Life Skills & Community Worker

At House of Friendship we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun!

Sounds pretty great doesn’t it? It is! 

Supportive Housing provides affordable permanent housing for those living on low income who may have experienced homelessness. Program includes on-site supports to maintain independent living. The Life Skills & Community Worker will assist tenants in developing life skills in accordance with an individualized life skill learning plan. They will support the development of an inclusive tenant community within the Supportive Housing program and support tenants’ inclusion and participation in the broader community.

** This is a permanent, part-time position (18.75 hours per week), offering personal days,

vacation pay, group health benefits and defined contribution pension plan.

Schedule to include days, evenings and weekends.

Flexibility required with schedule in order to meet the needs of the tenants.

Valid G class driver’s license is required.

Successful completion of a Police Records Check (Vulnerable Sector) is required. **

Key Responsibilities:

· Build relationships with a caseload of tenants to support their unique recovery from homelessness

· Provide one on one support to tenants with the goal of improving their life skills (i.e. cooking, cleaning, fitness, budgeting support, health strategies, community integration, social skills development etc.) 

· Plan, implement and assess small group programming to support the overall health and wellbeing of the tenants and improve community engagement

· Work as a member of a team to case conference with diverse service providers to broker supports for the tenants

· Provide tenant documentation, report writing and program planning documentation

· Participate in team responsibilities with the supportive housing team and regular ongoing training and ongoing coaching and development

· Participate in Needle Syringe Program as needed

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills:

· Passion to support people living on a low income with support needs

· Ability to relate and interact well with the individuals we serve who have experienced homelessness, poverty and trauma

· Strong interpersonal, emotional intelligence and resilience skills

· Ability to manage conflict and de-escalate situations

· Excellent oral and written communication skills

· Ability to work effectively with people with various abilities, life situations and cultural backgrounds

Education/Experience:

· University degree or minimum 2 year college diploma in social work/recreation and leisure or related social sciences is required

· Experience working with individual experiencing challenges related to mental illness and substance use 

· Experience in case planning/management with individuals and assisting them in developing life skills

· Experience developing and facilitating group activities both on site and in the community

· Some knowledge of housing and homelessness with a passion to support those experiencing low income and/or poverty and enthusiasm for preventing and reducing the related effects

· Experience working within a non-profit and/or social services environment would be an asset

· Commitment to a strength-based approach to supporting people

Critical Skills:

· Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected

· Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem solving skills required

· Exemplary written and oral communication skills

· Understanding trauma informed practice when supporting team members who are working with individuals with mental illness 

· Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants and community members

· Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs

· Experience with and commitment to using an anti-racism, anti-oppressive and trauma informed approach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery

· Must be dependable, professional, flexible, a team player, and have a positive attitude

· Respectful, supportive and engaging approach to persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, addictions, mental illness and other life challenges

· Excellent project, timeline and deadline management skills including skills in logistics, planning and detailed record keeping

Compensation:

At House of Friendship, we know that our team members are the key to the success of our organization and our ability to provide essential services to the community. In support of our mission and in alignment with our values, House of Friendship is committed to ensuring fair, market competitive, and rewarding compensation practices for all of our team members. We aspire to support our team members to create a great work environment where our team is able to thrive, succeed, and have a positive work experience.

House of Friendship compensation practices including our pay grid, have been developed using documented leading pay practices in the not-for-profit sector including Pathways to Decent Work (Ontario Nonprofit Network) and Ontario Living Wage Network . We value the experience that new team members bring to the organization and have a process in place to review previous related experience for placement on our pay grid.

We value the work that you do with fair pay and benefits:

· Time off includes vacation pay and 3* personal days

· Part-time benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Group Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Flexible Spending Account and Employee & Family Assistance Program

· We believe strongly in supporting the mental health of our team members, including providing access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, $2,000 for counselling services and our workplace Wellness and Psychological Health and Safety programs

· We help you save for the future by providing a retirement plan that includes a matched Group Pension Plan as well as a Group RRSP and a Group Tax Free Savings Account

Rate of Pay:

At House of Friendship all compensation ranges are categorized under a series of “grades” and we base our payment structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s past related experience will be taken into consideration.

Grade: 5

Min: $27.04

Mid: $31.03

Max: $35.02

Working Conditions:

•37.5 hours biweekly

• Days, evenings, weekends; flexibility required

• Travel throughout the region of Waterloo; generally with House of Friendship fleet vehicles and/or public transit options

• Encountering participants at program sites who may be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, and/or experiencing symptoms of mental illness can be expected

House of Friendship is open and inviting to qualified candidates with lived experience.

We strive to remove barriers that may prevent qualified applicants from fully participating in the recruitment and selection process. Accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and other applicable legislation is available throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. Accommodations will be provided upon request.

If you are as passionate as we are about serving the community, let’s talk.

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter here:

By end of day June 16, 2024.