Bilingual Community Mediator for Indigenous Homeless Support

Native Women Inc.; Montreal; On-site; CAD 34,000 - 37,000; Part time

Job summary

Native Women Inc. invites applications for a part-time Mediator position at Cabot Square, Montreal. The role focuses on working with the unhoused Indigenous population to promote safety and improve access to resources in the Cabot Square area.

Work is 24 hours per week (Fri-Sun, 12:00-20:00) with a three-month probation. Candidates should meet education requirements and bilingual in French and English; knowledge of local Indigenous issues is valued.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences or equivalent experience.
• Bilingualism in French and English.

Responsibilities

• Intervene to promote safety and build trust with unhoused Indigenous individuals in Cabot Square and surrounding areas.
• Act as liaison between community stakeholders and resources (e.g., Round House Café) and collaborate with SPVM/STM and other partners.
• Write intervention notes and incident reports; participate in team meetings and trainings; enter data for statistics; submit monthly reports to Executive Director.

Education

Bachelor's degree in social sciences or equivalent experience

Job description

Since 2014, the Cabot Square Project has been initiated by the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) in partnership with the Borough Ville-Marie and the YMCA Homelessness Assistance in the downtown borough. This project aims to improve the feeling of safety and wellbeing among all community members, and encourage positive cohabitation in Cabot Square and the surrounding areas with a team of community workers using various tools to support the vulnerable homeless population and residents.

The team is currently seeking a part-time Mediator who will be primarily involved in working with the unhoused Indigenous population in the Cabot Square area, promoting safety and increasing access to resources.

POSITION TITLE:Mediator (Cabot Square)

TYPE OF POSITION:24 hours per week (part-time)

SCHEDULE:12:00 - 20:00 ( Friday- Sunday)

LOCATION:Square Cabot - Surrounding areas

SALARY:$33,696 - $37,440

PROBATION:Three (3) month probation period, after which an evaluation will be conducted.

APPLICATION:Please send a cover letter, your Curriculum Vitae and two letters of reference to the attention of:

The Native Women Shelter of Montreal as soon as possible.

[e-mail]

The NWSM values diversity and equitable representation. While all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, preference will be given to qualified Indigenous applicants

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the authority of the Executive Director, and the supervision of the Outreach Team Manager, the Cabot Square Mediator is responsible for the following tasks:

Intervention / Safety

• Patrol Cabot Square (near Atwater metro station) and surrounding areas to meet the vulnerable population and those at risk of homelessness in order to build trusting relationships;
• Promote the safety of individuals who frequent Cabot Square;
• Respond to emergencies and crisis situations;
• Promote social coexistence and the feeling of safety, especially through interventions and mediation between the different occupants of the public space, including during events;
• Learn about the issues and realities affecting the urban Indigenous unhoused community and adapt approaches to be culturally relevant and safe.

Community

• Act as a liaison between community stakeholders and resources, including the Round House Café;
• Establish and maintain collaboration with the SPVM and STM personnel;
• Establish and maintain collaboration with community resources and partners;
• Respond to community reports and concerns;
• Meet with merchants in the area and other representatives of spaces frequented by the unhoused Indigenous population to improve cohabitation in public spaces.

Operations

• Write intervention notes and incident reports
• Participate in team meetings, clinical discussions, and training
• Enter data needed for statistics according to deadlines provided
• Submit monthly reports to the Executive Director

REQUIREMENTS

• Hold a bachelor's degree in human sciences (social work, psychology, psychoeducation, sociology, criminology) or the equivalent in experience;
• Ability to foster respect and trust with individuals who are unhoused and in difficulty.
• Have a minimum of 2 years experience in the social services field and with marginalized populations;
• Mandatory first aid accreditation;
• Knowledge of the sector, local resources and social issues facing the Indigenous unhoused population;
• Demonstrate independence, integrity and adaptability;
• Be comfortable with Windows and Office suite;
• Bilingualism in French and English
• Recognized security officer training or conflict de-escalation training. ASSET
• Flexibility and availability in terms of schedules (including evenings and weekends). ASSET
• Knowledge of Inuktitut or other Indigenous languages. ASSET

SKILLS

• Teamwork and Professional Collaboration: The ability to work and collaborate with different types of people and build on each other's strengths to achieve the desired results.
• Organizational and Interpersonal Communication: The ability to actively listen, to encourage the expression of ideas, to foster constructive exchanges and to express oneself verbally and in writing with clarity, transparency, accuracy, coherence and respect for others.
• Intervention and Relationship Building: The capacity to build trust quickly in professional relationships and support individuals navigating situations of significant stress and hardship (incl. sexual violence) with respect and a non-judgmental approach, and with clear and appropriate boundaries.
• Innovation and Continuous Improvement: The ability and sensitivity to continually seek innovative approaches and ways of doing things to improve, stand out and achieve or exceed expected results.
• Work Management: The ability to effectively manage time and resources to perform the required objectives.