Foxglove- Relief Support Worker (Casual)

RainCity Housing; Surrey; Hybrid; CAD 45,000 - 48,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

5 days Indigenous leave for ceremonial

8 weeks gender-affirming leave

Employee Assistance Program

Physiotherapy coverage

Vision and dental care

Job summary

RainCity Housing operates Foxglove Shelter in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and is seeking a Casual Relief Support Worker to assist individuals experiencing homelessness. You will conduct intake referrals, provide case management, advocate for access to services, and help with daily shelter operations while supporting residents’ health and well-being.

The role emphasizes harm reduction, trauma-informed care, and collaboration with shelter staff.

Qualifications

• Diploma in community social services or related training.
• Two years related experience with emphasis on mental health, addictions, homelessness and/or social services.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide case management and referrals for shelter clients.
• Assist with medication administration and basic First Aid as needed.
• Respond to shelter inquiries and maintain a safe environment.
• Support daily shelter operations and housekeeping as required.

Skills

Collaborative relationships

Harm reduction

Crisis intervention

Hope-inducing strategies

Teamwork

Cultural awareness

Education

Diploma in community social services or relevant training

First Aid and CPR certification

Job description

Foxglove- Relief Support Worker (Casual)

Job Description

Posted Monday, August 31, 2026 at 7:00 AM | Expires Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 6:59 AM

RainCity Housing operates on the stolen, unceded, ancestral, traditional homelands of theXʷməθkwəy̓əm ,Sḵwx̱wú7mesh , andsəl̓ílwətaʔɬ Nations in so-called Vancouver, theq̓íc̓əy ̓,qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən ̓,kʷikʷəƛ̓əm ,qiqéyt ,SEMYOME ,Stó꞉lō , andsc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ Nations in so-called Lower Mainland, and theshíshálh in so-called Sunshine Coast.

About Us – A home for every person

RainCity Housing is an organization that makes a difference in people’s lives. Our mission is to advance social equity by building upon the strengths of our community and of each individual. With a goal of providing a home for everyone, RainCity’s programs sustain relationships, strengthen communities, and make change for people experiencing homelessness, mental health, trauma, and substance use issues.

RainCity Housing has been developing emerging and promising practices for over 40 years in social services and healthcare, providing Housing First, harm reduction and supports for community members who access our services. To learn more, check out our innovationspage. You can visit our Indeed page and click on the “Follow” button to be notified of new job openings: ca.indeed.com/cmp/Raincity-Housing-and-Support-Society/about.

You can also follow us onLinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Benefits:

• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year
• 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total
• Employee and Family Assistance Program available to ALL employees, including 24-hour helpline, Personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching: https://www.fseap.ca/
• Unlimited Physiotherapy and $1,000/year coverage for Massage
• Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropract, Group Life Benefit $50,000, Long TermDisability, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies

Position Summary

The Shelter Support worker provides a range of support services to mental health consumers and/or substance users faced with homelessness and in need of temporary emergency housing. Working closely with members of the shelter team, the Shelter Support Worker assesses incoming referrals to the shelter and provides case management services. These services include appropriate referrals to ongoing community supports, advocating on the client’s behalf to gain access to appropriate assistance, and generally educating and supporting residents who are dealing with complex bio-psycho-social issues. The Shelter Support Worker’s role includes medication administration to 3030 Gordon clients and assistance with basic First Aid as necessary. The Shelter Worker is also responsible for the general daily operations of the shelter, including responding to shelter telephones, doorbells, and visitors; cleaning of office area, common areas and washrooms; preparing shelter rooms, distribution of health/hygiene products, and maintaining a safe and secure environment for staff and residents.

