Housing Support Worker

Beacon Community Services; Victoria; Hybrid; CAD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Beacon Community Services is seeking Housing Support Workers for two full-time overnight positions in Victoria, BC. You will support youth and young adults in housing facilities, ensuring a safe, welcoming environment and assisting with harm-reduction supplies.

You will be involved in daily operations, crisis response, cleaning and safety, and collaboration with community teams, with schedules across two sites and a unionized setting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1-year experience working with people experiencing homelessness and marginalized groups in a direct support role.
• Level 1 First Aid — up to date before starting.
• Naloxone training.
• Food Safe Certificate preferred.
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training.

Responsibilities

• Support the daily operations of the assigned program (Out of the Rain or Mirrors).
• Provide person-centered support to participants, including maintaining cleanliness of suites and the facility.
• Be a first response to crisis intervention as required.
• Liaise with police and emergency services as needed.
• Connect with outside community teams and resources to provide collaborative support to participants.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Problem solving

Teamwork

Professional attitude

Judgment under pressure

Physical stamina

Substance use awareness

Education

First Aid Level 1

Naloxone training

Food Safe Certificate

Non-Violent Crisis Intervention

Job description

Join Beacon Community Services in one of two full-time overnight positions supporting our Out of the Rain and Mirrors programs. The Housing Support Worker is a vital position positively impacting youth and young adult participants at each of our housing facilities. This is a chance to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment that allows you to make both an immediate and long-term difference in participants' lives. If creating a safe space for participants while working with a great team that shares your values appeals to you.

Available schedules

• Out of the Rain: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m.
• Mirrors: Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 7:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m.

Work locations

• Out of the Rain: 1450 Elford Street, Victoria, BC
• Mirrors: 1075 Meares Street, Victoria, BC

Union: BCGEU Standalone collective agreement

Applications will be accepted until the positions are filled.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Team Lead or Manager, the Housing Support Worker uses their skills to create a safe, welcoming and calm environment for those who access and participate in the program. They support participants through critical situations and distribute harm-reduction supplies to keep participants safe and stabilize and continue their growth. The housing support worker is also key to maintaining the cleanliness of participants' rooms, and the facility in general.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the daily operations of the assigned program, either Out of the Rain or Mirrors.
• Support in the kitchen when needed. Including serving food and delivering meals
• Create and maintain professional relationships with the participants, community, and all stakeholders
• Be a first response to crisis intervention as required
• Provide person-centred support to participants, including:
  • Maintain a baseline of cleanliness in participants’ suites
  • Teach, model and encourage life skills, including cleaning, cooking, and organizing spaces
  • Identify potential problems, troubleshoot with participants, and report any difficulties
  • Monitor participant mental health and substance use, and determine when to provide additional support
  • Recognize, analyze and respond to potential emergency situations
  • Encourage and facilitate participation in decision‑making regarding housing, programming and supports
• Assist participants living in the building in maintaining a suite that meets health and safety standards
• Connect with outside community teams and resources to provide collaborative support to participants in the building
• Clean rooms with tenants as needed, wearing appropriate PPE. This can include dealing with human waste, blood, sharps, and other paraphernalia
• Liaise with police and emergency services as needed
• Perform other relevant job duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 1-year experience working with people experiencing homelessness and marginalized groups of individuals in a direct support role. An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.
• Level 1 occupational First Aid- up to date before starting
• Naloxone training
• Food Safe Certificate preferred
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to problem solve, and work independently as well as part of a team
• Ability to maintain a positive and professional attitude
• Ability to use sound judgment while working in demanding conditions and circumstances
• Ability to kneel to the ground to attend to overdoses and other medical emergencies.
• Physical ability to lift 30lbs, walk up and down stairs and be on feet for substantial time during shifts.
• Ability to work in building with substances and substance use

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Beacon Community Services serves vulnerable populations, including seniors, people with disabilities and children. Protecting these people and our teams on whom they rely is critical to us. Accordingly:

• All successful applicants must consent to a Solicitor General’s Criminal Record Check.
• Depending on future public health developments, Beacon may implement a vaccination requirement as a condition of ongoing employment for all our workplaces.

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