Support Worker

Alexandra Comm Hlth Ctr; Calgary; On-site; CAD 19,000 - 26,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation

Medical and Dental Coverage

Health / Wellness Spending Accounts

RRSP, Student Loan Repayment and/or 5%

Personal Days

Floating Holiday

Sick/Wellness Days

EFAP

Professional Development

Job summary

The Alex in Calgary, AB seeks a Support Worker to deliver resident care within Abbeydale Place and Prelude, focusing on wellbeing, engagement, and independence for residents experiencing barriers to housing and health services.

Reporting to the Program Manager, you will perform administrative duties, assist with care plans, housing supports, and crisis de-escalation, while upholding ethics and confidentiality in a fast-paced, community-based setting.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in a related field is an asset.
• Experience with place based supportive housing and crisis intervention is an asset.
• Experience with residents experiencing mental health barriers, homelessness and poverty is an asset.
• Non-judgmental, patient, friendly and professional.
• Ability to multi-task in fast-paced environment.
• Class 5 driver's license, vehicle for business use, clean 3-year drivers abstract, and $2 million liability coverage.
• First Aid/CPR within 30 days; valid for minimum 6 months on hire.
• Satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance required.
• Knowledge of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support residents with daily needs, care plans and service plan goals.
• Engage residents to develop independent living skills in one-on-one and group settings.
• Assist with transportation to medical appointments and social outings.
• Design and facilitate programming for residents focused on recreation, harm reduction and wellbeing.
• Provide crisis management, de-escalation and conflict resolution.
• Complete hourly checks of the building to ensure safety.
• Assist with new intakes and prepare rooms for new residents, including maintenance requests.
• Adhere to the code of ethics.
• Write clear, concise case notes and assist with administrative tasks.
• Maintain confidentiality and represent the program professionally.

Skills

Group facilitation

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Conflict resolution

Education

Degree or Diploma in related field

Job description

Have you worked with individuals experiencing mental health barriers, homelessness, and poverty in the past? Are you a person with lived experience looking to contribute to the learning and growth of another? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment? If so, this role may be for you!

What We Do

Since 1973, The Alex has been a community-based, not-for-profit organization providing integrated primary health care, community support services, and housing-focused programs to individuals and families who experience barriers to accessing traditional health, housing, and social service systems. Services are grounded in principles of health equity, low-barrier access, trauma-informed practice, cultural safety, harm reduction, and person-centered care.

Abbeydale Place and Prelude are low-barrier, recovery-oriented supportive housing programs operating under a Place-Based Supportive Housing (PBSH) model. These programs provide long-term housing and intensive wrap-around supports to single adults who have been chronically unhoused and high levels of vulnerability related to concurrent physical health conditions, mental illness, substance use, and cognitive impairment.

Reporting to the Program Manager, the Support Worker plays an integral role within the team and contributes to the program's success by promoting resident wellbeing, meaningful engagement, skill building, and independence within our PBSH program.

This is a permanent, part-time position.

What You Will Do

Resident Care and Engagement

• Support residents with their daily needs, including care plans and service plan goals.
• Support and engage residents to develop/strengthen independent living skills in one on one and group settings.
• Support residents with transportation needs to medical appointments, meetings with service providers and other social outings as required.
• Design and facilitate group and individual programming for residents focused on areas such as recreation, harm reduction, skill building, cultural connection and wellbeing, including creating documents and resources as needed.
• Provide ongoing support to residents, including crisis management, de-escalation and conflict resolution.
• Complete hourly checks of the building to ensure the safety of all residents and respond appropriately.
• Support with new intakes by ensuring that vacant rooms are cleaned and set up for new residents, as needed, including submitting maintenance requests and ordering supplies as required.
• Adhere to the code of ethics.

Administration

• Write clear, concise, and objective case notes.
• Adhere to the standards set out in the program procedure manual.
• Complete program supply orders and program purchases as needed with the support of the Team Lead.
• Assist with completing online grocery orders for meal services as needed.
• Assist with data collection and entry as directed.
• Act as a support to the case management team by assisting with administrative tasks.
• Complete additional administrative duties as required.

Shift Responsibilities

• Ensure daily cleaning and shift duties are completed to ensure safety and cohesive program delivery.
• Assist with maintaining a clean and organized office space.
• Provide medication assistance to residents as needed.
• Complete medication deliveries.

