Outreach Worker – Homeless Encampments

Mission-Community-Services-Society; Mission; On-site; 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, housing instability, mental health challenges, and related barriers. This role conducts mobile outreach from various community settings within a trauma-informed framework and collaborates with partners to coordinate housing and support services.

You will build relationships, assess needs, develop individualized plans, and assist clients in

Qualifications

• Diploma or Degree in Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health and Addictions, Human Services or related field.
• Minimum two years of direct frontline experience with vulnerable populations.
• Experience in outreach, case management, housing support, mental health, addictions, or homelessness services.
• Experience with trauma-informed and client-centered practices.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint).
• Experience using case management databases and reporting systems such as HIFIS is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Conduct proactive street and community outreach to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
• Engage clients in a culturally safe and trauma-informed manner.
• Maintain regular contact with clients to support stability and well-being.
• Provide information and referrals to community resources and support services.
• Assess client needs, strengths, barriers, and risks.
• Develop individualized support plans and assist clients in achieving goals.
• Support clients in accessing housing, healthcare, mental health services, addiction treatment, and income assistance.
• Advocate on behalf of clients to reduce barriers and improve service access.
• Assist with safety planning and crisis response.
• Maintain accurate client records and case notes.
• Complete reports, assessments, referrals, and tracking requirements.

Skills

Crisis intervention

De-escalation

Trauma-informed care

Harm reduction

Interpersonal skills

Documentation

Time management

Team collaboration

Advocacy

Cultural safety

Education

Diploma or Degree in Social Work or related field

Tools

HIFIS

SharePoint

Microsoft 365

Case management software

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