Personal Support Service Worker

COTA Health; Toronto; On-site; CAD 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Cota Health is seeking a dedicated Personal Support Service Worker (PSSW) to join the ABI Collegeview program in Toronto. The role focuses on 1:1 personal care, safety, and daily living support for adults with acquired brain injuries in a community housing setting.

The PSSW provides ADL/IADL assistance, participates in meal programs, and helps maintain clean, safe common areas. Certification as a PSW or Health Care Aide is required with a High School diploma.

Qualifications

• Ability to provide personal care (ADLs/IADLs) and daily living support.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills in a care setting.
• Commitment to safety, privacy and quality of service.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct ADL/IADL assistance and personal care.
• Ensure safety, security and wellbeing of service users.
• Support meal program, household tasks and unit maintenance.
• Document interactions and contribute to care planning and data entry.

Skills

Personal care

ADLs support

Education

High School Diploma

PSW Certification

Job description

PERSONAL SUPPORT SERVICE WORKER (PSSW) - COMMON AREA

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) - Collegeview

One (1) Bargaining Unit, 1 Year Contract Full-Time Position (Maternity Leave)

Existing Vacancy

Tuesday-Saturday, 4:00pm-12:00am

Compensation: $23.40/hour-$25.94/hour

Cota is an accredited not-for-profit organization that has been providing community-based support to people living with mental health and cognitive challenges for over 50 years. At present, our wide array of services delivers much needed support to over 4,000 people/year who live with mental health challenges, psychogeriatric mental health conditions, acquired brain injuries, developmental disabilities, dual diagnoses and/or the experience of homelessness. These services include, but are not limited to, case management, supportive housing and adult day program services. A full listing of our services can be viewed on our website at https://cotainspires.ca/

Cota is presently seeking a dynamic and innovative individual to join our amazing team in the capacity of the role outlined within this posting. Followed by our mission to support individuals with mental health and cognitive challenges to live well within their communities, we strive toward a vision of a supportive, inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. If you feel you have the skills and qualifications to perform the duties of this role while consistently exemplifying Cota’s values Hope, Respect, Dedication, Equity, Accountability, Collaboration and Innovation, we would love to hear from you.

Role Overview

The PSSW supporting this role is required to provide direct service user Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) support, including oversight of the assigned common area. This includes but is not limited to the following; 1:1 hands on personal care support, ensure safety, security and wellbeing for all the service users. The PSSW participates in supporting the meal program, household management, including program pest control preparation; supporting unit maintenance, safety checks and supporting personal care need requests, as required.

About the Team

Recruiting an experienced Personal Support Service Worker (PSSW) to work at our Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Collegeview Program. Collegeview is a supportive housing program operating out of an apartment in the Yonge St. /College St. area of downtown Toronto. This program provides rent-geared-to-income accommodation and supports to adults living with an ABI requiring various levels of physical, cognitive, and behavioral support. Service users’s reside in their own apartments and share a communal kitchen, dining area and lounge. The goal of the program is to assist Service Users’ to live well within their community in a supported environment. This includes, but is not limited to, assisting with activities of daily living (ADLs) and other individual goals so that they can maintain their housing and lead productive lives within the community.

Primary Responsibilities:

The Personal Support Service Worker (PSSW) is primarily responsible for providing direct assistance to Cota clients in areas such as personal care needs, safe community integration/participation and routine activities of daily living

The PSSW’s duties may involve, but not necessarily be limited to:

1. Assisting with the Implementation/Carrying Out of Client Support/Goal Plans:

• Provides input into each service user’s Support/Goal Plan
• Responsible for implementing personal support services based on Support/Goal Plan
• Assumes a primary role in assisting service users with Personal Support Services
• Liaises regularly with the assigned Primary Workers and applicable Supervisor/Manager, to confirm requirements and plans for personal support services and to ensure accurate and timely provision of those services to service users

2.Direct Personal Support Provision:

• Provides direct assistance to service users in areas of daily living tasks and personal care (such as feeding, dressing, personal hygiene, toileting, managing medication).
• Provides necessary support required to assist the service user to safely access and participate in community activities.
• Observes/plans daily living routines, supervises service users, monitors and ensures the personal safety and welfare of individuals.
• Assists with service users’ laundry routines and the maintaining and/or cleaning of service users’ units/rooms.
• Accompaniment to medical appointments, where required
• Support the meal program (in-person and or on-line grocery shopping, meal preparation support)
• Supporting service users with medication administration, if required, but only after receiving the appropriate training
• May provide other personal support services, within the context of the care/goal plan, as authorized by the applicable Supervisor or Manager