Team

• Participate and engage in training and team meetings as needed.
• Collaborate with community partners in a positive and professional manner as required.
• Maintain staff and resident confidentiality and clear boundaries at all times.
• Represent the program and the agency in a professional manner.
• Work collaboratively with all team members to achieve excellent service outcomes for participants.
• Model professional behaviour and positive communication with residents, volunteers, staff, and partners.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

What You Bring

• Degree or Diploma in a related field of study (ex. social work, psychology, recreation therapy) is an asset, or equivalent work experience.
• Excellent group facilitation, interpersonal, communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience with place based supportive housing and crisis intervention is an asset.
• Experience working with residents experiencing mental health barriers, homelessness and poverty is an asset.
• Demonstrated effective communication, organizational, advocacy, teaching, and rapport building skills.
• Non-judgmental, patient, friendly, and professional.
• Ability to multi-task in fast-paced environment.
• Class 5 driver's license, personal vehicle for business use, clean 3-year drivers abstract, and $2 million liability coverage are required.
• First Aid (either Standard/Intermediate or Emergency/Basic) - Level C CPR within 30 days of hire date; certification must be valid for a minimum of 6 months upon hire.
• A satisfactory vulnerable sector criminal record clearance is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action is preferred.

Work Environment and Hours

• Primarily works out of Abbeydale Place in Calgary, AB.
• 0.6 FTE (22.5 hours/week)
• Standard hours are 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday.
• Continuous extended periods of sitting, with some standing and walking.
• Occasional physical action requires the ability to climb and carry objects up flights of stairs throughout the shift, and to bend/crouch, reach above shoulder height, kneel, and carry objects (more than 20Ibs).
• Occasional time outside in all weather conditions.

What We Offer

Some of the great benefits The Alex has to offer include:

*Pro-rated based on FTE

• 3-weeks' vacation
• Medical and Dental Coverage
• Health / Wellness Spending Accounts
• RRSP, Student Loan Repayment and/or Mortgage Accelerator Program (up to 5% match)
• Personal Days
• Floating Holiday
• Sick/Wellness Days
• Employee Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)
• Professional Development

Working Conditions

This position requires frontline staff, in some cases, to be exposed to emotionally disturbing events, such as medical distress, threatened/actual serious injury, violence, abuse, and death. There may also be exposure to situations where clients may be experiencing fear, terror, hopelessness, rage, self-harm and conflict. It is understood and accepted that this position will be working in distress/high-stress situations, which may include emergency response where resiliency, stress tolerance, and the ability to maintain composure is imperative. This position may also be exposed to bodily fluids. The health and safety - both physical and psychological- of our employees is a priority. The Alex is focused on providing a safe, supportive and healthy work environment.

The Alex is committed to embedding the principles of equity, inclusion, and diversity across the organization. We are committed to removing barriers to employment that are faced by equity-seeking groups and encourage (but not require) members of these groups to self-identify as such in their cover letters.

In accordance with our strategic priorities, we particularly encourage applications from individuals who self-identify as racialized* or Indigenous (First Nation, Metis, or Inuit).

*The term “racialized” is used here instead of the more outdated and inaccurate terms “racial minority, “visible minority”, “person of colour”, or “non-White”.

For further information about The Alex and its programs, we encourage you to visit our website at www.thealex.ca .

At The Alex, we place a high value on strong, ethical, and professional relationships between clients and primary care providers. Clear boundaries are essential to ensuring safe, respectful, and effective care. To protect clients, medical professionals and staff, employees and contractors of The Alex are not permitted to access internal physicians, nurses, mental health clinicians, or other allied health professional services during their employment.

We recognize that some applicants may have had, or may currently have, meaningful care relationships with The Alex at the time of applying. If you are currently a client and wish to continue in our recruitment process, you are asked to disclose your service provider relationship. Should you be hired, you will be required to transition your care to an external provider within your first 90 days of employment and maintain this external care relationship for the duration of your employment. Reasonable extensions of the 90-day deadline may be considered where absolutely necessary and in the sole discretion of The Alex.

This approach helps us maintain clear boundaries, uphold professional standards, and protect our workers' rights to privacy and confidentiality.