Job Competition #

cas2026.347

Closing Date: Midnight September 21, 2026

Job: Shelter Support Worker, Foxglove Shelter, Casual

Hourly Range: $33.49 – $35.31 (BCGEU, Grid 34)

Hours: Casual

Work Site: 9810 Foxglove Drive

Start Date: As soon as possible

A clear British Columbia Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check for working with vulnerable adults and/or children is a condition of employment with RainCity Housing. Applicants must be willing and able to receive a clearance under the Criminal Record Review Act.

Program Summary

Foxgloveshelter has 30 beds which consists of separate sides for woman-identified participants and male participants on the other side. Staff provides three meals a day, there are a few rooms that can be used for non-binary folks. There are staff on site twenty-four hours a day over three separate shifts in the building. The folks in this space have access to indigenous cultural liaisons who creates programing connected to culture and build relationships with participants. There is peer support specialist available seven days a week as well. There is a medication program for the residents of the shelter for those who chose to use this service. The shelter has a wide range of referral streams that are not just limited to the coordinated access through BCH.

QUALIFICATIONS

Many forms of education and experience are valued, including volunteering, and lived experience of mental illness/addiction/homelessness. Minimum education and experience include:

• A Diploma in community social services or other relevant training
• Two (2) years of related experience with an emphasis on mental health, addictions, homelessness and/or social services.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification.

Key Skills and Abilities – for supporting people receiving our services

• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships.
• Identify and work to increase people’s strengths.
• Work with people using hope-inducing strategies.
• Informally teach harm reduction, life skills.
• Ability to work positively, patiently, and proactively with all clients, including those who may demonstrate a range of difficult behaviours including hostility, indifference, anger, extreme dependence.
• Ability to intervene in crisis situations, including de-escalate verbal aggression, hostility, suicidality, mental and physical health crises.
• Ability to perform light housekeeping duties including preparing rooms for new residents and general upkeep of the office space.
• Knowledge of Downtown East Side health and community services.
• Working knowledge of the principles of harm reduction.
• Knowledge of the diagnosis and resources in the areas of mental health, substance use, physical health, including HIV and Hepatitis C.
• Knowledge of the dynamics of oppression, specifically as related to the experience of mental health consumers and substance users.
• Assists participants in maintaining a clean apartment, including encouraging independence and increasing skills, washing belongings and cleaning apartment, assisting with pest control, and liaising with home support, if applicable.
• Completes shift duty list, as per program requirements.

Diversity

RainCity Housing serves a diverse group of people, and we need a staff group that reflects this diversity. People of diverse backgrounds and cultures are encouraged to apply.

As we work towards building a diverse staff team, we are particularly seeking applicants who identify as being Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, applicants with personal lived experience, and 2SLGBTQ+ identified people.

Inclusion and creating a safer space

We are committed to making our organization a safer place for our staff, with steps taken to create space for learning and unlearning. RainCity’s department of Indigenous Cultural Services was created to acknowledge the unique history and service needs of our Indigenous staff and tenants in respect to accessing culturally relevant and culturally sensitive care and support. RainCity’s Black Affinity Group was formed to provide support for Blackstaff by creating a safe space to support each other, network, debrief, and to heal from the impact of harm endured. Candidates are welcome to self-identifying in their cover letters as Black, First nations, Métis, or Inuit.

All of our employees are expected to develop and exhibit skills to contribute to safety in the workplace, including demonstrating anti-racism knowledge and skills to support racialized communities, including knowledge of Canada’s historical and ongoing colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples, and commitment to learn and uphold the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Employees are also expected to demonstrate anti-discrimination knowledge and skills to support equity seeking groups, including the 2SLGBTQA+ community, people who use drugs and alcohol, people living with mental health issues and sex workers.

Inclusivity and support for people with differing abilities

In our efforts to provide a barrier-free workplace, we invite you to let us know of any adjustments or accommodations that might be needed for you to participate in the interview or selection process by sending an email to [e-mail].

RainCity Housing is a unionized workplace. Along with the union, we support the principles of the Human Rights Code of BC. We promote a workplace that treats both staff and the people accessing services with dignity and respect.