Community Support Worker

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

Job summary

A community organization in Ontario is seeking a Community Support Worker to collaborate with tenants and develop inclusive community initiatives. The role requires strong crisis intervention skills and experience in working with diverse populations. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or equivalent and have at least 3 years of experience in supportive housing settings.

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage

Vacation Days and Sick Leave

Pension Plan

Qualifications

• 3-5 years experience in supportive housing services.
• Experience with marginalized communities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with tenants to develop community initiatives.
• Provide crisis support and counseling.
• Facilitate workshops addressing mental health and addictions.

Skills

Crisis intervention and mediation

Client-centered counseling

Leadership

Culturally sensitive service delivery

Ability to work in a team

Education

Bachelor of Social Work or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Windows programs

Job description

Employment Type:Full time, Permanent
Work Hours:35 hours per week (Including evening and weekend hours); Sunday to Thursday 11am to 7pm
Salary:$59,399 per annum (L7), plus comprehensive benefits
Location:80 Woodlawn Avenue East, Toronto, ON, M4T 1C1

Internal Application Deadline: Monday, August 11, 2025
External Application Deadline:Wednesday, August 13, 2025

JOIN OUR TEAM
YWCA Toronto strives to uphold anti-discrimination practices and anti-oppression principles to ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected and protected. We work to promote a climate that is welcoming of all women and individuals who identify as Trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people from all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

The Community Support Worker is responsible for working in collaboration with tenants to develop and implement community development initiatives, with the goal of creating a dynamic and inclusive community, engagement with broader community, and effective strategies to meet the emotional, practical and social support needs of the tenant community. This position will work with the Manager and the team to ensure that community development activities are integrated into the overall program delivery. The Community Support Worker will provide leadership in development and facilitation of initiatives to support the community to generate individual and community solutions to address their needs.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM
YWCA Toronto Housing Support Program offers a range of housing options for women and women led households, including permanent and supportive housing at a variety of YWCA owned and operated locations. Individual and group support assists tenants to identify and build the skills required to the address the barriers they experience in their lives and to maintain their housing. Barriers tenants and their children experience include mental health and/ or addictions, poverty and experiences of violence. Supports are intended to assist women to build the skills required to participate in their community both inside and outside of the building and if they are able and ready, to move to housing without supports.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Works with the Manager, participates in the program team as a specialist in the area of innovative community development and capacity building with marginalized and mixed communities;
• Develops, implements evaluates and facilitates workshops, groups and individual supports that address tenant mental health, addictions and woman abuse issues, with specialized attention to peer support needs;
• Assists tenants to assume and maintain their tenancy obligations;
• Provides crisis prevention, intervention and counseling for participants to respond to crisis in ways that support individual and community well-being;
• Models and coaches tenants to use conflict resolution and mediation skills to support positive relations between tenants;

• Assists in developing and maintaining housing support program policies and procedures;
• Engages with the staff team in reflective practice to ensure the development and implementation of quality programs and services;
• Participates in creating a collaborative and dynamic team environment;

• Ensures accurate, timely documentation of program and tenant support initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Bachelor of Social Work) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered);
• Over 3 years through 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;
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating leadership within groups;
• 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;
• Very good knowledge and understanding of community resources;
• Familiarity with Windows and Excel programs;
• Excellent oral and written communication;
• Ability to work within an anti-oppression and feminist framework;
• Knowledge of a second language or culture an asset;

• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is an asset.

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

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 not secondable.

Posting date: August 1, 2025

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 tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

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 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.