Supportive Housing Worker

Cota; Toronto; On-site; CAD 34,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

Cota is hiring a Supportive Housing Worker for the Safe Beds Program at 1266 Danforth Avenue, Toronto. This permanent part-time role runs Saturday-Sunday 11:00pm–7:00am. The worker delivers recovery-oriented services within a 24/7 team to support tenants and housing stability.

The position requires a Community College Diploma in Social Services or related field and at least 3 years of relevant experience. Applicants should have strong crisis management, communication, and data/documentation

Qualifications

• Completion of a Community College Diploma in Social Services, Community Work, Mental Health, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of related certified trainings, and a minimum of three (3) years of related or lived experience supporting individuals in housing, social services, or community-based settings

Responsibilities

• Assist with the search for, and acquisition of, appropriate housing units within the program
• Coordinate intake processes including reviewing referral information and screening interviews
• Determine eligibility and acceptance of service users into the program
• Coordinate move-in arrangements and orientate service users to housing and Cota services
• Develop tenant support/goal plans with tenants and support networks
• Maintain safe/clean environment and assist with site upkeep
• Coordinate tenant meetings and plan group activities to foster engagement
• Coordinate purchasing of program supplies and track expenditures
• Provide outreach to landlords and housing providers
• Document service user contacts and enter data per guidelines
• Participate in team meetings and program planning

Skills

Clinical knowledge

Community resources

Group facilitation

Crisis management

Interpersonal skills

Computer literacy

Independent work

Non-judgmental

Reliability

Safety awareness

Client-centered

Problem solving

Team player

Cultural sensitivity

Education

Community College Diploma in Social Services / related field

Tools

Word

Email

Internet

Job description

SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORKER

Safe Beds Program - 1266 Danforth Avenue

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

Saturday-Sunday 11:00pm- 7:00am

Existing Vacancy

Compensation: $25.28/hour-$29.40/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 Supportive Housing Workeris responsible for providing Recovery Oriented services to Cota clientsin a manner consistent with Cota’s Mission,Visionand Values.

About the Team

The successful candidates will join a talented and diverse team consisting of Supportive Housing Workers and a dedicated Case Manager. The program is staffed 24/7 with a ratio of three staff to five clients to ensure the provision of intensive support. Staff wellness is paramount so there will be opportunities to grow and support one another within this team.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. In conjunction with the manager and supervisor, they assist with the search for, and acquisition of, appropriate housing units as may be required within the program
2. Coordinates intake processes including:
   • Reviewing the referral information of applicants to the program
   • Coordinating and participating in screening interviews with applicants and their respective referral sources
   • Determining eligibility for the program and confirming acceptance of service user into the program
   • Coordinating move-in arrangements with the service user and their respective referral sources
   • Facilitating internal move-in practices/protocols with service user, per applicable program standards/guidelines
   • Orientating service users to the housing environment and Cota’s service
3. Assists with the development of tenant Support/Goal Plans:
   • Plays an active lead role in ensuring that Support/Goal Plans are developed with each tenant and his/her support network and a record of this is documented in clients chart
   • Shares responsibility with the Team for implementing appropriate housing supports that assist service user in pursuing/achieving their goals
   • Liaises with service user support networks on a regular basis
   • Focuses on assisting service user with:
4. Supports the maintenance of safe/clean environment:
   • Directly assists with maintaining the site in a clean and orderly state. This may involve:
   • Cleaning/setting up vacant tenant units in order to prepare them for occupancy as scheduled, or, as required
   • Cleaning common areas such as common rooms/lounges after activities, common kitchen, office, staff lounge, and building exterior space area as scheduled, or, as required
   • Assisting with any pest control/eradication efforts, as required
   • Continually assessing the environment for safety and security issues and recommending action to address any deficiencies
5. Coordinates/facilitates tenant meetings to promote direct service user participation in the planning of services/activities provided by Cota and to promote a safe and open forum for dialogue in relation to issues/concerns that service user may have regarding the services they receive, the environment that they live in, and any conflict/tension that they may be experiencing in relation to their living environment
6. Plans and facilitates group activities/events which foster service user engagement/participation, the development of social networks, and skill acquisition
7. Coordinates the purchasing of necessary program/activity supplies, and accounts for purchases in accordance with program guidelines
8. Offers outreach support/education to landlords and housing providers through:
   • Orientation to/education about the challenges facing our service user and their support needs
   • Participation in joint client/landlord dispute meetings
9. Documentation and data entry:
   • Documents all service user contacts/interactions in the appropriate service user chart according to Cota's documentation guidelines
   • Enters data relating to service user interactions into Cota's database system according to data collection guideline
     
   • Assists with other data collection activities within the program, as determined by the Supervisor and/or Team
10. Participates in team meetings, provides input and ideas for improving services, efficiencies and ongoing program planning

Other Responsibilities:

• Maintains current certification and/or up-to-date training in identified Required Training areas for MH&CS Division Service providers
• Adheres to all Cota's policies and procedures and follows established applicable program guidelines, procedures and practices
• Adheres to all applicable legislation, in particular, the Ontario Human Rights Code
• Complies with all Health and Safety policies and procedures to ensure every reasonable precaution is taken for the protection of workers and clients and that health and safety concerns or incidents are responded to promptly
• Works cooperatively, respectfully and constructively with clients, Team members, management, other service providers, and external stakeholders
• Ensures that confidentiality of clients, employees and Cota information is maintained at all times
• Undertakes other related and/or delegated duties, as assigned

Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

Completion of a Community College Diploma in Social Services, Community Work, Mental Health, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of related certified trainings, and a minimum of three (3) years of related or lived experience supporting individuals in housing, social services, or community-based settings

Knowledge & Skills:

• Clinical knowledge relevant to the target population being served
• Knowledge of community resources relevant to the target population being served and/or demonstrated ability to search for applicable resources/information
• Ability to design and implement group activities and facilitate group meetings
• Good crisis management and dispute resolution skills
• Good interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Basic computer literacy (Word, E-mail, Internet)
• Good judgment and ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with others
• Non-judgmental attitude
• Consistent/ reliable and flexible
• Ability to recognize safety issues and follow safe work practices
• Demonstrated client-centred and customer focused approach
• Ability to problem solve and make recommendations to resolve issues
• Effective team player
• Sensitive to challenges experienced by marginalized population groups such as poverty, access issues, mental health and addictions

Judgment:

• Ability to identify client risk factors and coordinate appropriate follow-up
• Respectful and aware of service user - worker boundaries
• Awareness of safety issues with service user.

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.

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.

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 that 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 [e-mail]

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