Outreach Worker – Homeless Encampments

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Mission; Hybrid; CAD 38,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Mission Community Services Society is seeking an Outreach Worker to provide frontline support, engagement, and advocacy for individuals facing homelessness and housing instability. You will conduct mobile outreach in community settings, encampments, and public spaces, building trusting relationships and linking clients with housing, healthcare, and social services.

Working from a trauma-informed framework, you will participate in multidisciplinary teams, develop individualized support plans, and

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Social Work or related field.
• Minimum two years frontline experience with vulnerable populations.
• Experience in outreach, case management, housing support, mental health, addictions, or homelessness services.
• Experience working with trauma-impacted individuals and crises.
• Strong de-escalation and crisis intervention abilities.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive street and community outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
• Engage clients in a trauma-informed, culturally safe manner.
• Maintain regular contact to support stability and well-being.
• Provide information, referrals, and housing/resource navigation support.
• Assist with safety planning and crisis response as needed.
• Collaborate with shelters, housing providers, and community agencies.

Skills

Frontline outreach

Trauma-informed care

Crisis intervention

Communication

Advocacy

Cultural safety

Team collaboration

Documentation

Education

Diploma/degree in Social Work or related field

Tools

MS 365

HIFIS

Job description

Mission Community Services Society is dedicated to helping people, changing lives, and building community. With a legacy dating back to 1972, MCSS has continuously strived to support community members in need.

The Outreach Worker provides frontline support, engagement,and advocacy for individuals experiencing homelessness, housing instability,mental health challenges, substance use concerns, and other barriers towell-being. Working from a trauma-informed framework, the Outreach Workerconducts mobile outreach in community settings, encampments, and other publicspaces.

The Outreach Worker builds trusting relationships withclients, assists with housing navigation and service access, provides crisisintervention and safety planning, and collaborates with community agencies toensure coordinated support. The position requires independent field work aswell as active participation in a multidisciplinary team environment.

What you'll do:

• Conduct proactivestreet and community outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness orhousing instability.
• Engageclients in a culturally safe and trauma-informed manner.
• Maintainregular contact with clients to support stability and overall well-being.
• Provideinformation and referrals to community resources and support services.
• Assessclient needs, strengths, barriers, and risks.
• Developindividualized support plans and assist clients in achieving identified goals.
• Supportclients in accessing housing, healthcare, mental health services, addictionstreatment, income assistance, and other community resources.
• Advocateon behalf of clients to reduce barriers and improve service access.
• Assistwith safety planning and crisis response.
• Supportindividuals in obtaining and maintaining safe, stable housing.
• Liaisewith government, private, and non-profit housing providers.
• Assistwith housing applications, documentation, and tenancy-related concerns.
• Workcollaboratively with shelters, supportive housing providers, and housingsupport agencies.
• Respondeffectively to crisis situations using de-escalation and conflict resolutiontechniques.
• Applyharm reduction principles when supporting individuals who use substances.
• AdministerNaloxone when required and maintain current training.
• Supportcommunity responses to homelessness and encampment-related concerns.
• Developand maintain positive working relationships with community partners including healthcareprofessionals, Indigenous organizations, Child and Family Services, lawenforcement, schools, and community service agencies.
• Participatein multidisciplinary case planning and coordinated responses.
• Maintainaccurate client records and case notes.
• Completereports, assessments, referrals, and statistical tracking requirements.
• Utilizedatabases and case management systems, including HIFIS and other programsoftware.
• Ensurecompliance with confidentiality, privacy legislation, and organizationalpolicies.
• Maintainoutreach supplies and program inventory.
• Attendteam meetings, training sessions, and community networking events.
• Performother related duties as assigned.

What you bring:

• Diploma or Degree inSocial Work, Psychology, Mental Health and Addictions, Child and Youth Care,Human Services, Community Development, Indigenous Studies, Nursing, or arelated field.
• Minimum two years ofdirect frontline experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Experiencein outreach, case management, housing support, mental health, addictions, orhomelessness services.
• Experienceworking with individuals impacted by trauma, poverty, homelessness, andsubstance use.
• Experienceresponding to crisis situations and applying de-escalation techniques.
• Strongunderstanding of homelessness, housing instability, mental health, andaddiction issues.
• Demonstratedknowledge of trauma-informed and client-centered practices.
• Strongunderstanding of harm reduction principles.
• Excellentinterpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Abilityto work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellentconflict resolution and crisis intervention abilities.
• Strongorganizational, documentation, and time-management skills.
• Abilityto maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
• Proficiencywith Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, andSharePoint.
• Experienceusing case management databases and reporting systems such as HIFIS is anasset.
• Anequivalent combination of education, training, and experience may beconsidered.

Additional Requirements:

• ValidBC Class 5 Driver's Licence, access to a reliable vehicle, and satisfactorydriver's abstract.
• SuccessfulCriminal Record Check for the vulnerable sector.
• CurrentFirst Aid/CPR certification
• Naloxonetraining
• VATtraining is an asset
• Abilityto travel throughout the service area.

Working Conditions:

Thisposition requires regular community-based and street outreach work in varyingweather conditions, frequent interaction with vulnerable populations, andoccasional exposure to crisis situations. The successful candidate must becomfortable providing outreach support to individuals actively using substancesand experiencing complex social, mental health, and housing-related challenges.

Wage: Grid 10 ($27.53 - $31.57)

Schedule: Temporary, Full-Time to March 31st, 2027