Housing Support Worker (Permanent, Fulltime)

JOB SUMMARY: Reporting to the Senior Manager of Health Services and Housing, as the Housing Support Worker, you will work alongside residents who have experienced mental health concerns and/or substance use to maintain housing stability. You will support individuals in developing and working through their personal service plans striving towards health, wellness and belonging. This program serves individuals who have experienced long term housing instability and/or long stay hospitalizations. This position will require a high level of resilience and willingness to work in close proximity to challenging situations.

What matters to you? Being in a work culture that operates out of their core values of HEART (holistic, equity, altruism, relationships, and truth and reconciliation) - embracing diversity, promoting equality and inclusion. A place that sees you as a LEADER contributing your individuality to champion the vision of creating communities that transforms lives.

ABOUT US: Siloam Mission is a Christian-based non-profit service organization for Manitobans who have experienced homelessness and who struggle with mental health issues, physical and cognitive disabilities, addictions or trauma. Founded in 1987, the mission provides emergency shelter, meals and clothing, supportive housing and a variety of healing, support and recovery services to help people transform their own lives and reach their full potential.

What our Residents say: “I used to feel isolated, alone and scared before moving here. I love living here, joking around and laughing with the other residents and the staff. It’s like a family.”

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

Direct Support to Residents

• Skilled in building therapeutic relationships with residents with a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed approach, promoting hope and trust
• Coordinate, lead and/or participate in case conferences with outside supports
• Comfort and familiarity with a harm reduction approach
• Develop, contribute to, and carry out individual resident support plans, including any relevant assessment tools
• Work individually with residents to identify and achieve goals as it relates to their individual support needs and recovery
• Connect residents with supportive community resources, including both clinical and informal supports, facilitating case coordination and case management
• Strong familiarity with local resources
• Confident in utilizing crisis management and intervention skills
• Respond to resident complaints/concerns with care, compassion, and efficiency
• Reinforcing residents’ life skills, including spiritual, social, and coping skills
• Assist with intake and orientation of new residents
• Develop and facilitate relevant group programming
• Complete required documentation in a thorough and timely manner with a focus on maintaining and protecting tenant records

Leadership

• Consistently show initiative and engage in creative problem solving.
• Ability to take the lead on internal program development and projects.
• Establish relationships with community partners within the local social service sector
• Reinforce a positive workplace culture and tone through your skilled verbal and written communication.
• Keep Siloam’s Departments informed of community opportunities and share emerging trends related to best practices in housing stability.
• Play a coordinating role on the team around duties such as apartment checks and pest management.
• Comfort and familiarity with landlord responsibilities such as pest management, rent collection, rent deposits, and Landlord and Tenant Board processes.

Support, Direction, and Commitment to Interdisciplinary Team

• Work as part of the Community Wellness team to provide direct and indirect support to residents, encouraging housing stability. These supports may include: apartment checks, oversight of pest management protocols, community events, meal services, and other supports as necessary
• Support unit vacancies and turnover
• Collaborate with Volunteer Services to integrate program volunteers into housing support activities. Complete volunteer logs as required
• Assist in the orientation and support of staff, students and volunteers
• Keep apprised of new research and developments relevant to your role, through workshops, journals, websites, and?literature. Transfer knowledge back to the team and residents in the most effective manner available
• Follow applicable regulations, policies and procedures
• Work collaboratively with Facilities and Building Futures Department, supporting and reporting maintenance needs to ensure upkeep of buildings and tenant units

Health, Welfare and Safety Practices

• Use appropriate procedures and follow-up documentation when responding to emergency situations
• Ensure your own health & safety, that of residents and co-workers by adhering to health & safety standards
• Complete required safety checks and inspections as assigned
• Attend and participate in all required training to maintain and develop new skills

WHAT YOU WILL BRING:

• Post-Secondary training in related field or equivalent experience

• Experience working within a case management framework with individuals with mental illness, substance use, or other special needs
• A warm, sensitive, and caring approach
• Ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships and have a genuine interest in supporting people living with trauma and mental illness
• Work independently, have strong problem-solving skills, be flexible, organized, responsible, and take initiative

We want you to thrive:

• Vacation: 3 weeks paid with 12 HEAL days (sick and personal appointments) per year and 2 personal days.
• Benefits after 3 months: Extended health (80% prescription coverage plus full medical - some exceptions may apply), dental and vision care. Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program- primary care and professional consulting services
• Group RRSP: Siloam gives 5% of salary, you can opt in for further contributions
• New Staff Orientation
• Professional and Personal Development- Lunch and Learn Webinars, Indigenous Cultural Competency and 2SLGBTQ Awareness. Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI), First Aid/CPR/Naloxone, Therapeutic Relationships and Applied Suicide Intervention (ASIST)
• Social Events: Annual staff appreciation to celebrate the important work we do + Celebration Committee events throughout the year

WORKING CONDITION

• Hours of work 8 am – 4:30 pm some evening and weekends may be required;
• Office environment within the 33-unit facility;
• Having a valid full Class 5F driver’s license is an asset for this position;
• May be required to lift up to 50 lbs. occasionally;
• Hazardous conditions could potentially include unpredictable or risky behaviours from community members;

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY

The incumbent contributes to making the organization safe for clients and staff and recognizes the importance of reporting unsafe situations and participating in follow up reviews as a learning opportunity.

• Provides a safe environment by ensuring adherences to Workplace Safety and Health
• Regulations and Policies, Infection Control Guidelines, WHMIS and Safe Work Procedures. Immediately investigates and recommends corrective action on any unsafe acts, work conditions, incidents, near misses, injuries or illnesses.
• Demonstrates understanding of role and responsibilities in fire prevention and disaster preparedness and participates in safety and health training programs including the facility’s Fire, Disaster and Evacuation Plan.
• Supports an environment which avoids, prevents and corrects all activities or actions which may result in an adverse outcome in the delivery of services. Community Member safety is a standing item for all individual and departmental meetings.

As Siloam Mission works to support diverse tenant populations, we are seeking to create a diverse work culture that closely matches the diversity of our communities with qualified individuals who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives. Our supports, services and employment are open to people from every creed, race, ethnicity, sex, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. And we especially invite applications from Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities and intersectionalities.

Personal information submitted will be used only for employment opportunities within Siloam Mission in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.

Accommodation will be provided to applicants who make their needs known in advance for the duration of the hiring process as required under Siloam Mission’s Employment policy.