3. Supports the maintenance of safe/clean environment:

• Directly assists with maintaining the site in a clean and orderly state, including;
  • Cleaning/setting up vacant tenant units to prepare them for occupancy
  • Cleaning common areas such as common rooms/lounges, common kitchen, and building exterior space area as scheduled, or, as required
• Assists with any pest control/eradication efforts, as required
• Continually assesses the environment for safety and security issues and recommends action to address any deficiencies

4. Documentation and Data entry:

• Documents all service users’ contacts/interactions in the appropriate service user chart according to Cota’s documentation guidelines
• Enters data relating to service users’ interactions into Cota’s database system according to data collection guidelines
• Assists with other data collection activities within the program, as determined by the applicable Supervisor or Manager

Other Responsibilities:

• Participates in team meetings and provides input and ideas for improving services, efficiencies and ongoing program planning
• Coordinates with the team shift-to-shift planning community outings and group recreational activities
• Adheres to all Cota's policies and procedures and follows established applicable program guidelines, procedures and practices, including all IPAC-related measures in place
• Adheres to all applicable legislation, particularly the Ontario Human Rights Code
• Complies with all Health and Safety policies and procedures to ensure the protection of workers and clients and that health and safety concerns or incidents are responded to promptly
• Works cooperatively, respectfully and constructively with service users, team members, management, other service providers, and external stakeholders
• Ensure that confidentiality of service users, employees and Cota information is always maintained
• Undertakes other related and/or delegated duties, as assigned

Qualifications:

Education:

• A minimum of High School Diploma required as well as certification as a PSW or Health Care Aide
• Valid Crisis Prevention and Intervention Certificate (CPI), First Aid/CPR Certificate, ASIST and Safe Food Handling Certificate preferred

Experience:

• Previous experience working with the specific target population supported by the recruiting Cota program, will be considered an asset

Knowledge & Skills:

• Ability to provide personal care (i.e. Toileting, bathing, safe lifts and transfers) and other activities of daily living and household management (i.e. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, community escorts)
• Ability to lift 10-25 lbs
• Basic computer literacy (Word, E-mail, Internet)
• Good interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Good judgment, the ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with others
• Effective communication skills to interact with team, case managers, program manager, etc
• Demonstrated client-centered and customer focus approach
• Sensitive to challenges experienced by marginalized groups such as poverty and access issues
• Direct experience providing personal support services to people who have mental health, cognitive and/or substance use challenges is required

Other

• Supporting 1:1 complex care service user ability to work common area as well

We are committed to fostering a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We recognize lived experience as a valuable form of knowledge and encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of experiences, identities, and perspectives — including those with lived experience of housing insecurity, mental health or substance use recovery, or engagement with community supports. Accommodations are available throughout the hiring process upon request.

Additional Information:

Interview Process: Cota may choose to conduct parts/all of the hiring process virtually. Please note that as part of maintaining an agile workforce, all Cota staff may be required to be reasonably reassigned to support the operational needs of our essential services.

Screening Process: Please note that Cota uses AI to screen potential applicants for all roles.

Hope, Respect, Dedication, Equity, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovation are key values of Cota. We are dedicated to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace, upholding dignity, and acknowledging each person's individual contributions and potential as an equal‑opportunity employer. We uphold the Ontario Human Right Code and strongly encourage applications from people of color, women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ people, and others who provide various viewpoints. Cota ensures an accessible hiring process in line with the AODA principles, providing accommodations for applicants with disabilities. For any accommodation requests, please contact hr [e-mail]

About Cota Health

COTA Health (Cota) is an accredited, not-for-profit, community-based organization that has been supporting adults with mental health and cognitive challenges to live well within their communities for over 45 years. We provide person-centred supports that assist individuals to find inspiration and hope in their inherent strengths and support them to pursue meaningful change in their lives, as they define it. Cota also works collaboratively with our funders, our partners and other stakeholders, across the provincial health and social service systems, to inspire positive change in the way that services are delivered to individuals living with mental health and cognitive challenges.