel insurance, ++

Pension: Municipal Pension plan enrollment for eligible employees

Work Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Salary: $28.81 per hour (GS 9 Step 1)

Location**:** Directions Youth Services, 1138 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC

Posting End Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025

What do you need to succeed?

Education, Training, Experience

• Bachelor degree in Social Work or other relevant education
• 1 year related experience with emphasis on homelessness, mental health, addictions, and/or social services
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to engage in client-centred change by establishing respectful relationships and increasing client motivation for positive change, and ability to observe and recognize change in clients
• Ability to initiate and influence case management and creatively support complex decision-making
• Ability to share best practices with more junior staff and lead in circumstances where required
• Knowledge of the systematic issues that affect low-income and marginalized people and relevant community, social and health resources, and government services and systems.
• Knowledge of low barrier resources, harm reduction model, adolescent development, alcohol and drug use issues, mental health issues, sexually exploited youth, and street-involved activities
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients and apply personal self-care principles
• Ability to deal effectively with conflict situations, maintain calm and tactful composure under a broad range of challenging circumstances, and adjust your approach in changing conditions
• Ability to work alone and also cooperatively and productively within a culturally diverse environment, and maintain the highest professional standards of ethics and confidentiality
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing across a range of technologies
• Ability to deal effectively with conflict situations and aggressive behaviour, and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioral management techniques
• Maintain current knowledge of issues, best practices, and available resources

Additional Requirements

• Successful completion of a Criminal Record Check
• Valid BC driver’s license; Driver’s Abstract is required
• Current First Aid and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention certificates are an asset

How to apply:

If this describes you, please submit your application to us through our website, https://fsgv.ca/careers/

Short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. We thank all candidates and searchers for your interest.

We believe in the power of inclusion and the power of enabling all our staff to thrive by embracing diversity and fostering equality. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all staff that dismantles barriers and creates opportunities. Our organization is committed to recruiting a diverse workforce representing the communities we proudly serve while encompassing the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity. Decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, and all other terms and conditions of employment will be made without regard to race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, political beliefs, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or non-applicable criminal condition.

If you require a disability-related accommodation to participate in the recruitment process or are an internal candidate, please email your resume and cover letter (indicating the competition number #XX-25 in the email subject line) to hrinbox@fsgv.ca.

We gratefully acknowledge that our programs are delivered on traditional and ancestral lands and waters of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh), Qayqayt, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwekwetlem, Semiahmoo, Matsqui, and Tsawwassen First Nations. Huy ch q’u.

Click to read our commitment to reconciliation, justice, and equity.

JOIN US FOR A MEANINGFUL CAREER HELPING OTHERS AND BRING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF!

About Us

When you work with us, you will join a caring team of people who will value you as a whole person. You will also have the opportunity to do meaningful, leading-edge work that has a direct impact on the local community.

Directions Youth Services is a division of Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV), which for more than 90 years has provided a variety of essential resources for children, families, and individuals in the Greater Vancouver community. We believe in the resiliency of Vancouver’s youth who are at-risk, homeless, and street-involved. We assist youth under the age of 25 to get counselling for trauma, mental health, or substance issues. Our teams strive to create spaces and build connections with youth who are facing challenges of street life, substance use, mental health concerns, and disconnection from their communities. Directions inclusive programs of shelter and drop-in, safe houses, and other unique programs are committed to being a community leader in harm reduction work and fostering low-barrier spaces where all youth are welcome.