Shelter Support Worker - Chatham-Kent, Canada - Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent

Verified Company

Chatham-Kent, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has an opening for a temporary full-time (35 hours per week) Shelter Support Worker in the Employment & Social Services division.

This temporary full-time opportunity is for a period up to May 2025.

Job description

Shelter Support Workers provide support to the residents of an emergency shelter to help maintain order in the shelter and to help the residents achieve success in transitioning to housing through a client focused and harm reduction perspective.

Essential responsibilities

Demonstrate Chatham-Kent's core values and competencies
Provide support to clients who are facing issues of poverty, mental health, addictions, abuse, and social isolation
Build rapport and establish professional relationships with guests
Will work shift work as scheduled in a 24/7 shelter
Act as Charge Support Worker as assigned, taking the lead for the shift by working with team to assign duties, ensure safety of all, be the "point person" on shift, ensure notes are complete and other duties as assigned
Perform initial screenings and assess client eligibility for admittance to emergency shelter programs
Admit clients and assist them to integrate into the emergency shelter environment by providing a tour of the program, explaining the rules and policies, fire safety procedures, and harmreduction and housing first philosophy
Ensure safety and wellbeing of clients and staff by doing regular facility and bed/room checks
Assess and assist with addressing client's personal hygiene, medical, financial and emotional needs and refer them to appropriate community health, housing and social support services if necessary
Provide assistance when medical emergencies and other critical incidents occur within the shelter using problemsolving and crisis intervention to deescalate conflicts
Research and identify sustainable housing supports and subsidies, affordable legal support services, courthouse processes and etiquette, and income support services, making the necessary community referrals
Support the development of client life skills, including providing support with parenting skills, budgeting, liaising with landlords, and/or navigating the legal system; support with accessing income support, emergency protection orders, parenting orders, visitation, and navigating family enhancement orders or other forms of Children's Services involvement is also required
Community Outreach to locate and engage with unsheltered homeless individuals in the community who are in need of support services and who otherwise would not seek assistance; and provide supports to help them stabilize their lives
Liaise with community agencies and businesses to fulfill program needs and ensure a smooth flow of information and resources
Transport and/or accompany clients when necessary to viewings, mental health appointments, court appearances, income support appointments, Children's Services case meetings, and/or other relevant appointments
Complete daily tasks such as cleaning, laundry to keep the program and facility running
Use sound judgement and discretion to ensure participants receive effective service within a complex legislative and policy environment that incorporates the unique circumstances of each individual participant
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with social assistance recipients experiencing hardship, addiction or mental health issues and housing & homelessness concerns using antioppressive practices and with a traumainformed approach

Essential qualifications

College certificate or diploma in social services or other related field, with six (6) months to two (2) years of related experience
Experience in directly assisting persons with psychosocial, physical, emotional and/or environmental problems in an emergency shelter or similar setting
Experience addressing the needs of homeless clients or clients at risk of homelessness
Training and experience in the area of social and community services
Current knowledge of community services, resources, policies, programs, procedures and issues affecting client population
Ability to appropriately assess situations and problem solve, and to deescalate interpersonal conflicts in an effective fashion through crisis intervention techniques using traumainformed principles
Experience with Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) computer system is preferred
Strong computer skills, specifically Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and SharePoint; ability to learn new software programs

Other qualifications

Experience in casework and case management is an asset (i.e. experience working with clients to develop and implement a plan to reach their identified goals)
Experience using Motivational Interviewing to affect change an asset

Certifications, memberships, licenses