Shelter Support Worker - Swing Shift ( contract) DAV1367

Ywca; Toronto; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and-

Dental Coverage

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability

Pension Plan

Vacation & Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Professional Development

Job summary

YWCA Toronto seeks a Shelter Support Worker at 348 Davenport to provide crisis counselling, case management and trauma-informed services within a feminist framework. You will work with a collaborative team to support residents through safety planning, referrals and workshop facilitation.

The role requires 3-5 years of relevant experience, a supervised undergraduate degree, and knowledge of harm reduction. Regular on-call hours and overnights may be required.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant field or equivalency considered.
• Experience with trauma-informed care and anti-oppressive practice.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis counselling and case management to shelter residents.
• Develop and evaluate workshops addressing mental health and trauma.
• Maintain safety plans and risk assessments for residents.
• Advocate for clients with housing programs and community resources.
• Record program statistics and prepare reports.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Crisis counselling

Case management

Workshop development

Advocacy and referrals

Education

Bachelor's degree (e.g. BSW)

Tools

Documentation & reporting

Job description

Employment Type: Full-Time, contract

Position Status: Vacant

Work Hours: 35 hours per week, Friday to Tuesday 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm (on-call responsibilities; may be required to work outside of regularly scheduled hours including occasional overnights)

Salary: $61,479 (L7) per annum, plus comprehensive benefits

Location: 348 Davenport Road Toronto, ON, M5R 1K6

Contract Start Date: September 8, 2026

Contract End Date: February 8, 2028

Application Internal Deadline: Thursday, August 20, 2026

Application External Deadline: Monday, August 24, 2026

JOIN OUR TEAM

Join YWCA Toronto, where intersectional feminism, community voices, and social justice drive lasting change. We welcome women and gender diverse people of all identities into a workplace rooted in equity, collaboration, and inclusion

As a Shelter Support Worker at 348 Davenport, this position will work within a collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. She acts as a resource to staff and clients and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes crisis counselling, case management and the development, implementation and evaluation of workshops. This position shares in the responsibility of the overall health and safety of the building.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – YWCA DAVENPORT

YWCA Davenport provides up to 80 emergency shelter beds to young women and gender diverse people (16 – 24 years of age) and adult women and gender diverse people (25 and older) and is staffed 24 hours a day. This pet friendly shelter is funded by the City of Toronto and adheres to Toronto Shelter Standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILTIES

• Applies knowledge of the issues of trauma and the dynamics of woman and gender diverse people abuse and homelessness to develop and implement effective support strategies
• Provides daily support services to residents (e.g. tokens, providing personal hygiene items and toiletries, first aid, long-distance calls and assists with completion of forms and statements);
• Exercises precautions to ensure the safety of residents and completes risk assessments and safety plans;
• Uses mediation and counselling skills to maintain a co-operative, supportive and productive shelter environment;
• Provides information and referrals and advocates for clients facing issues of homelessness and trauma;
• Negotiates supportive and flexible strategies to assist residents with mental health issues to access the support within the shelter and in the community;
• Negotiates treatment plans with residents that focus on harm reduction;
• Assists clients in applying for priority, RGI, rent supplement, supportive housing, group homes and any other relevant housing programs and advocates on their behalf;
• Develops, implements and evaluates workshops and groups that address clients’ mental health issues and experience of trauma using interactive techniques (i.e. expressive art techniques) and collaborates with other YWCA programs;
• Maintains, records, compiles program statistics and prepares reports and correspondence.

QUALIFICATIONS

• In-depth knowledge of an academic discipline normally acquired through completion of a supervised undergraduate degree (e.g. BSW); An analytical framework that identifies clients' relation to social systems and the demonstrated practicalapplication of thisframework; (Cases for Equivalency will be considered)

• Completion of workshops and courses pertaining to mental illness, trauma, harm reduction, crisis de-escalation and anti-oppressive practice;
• 3-5 years’ experience in counselling and group work focused on clients at risk and/or homeless women;
• Completion of Toronto Hostel’s Training Certificate (T.H.T.C.) or equivalent;
• Demonstrated knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice;
• Demonstrated knowledge of community resources and supports focused on mental health and group support;
• In-depth knowledge of the dynamics of woman abuse and trauma within an anti-oppression framework;
• Demonstrated experience in the development, delivery and evaluation of workshops and groups;
• Experience delivering culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Knowledge and understanding of mental health, substance use/addictions, advocacy, refugee and immigration issues and homelessness;
• Life Skills Certificate an asset;
• A certificate in trauma counselling would be an asset;
• Knowledge of a second language and/or culture would be an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Benefit
• Multi-Sector Pension Plan: Employer’s contribution of 5.75% and Employee Contribution of 3.25%
• Time off: Starts with 20 Vacation Days, 1.5 Days Per Month Sick Leave, 12 Paid Holidays, Health Promotional Days and 4 Float Days
• Other Benefits: Child Care Benefits, Maternity/Parental Leave Supplementary Employment Benefits, Educational/Sabbatical Leave, and Financial Assistance for Professional Development

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate prior to hiring. YWCA Toronto is a unionized workplace. Staff are represented by CUPE Local 2189. This position is within the Bargaining Unit. Please indicate on your cover letter if you are an internal Candidate. For internal applicants, this position is not secondable

Posting Date:

August 11, 2026

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing.

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

Vaccination Policy: In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate before hiring.

YWCA Toronto promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women and gender-diverse people of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

YWCA Toronto provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

YWCA Toronto may use AI-supported tools to assist with parts of the recruitment process; all hiring decisions are made by people and guided by our commitment to equity and fairness.

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.