Site Support Worker

COTA Health; Toronto; On-site; CAD 34,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health care

Life insurance

AD&D insurance

Dental care

Long-term disability coverage

Job summary

Cota Health is seeking a Site Support Worker to provide site-based support to tenants at 2195 Jane Street. You will assess needs in collaboration with tenants, Case Managers and TCHC, and lead daily therapeutic group activities to build social connections and housing stability.

Join a collaborative team delivering community development and individualized support, including orientation, crisis response and incident documentation, six days a week on-site.

Qualifications

• Minimum a community college diploma in Mental Health and Addictions; higher level post-secondary education considered an asset.
• Completion of an accredited Recreation program at college/university level with a focus on Therapeutic Recreation is an asset.
• Clinical housing/site-based experience with mental illness and/or addictions.
• Experience planning and facilitating group activities.
• Experience in community mental health or supportive housing.

Responsibilities

• Plan and facilitate daily therapeutic group activities to foster engagement and social networks.
• Conduct tenant meetings to plan services and promote dialogue.
• Coordinate existing supports within the building.
• Develop support strategies based on site needs.
• Provide orientation of new tenants to the community.
• Coordinate program supplies and track purchases.
• Provide individual tenant support: orientation, linking to services, crisis support.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute ideas for service improvements.
• Documentation and data entry into the database; incident reporting.

Skills

Crisis management

Dispute resolution

Interpersonal communication

Community resources access

Psychiatric knowledge

Organizational skills

Reporting/documentation

MS Word / Outlook

Education

Community college diploma in Mental Health and Addictions

Recreation program focus (Therapeutic Recreation)

Job description

One (1) Bargaining Unit, Permanent Full-Time Position

Existing Vacancy

Compensation: $25.28/hour - $29.40/hour

About Cota

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

As part of a team, the Site Support Worker (SSW) will be accountable for providing site-based support to tenants residing within 2195 Jane Street. The Site Support Worker will assess tenant support service needs in collaboration with the tenants themselves, Case Managers and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). A significant component of this role is community development to foster a sense of community within the building, including: daily facilitation of therapeutic group activities, building social connections, health and wellness promotion, skill development. The SSW will also support tenants with community integration and improving and maintaining housing stability.

In addition, the SSW will provide individual support to tenants through direct engagement; orientating new tenants to the surrounding community, situational dispute resolution, crisis management, and emotional support as needed.

About the Team

2195 Jane Street Anchor Supports program is a collaborative initiative amongst Cota, the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). The team is led by the Manager, Community Health Services and is comprised of Mental Health Case Managers and Site Support Workers. On-site support will be accessible to the tenant community of 2195 Jane Street six days per week, Monday through Saturday, focusing on the provision of Case Management and Community Development, while simultaneously augmenting TCHC’s ability to address crisis situations.

Primary Responsibilities

Community development and providing therapeutic support to tenants residing within 2195 Jane Street. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Planning and facilitating daily therapeutic group activities that foster tenant engagement and participation, the development of social networks, and skill acquisition
• Conducting/facilitating tenant meetings to promote direct tenant participation in the planning of service/activities provided by Cota at the site and to promote a safe and open forum for dialogue in relation to issues and concerns that tenants may have
• Coordination of existing supports within the building
• Developing support strategies/plans based on identified site specific needs/trends
• Providing orientation of new tenants to the community
• Coordinating the purchase of necessary program supplies and accounting for purchases in accordance with program guidelines
• Providing individual support to tenants in the areas of community orientation, linking to other services and professional supports, situational problem resolution and informal counseling, as time allows

Other Responsibilities

• Participation in team meetings and providing input and ideas for improving services, efficiencies and ongoing program planning
• Documentation and data entry:
  • Data entry related to tenant interactions into Cota’s database system according to data entry guidelines
  • Documentation of all incidents and occurrences in accordance with Cota policies, and in accordance with applicable partnership agreements

Qualifications

Education

• A minimum of a community college diploma in a field relevant to Mental Health and Addictions; higher level post-secondary education considered an asset
• Completion of an accredited Recreation program at the college or university level with a focus on or specialty in, Therapeutic Recreation, will be considered an asset

Experience

• Clinical experience working in housing or site-based programs working with individuals living with mental illness and/or addictions
• Proven experience planning and facilitating group activities/events which foster engagement and participation
• Experience in community mental health or in supportive housing settings

Knowledge & Skills

• Excellent crisis management and dispute resolution skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Knowledge of and ability to access as well as utilize community resources
• Basic understanding of different psychiatric conditions
• Good organizational skills
• Ability to produce comprehensive reports, and TREAT documentation. Basic computer literacy (MS Word, outlook, mobile devise)

Other

• Comfortable working with a broad range of individuals
• Conduct visits, and providing supports, in the tenants’ units, working in sometimes difficult conditions such as hoarding

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.

Upon successful completion of a three-month period of employment, permanent full-time and permanent part-time staff working more than 20 hours per week will be eligible for employer-paid group insurance benefits. These employer-paid benefits will include:

• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• Dental care

Permanent full-time and permanent part-time staff working more than 20 hours per week are also required to enroll in employee-paid long-term disability coverage.

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 thathas been supporting adults with mental health and cognitive challenges to live wellwithin their communities for over 45 years. We provide person-centred supports thatassist individuals to find inspiration and hope in their inherent strengths and supportthem to pursue meaningful change in their lives, as they define it. Cota also workscollaboratively with our funders, our partners and other stakeholders, across theprovincial health and social service systems, to inspire positive change in the way thatservices are delivered to individuals living with mental health and cognitivechallenges.