Relief Residential Client Advocate

Mission Services of Hamilton; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 42,000 - 56,000; Part time

Job summary

Mission Services of Hamilton is seeking a relief Residential Client Advocate to support women-identified individuals and their dependents in a shelter setting. The role emphasizes trauma-informed, anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice and client-centered decision making.

The incumbent will assist with risk assessments, safety planning, admissions, programming, and crisis intervention, while ensuring shelter safety and confidentiality in collaboration with community partners.

Qualifications

• Minimum diploma in Social Service Work; degree preferred in Social Work.
• Experience in gender-based violence, homelessness, or related social services preferred.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and anti-racist anti-oppressive practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct service to women and dependents including risk assessment and safety planning.
• Maintain shelter safety and provide crisis intervention by phone, web, and text.
• Coordinate admissions, housing applications, and interpreter arrangements.
• Develop and deliver on-site groups and activities for service users.
• Document records using case management software and log templates.
• Collaborate with community partners and attend staff meetings as directed.

Skills

Empathy

Crisis intervention

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Active listening

French

Education

Diploma in Social Service Work

Degree preferred: Social Work

Job description

Job Title: Residential Client Advocate- Relief

(Bargaining Unit Position as per Collective Agreement)

Department: Women’s Services

Reports to: Manager of Shelter Logistics

Jobs Reporting: N/A

Time Commitment: A relief employee is not regularly scheduled to work, and works on an as-needed basis. In accordance with the Inasmuch Relief Policy.

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Objective: The relief Residential Client Advocate will work from an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, trauma informed, and intersectional feminist framework and uses a client centered approach to support women-identified individuals and their dependents who are experiencing abuse and/or homelessness while offering a safe space for individuals to reside during this process. The Residential Client Advocate will provide service from a client-centered approach, respecting each woman’s self-determination and personal decision-making.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Provide direct service to women-identified individuals and their dependents including, but not limited to, conducting risk assessment, safety planning, ensuring the safety of the shelter, completing assessments and admissions, facilitating programming, offering house information and completing housing applications, arrangement of interpreters, participating in conflict resolution and offering crisis intervention by phone and through web and text-based services
• Ensure the overall safety and security of the shelter is maintained
• Support in the development of a risk assessment and detailed personal safety plan for women-identified individuals and their dependents who have experienced violence and review and update as the service user situation changes
• Identify child welfare concerns and comply with Duty to Report obligations in accordance with the child and Family Services Act and good practices in working with women-identified individuals and children around child-welfare concerns and collaborate with Hamilton Child and Family Supports, Catholic Children’s Aid Society as needed
• Provide information on resources to service users and referrals as identified by service users
• Participate in developing and delivering on-site groups and activities for service users
• Inform and encourage service users to participate in filling out MCCSS Service User Surveys
• Keep systematic records using automated case management software and in-house tools such as log books and report templates
• Understand and follow protocols with community partners such as Hamilton Police Services, Hamilton Child and Family Supports, and the School Board
• Participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings and case conference meetings as directed by management
• Work safely, and identify and report any health and safety concerns, in accordance with Mission Services’ Workplace Health and Safety policies and procedures
• Adhere to a strict confidentiality policy
• Understand and adhere to all Mission Services, Inasmuch House, and Shelter Standards policies and procedures
• Adhere to all Mission Services and Inasmuch House and Shelter Standards policies and procedures
• Assist in the supervision and provision of programming alongside Mission Services volunteers, and placement students
• Other duties that may be required to ensure the continuation of services

Qualifications:

• Education
• Minimumdiploma in Social Service Work, or related field
• Preference for degree in Social Work
• Experience
• Minimum one (1) year of work experience and/or student placement experience in any of the following fields: gender-based violence, addiction, mental health, concurrent disorders, counselling or other social service positions supporting vulnerable women
• Knowledge
• Excellent understanding of gender-based violence and child abuse
• Knowledge and understanding of individuals experiencing mental health disorders, addiction, poverty and homelessness
• Works from an intersectional feminist perspective
• Understands working from a person-centered, trauma-informed perspective
• Works from an Anti-Racist Anti-Oppressive informed framework
• Understanding of Mission Services’ Mission, Vision and Values and how these are to be reflected in practice
• Skills
• Empathy and active listening skills
• Crisis intervention skills
• Organizational and time-management skills
• Interpersonal effectiveness skills
• Abilities
• Ability to work under pressure and in crisis situations
• Ability to make confident decisions that align with the sector standards
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with a team
• Ability to speak French is an asset
• Other Requirements
• Proof of passing a vulnerable sector check
• Proof of negative two-step tuberculosis skin test

Nature and Scope:

• Contacts
• Frequent contact with woman-identified individuals residing within the shelter and their dependents
• Collaborating with other Inasmuch employees including: Residential Client Advocates, Emergency Residential Team Support, Child and Youth Advocate, LEAF Group Facilitator, Legal Advocate, Transitional Housing Support Worker, Cleaner, Administrative Assistants, , and Good Food Program Worker
• Reporting to and communicating with the Manager of Residential Programming, Manager of Outreach and Shelter Facilities, Manager of Shelter Logistics and Director of Women’s Services
• Connecting with community supports to coordinate referrals and care for service users
• Level of Responsibility
• Identify child welfare concerns and comply with Duty to Report obligations in accordance with the Child and Family Services Act and good practices in working with women-identified individuals and children around child-welfare concerns
• Ensure the overall safety and security of the shelter is maintained
• Will occasionally be required to work-alone
• Decision-Making Authority
• May occasionally be required to support full-time staff with case management to ensure continuity of services
• Will be required to connect with management on site or on-call management that is available 24/7 to ensure compliance with program policies and procedures
• Will have to respond to frequent disruptions
• Will be required to respond to crisis situations
• Will be required to understand and practice safety procedures for emergency responses to fire, power failures, severe weather, building maintenance, and on-call manager and operations procedures
• Relief staff may be required to work irregular hours