Outreach Worker - Casual

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, Inc.; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 37,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% vacation pay in lieu of benefits

HOOPP pension plan enrollment

Accommodation in recruitment process

Job summary

Sandy Hill Community Health Centre, Inc. is hiring an Outreach Worker on a casual contract based at 221 Nelson Street, Ottawa. The role focuses on engaging street-involved individuals and facilitating access to health, housing and social services through a harm-reduction approach.

Requirements include a college diploma in social services or related fields, English fluency, and experience in outreach or harm reduction. Bilingual French capability is a plus and a criminal check may be required.

Qualifications

• College diploma in social services, addictions, mental health, or a related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• French Language Services available: Advanced in expression, comprehension and reading.
• Fluency in English, both oral and written.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct engagement and practical support to street-involved individuals, addressing health, housing and social service access.
• Operate within a harm reduction framework to minimize risks and promote well-being.
• Build trust and offer basic needs supports to participants in Sandy Hill.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Non-judgmental, client-centered

Active listening

Knowledge of Ottawa resources

Harm reduction framework

Risk assessment & crisis response

Work under stress

Identify client service needs

Equity, trauma-informed care

Sound judgement & problem solving

Tact & diplomacy

Stakeholder relationships

Education

College diploma in social services, addictions, mental health, or a related field

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training is asset

French language services capability (Advanced: expression, comprehension, reading)

English fluency (oral and written)

Job description

Internal/External Employment Opportunity

Position: Outreach Worker

Component/Team: CTS

Status: Casual contract until March 31st (No guaranteed hours)

Salary Scale: $27.05 - $32.58 hourly plus 8% vacation pay in lieu of benefits

Work Location: On-Site at 221 Nelson Street

Vacancy Status: This posting is for an existing vacancy

Start Date: Immediately

APPLICATION DEADLINE: November 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.

Position Description:

The role of the Outreach Worker is to provide direct engagement and practical support to individuals who are street-involved, use substances, or face systemic barriers. Working within a harm reduction framework, the Outreach Worker helps minimize risks, promotes well-being, and facilitates access to health, housing, and social services. The Outreach Worker plays an integral role in building trust, offering basic needs supports, and contributing to improved health and social outcomes for participants in the Sandy Hill community.

Reporting Relationship:

The Outreach Worker is directly accountable to the Director of CTS Services, and receives guidance and coordination support from the Shift Lead – Outreach Worker.The Outreach Worker is accountable through the Director of CTS to the Chief Executive Officer.

Skills, Education and Experience:

Requirements for this position include:

Education and Language

• College diploma in social services, addictions, mental health, or a related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience, including lived experience may be considered
• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training is considered an asset
• Under the Centre’s designation to provide French Language Services:
• French (oral expression): Advanced
• French (oral comprehension): Advanced
• French (reading comprehension): Advanced
• Fluency in English, both oral and written

Professional Experience

• Two years of experience in community outreach or a front-line harm reduction role
• Experience supporting individuals facing homelessness, substance use, or mental health challenges

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• A patient, non-judgmental compassionate, client-centered approach to working with street-involved people, people who are HIV+ or who are at risk of becoming HIV+ and individuals facing homelessness, substance use, or mental health challenges
• Excellent active listening skills
• Knowledge of community resources in Ottawa
• Ability to work within a harm reduction framework
• Capacity to assess risk and respond to crises and in a therapeutic manner
• Ability to work under stress with multiple demands
• Ability to identify client service needs
• Commitment to equity, trauma-informed care, and culturally informed practice and cultural humility
• Ability to exercise sound judgement, and problem-solving skills
• Tact and diplomacy
• Ability to maintain relationships and act as an ambassador with a wide variety of stakeholders with divergent perspectives, including service participants, neighbours and emergency services including police

Hours of Work

• Outreach services operates from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. 7 days a week

In lieu of benefits, 8% vacation pay is added to the hourly rate. We provide employees the opportunity to enroll in our Pension Plan (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan - HOOPP).

Conditions of Employment:

An offer of employment will be conditional upon the candidate completing a criminal reference check, verification of educational requirements for this position, and linguistic profile to the satisfaction of the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre.

Accommodation:

SHCHC will provide accommodation for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process.

If at any stage in the selection process, you require accommodation due to disability, please let us know the nature of the required accommodation.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclaimer:

We value transparency in our hiring process. Please note thatartificial intelligence (AI) is not used to screen or evaluate resumes. All applications will be reviewed by qualified human recruiters.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those under consideration for the role will be contacted.