Case Worker - Harm Reduction (CHUR1232)

YWCA Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent multi-service women's organization in Toronto seeks a Harm Reduction Caseworker to promote harm reduction strategies, provide case management, and ensure community building for women and gender diverse individuals. The role involves supporting tenants facing complex challenges such as mental health and homelessness. This full-time position offers a comprehensive benefits package and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage

Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Benefit

Multi-Sector Pension Plan

Generous Paid Time Off

Qualifications

• 3 - 5 years of experience in supportive housing and direct service.
• Demonstrated experience in developing group programming.
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services.

Responsibilities

• Provide case management support to marginalized individuals.
• Utilize eviction prevention measures to maintain tenancy.
• Develop individualized support plans in collaboration with tenants.

Skills

Crisis intervention

Counseling skills

Knowledge of harm reduction

Communication skills

Leadership cultivation

Education

Bachelor of Social Work or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing. We work to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

Job Details

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Hours: 35 hours per week. Housing programs operate 24/7 - rotating shifts including evenings, holidays and weekends; shares on-call responsibilities or provides emergency coverage

Salary: $59,399 annually (L7), plus comprehensive benefits

Location: 389 Church Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2E5

Internal Application Deadline: Monday, September 22, 2025

External Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Posting Date: September 12, 2025

Role

Position: Harm Reduction – Caseworker

The Harm Reduction – Caseworker is responsible for leading the design and implementation of programming that promotes harm reduction principles and approaches that empower tenants and tenant-led initiatives. The goal of the position is to create an inclusive community, encourage participation in the broader community, and develop effective harm reduction strategies to meet the emotional, practical and social support needs of the tenants and the community as a whole. Caseworker also supports tenancy retention through eviction prevention, developing and implementing community development initiatives, with the goal of creating a dynamic and inclusive community.

About YWCA Toronto – Housing Support Program, Church Street

YWCA Toronto Church Street facility includes 120 units of permanent housing. The Case Worker is responsible for providing case management support to women and gender diverse people including: individuals with complex mental health issues and who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness; individuals transitioning from provincially-funded institutions and service systems such as hospitals or prisons; Indigenous women/two-spirit people. The program goals include housing stabilization, harm reduction, and health promotion. Individual and group support assists tenants to identify and build the skills required to address the barriers they experience in their lives and to maintain their housing.

Key Responsibilities

• Uses effective eviction prevention measures to assist tenants to assume and maintain their tenancy obligations;
• Uses harm reduction principles in facilitating and supporting tenant-centered activities (e.g. tenant committees related to areas of importance for residents such as safety, health and wellness, building-related issues, housing stability, etc.);
• Provides harm reduction strategies that will empower individuals as they address issues related to substance use, mental health, health and wellness and housing;
• Provides crisis prevention, intervention and counseling for women and children and gender diverse people to respond to crisis in ways that support individual and community well-being;
• Engages individuals in identifying needs, developing treatment plans, and assists tenants to problem solve and access relevant community support plans that identify ongoing housing and mental health/addictions support;
• Works with a tenant support network and referral partners to develop individualized support plans that identify ongoing housing and mental health/addictions support;
• Creates and delivers programming specifically designed to build community capacity with the use of a harm reduction framework that will give individuals and groups of residents the opportunity to develop and use harm reduction strategies in all aspects of their lives (health, relationships, independent life skills, housing, etc.).

Qualifications

• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Bachelor of Social Work in mental health and health field, Occupational Therapy, etc.) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered);
• 3 - 5 years’ experience working in a supportive housing setting in a direct service setting with children, youth and adults who experience impacts of poverty, homelessness/under-housing, violence/trauma, mental health/addictions, or concurrent disorders;
• In-depth understanding of harm reduction, trauma, mental health and substance use;
• Demonstrative experience, knowledge and understanding of harm reduction approaches as a holistic frame work that incorporates supportive housing, community development, advocacy and peer support;
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating leadership within groups and developing dynamic and innovative programming;
• Supportive counseling and group-work approach that is flexible, client-centered and strengths-based;
• Life Skills certificate an asset; arts based and social media skills an asset;
• Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing Services Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code;
• Excellent crisis intervention and conflict mediation skills, with ability to remain calm in crisis;
• Proven experience working independently, developing and facilitating groups;
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services and very good knowledge and understanding of community resources;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and excellent oral and written communications skills;
• Working knowledge and application of Anti-Oppression, Trauma Informed, Harm Reduction, and feminist frameworks;
• Knowledge of a second language or culture an asset.

Note and Working Conditions

Note: Staff at YWCA Toronto work in dynamic environments that can present both rewards and challenges. To support safety and well-being, all employees are provided with appropriate training, protective equipment, and access to wellness resources. The following working conditions may apply to this position:

• Exposure to unpredictable behaviours and situations, with required adherence to use de-escalation and crisis intervention safety protocols.
• Regular exposure to unpleasant odours, bodily fluids, and pests (such as bed bugs, mice, and cockroaches), with use of PPE and infection control procedures.
• Work involves high emotional demands including vicarious trauma, grief, and compassion fatigue, with wellness supports and EAP resources available.
• Potential exposure to second-hand smoke inside tenants’ units; requiring staff to follow organizational health and safety measures.
• Interactions includes; tenants who may have pets, requiring adherence to program guidelines for providing clear directions on tenants safe handling and storage practices of their pets.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Benefit
• Multi-Sector Pension Plan: Employer’s contribution of 5.75% and Employee Contribution of 3.25%
• Time off: Starts with 20 Vacation Days, 1.5 Days Per Month Sick Leave, 12 Paid Holidays, Health Promotional Days and 4 Float Days
• Other Benefits: Child Care Benefits, Maternity/Parental Leave Supplementary Employment Benefits, Educational/Sabbatical Leave, and Financial Assistance for Professional Development

Vaccination Policy: In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health.

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate prior to hiring. YWCA Toronto is a unionized workplace. Staff are represented by CUPE Local 2189. This position is within the Bargaining Unit. Please indicate on your cover letter if you are an internal candidate. For internal applicants, this position is secondable.

YWCA Toronto promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

YWCA Toronto provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.