Encampment and Community Outreach Worker - Victoria, Canada - Pacifica Housing

Pacifica Housing

Verified Company

Victoria, Canada

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Sophia Lee

beBee Recruiter

Description

Reports to:
Assistant Manager of Community Services

Compensation:
$25.21-$27.32 per hour

Schedule: 8;30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (70 Hours bi-weekly)

Union:

BCGEU

Organizational Focus
Pacifica Housing has been providing safe and affordable homes for almost 35 years. We are a rapidly growing organization dedicated to meeting the housing and support needs of our community.

As such, we are committed to building our fast-growing team with a culture that supports our people and reinforces our core values of authenticity, leadership, respect, and social justice.

Pacifica is proud to be a Certified Living Wage Employer by The Living Wage for Families Campaign.

As a member of the Downtown Outreach Housing Resource Services (DOHRS) team, the Encampment and Community Outreach Worker's focus is to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary group to provide outreach, assessment, placement and advocacy to identified homeless individuals primarily residing in encampments in and around the municipality of Greater Victoria.

Position's Primary Objectives:

The position's goal is to liaise with members of the Housing Action Response Team (H.A.R.

T) team in efforts to identify homeless individuals in encampments and connect them to services and stable housing, by:

- providing a variety of assessment, placement and advocacy services for encampment clients;
- connecting identified individuals to permanent housing in conjunction with the local C.A.A. process, DOHRS services, and managing program specific subsidy allotments/agreements within the private market;
- working with other members of the community services team to develop and managing client case plans to promote long-term housing stability;
- developing and maintaining relationships with community members, agencies, landlords and identified clients;
- providing support to the team including the resolution of difficult/complex issues, debriefing and case management consultation;
- preparing and providing regular reports and statistics regarding critical incidents, program developments, operational issues and program evaluations;
- assisting in public relations campaigns, workshops and special events and projects;
- ensuring policies, procedures and obligations associated with Property Services are implemented and adhered to; and
- mentors new/existing front-line staff as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

Provides a range of support services to clients who have multiple barriers to housing, including:

conducting comprehensive assessments through direct one-to-one consultations with clients;

- seeking out and approaching people living 'in the rough'/street entrenched with the intention of establishing a rapport and building trust;
- supporting clients by providing educational materials and guidance regarding how to obtain and maintain housing;
- problem-solving and skills training with clients to facilitate securing affordable, adequate, safe housing;
- maintaining concise and accurate client files including current case notes and information about each client's progress with their respective case plans;
- providing interim case management services during the period of assessment and placement in housing.

Develops and maintains on-going working, professional relationships with community members, landlords, property owners/managers, in collaboration with the Landlord Liaison position, including:

providing mediation and problem-solving services to resolve disputes/disagreements between clients and landlords;

- responding quickly and effectively to tenancy issues such as damages to the unit, problems with hygiene, bed bugs, hoarding etc.;
- coordinating and participating in client move out activities; and
- following up with landlords on a regular basis to identify and mitigate potential housing retention issues before they escalate and become costly and difficult to manage.

Manage, in conjunction with the Assistant Manager of Community Services, program specific private market subsides, by:

facilitating multi dwelling housing sites for encampment related individuals and other such housing models;

- manage housing sites in collaboration with Pacifica Housing's property management services;
- case managing individuals in collaboration with community based housing first organizations that offer support and case management services.

As a member of the Community Services team, performs a variety of administrative duties and attends professional development functions, including:

initiating and participating in program and policy assessment;

- attending bi-weekly team meetings to debrief cases, provide and receive peer support, provide up-dates on community status and exchange information on community resources;
- tracking client housing activities and compiling monthly statistical reports;
- maintaining the BC Housing Data Base and all associated processes such as reports and confidential documents