Uturn Lifeskill Coach

Youth for Christ Canada; Brandon; On-site; CAD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Youth for Christ Canada is seeking a Lifeskill Coach to engage with youth facing homelessness, providing relationship and support services to help with housing placement and personal growth. You will work with a support team and manage case notes to track progress.

The role involves housing searches, development planning, budgeting assistance, and advocacy across partner agencies, landlords, and government representatives. You will participate in on-call support and safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provide case management to HF and/or Uturn participants.
• Establish professional relationships with HF/Uturn teams to coordinate housing supports.
• Provide resources and referrals to meet immediate needs.
• Develop and update personal development plans with participants.
• Arrange housing placement, rental, deposits, utilities, leases, furnishings, and living skills.
• Assist participants with budgeting and expenses.
• Provide outreach, advocacy, and services in varied environments.
• Maintain written records and program documentation.
• Educate participants about benefits and entitlements.
• Conduct housing searches and liaise with landlords and managers.
• Participate in check-ins and crises management.
• Engage in on-call duties outside office hours.

Job description

Position: Uturn Lifeskills Coach

Reports to: Housing Director

Primary Objective:

The Lifeskill Coach is responsible for engaging with youth facing homelessness, providing relationship and support services to assist in housing placement and retention, personal growth and discipleship. This includes building and communicating with a support team, overseeing case management for assigned individuals, overseeing/conducting the personalized development plan process, conducting housing searches, placement into housing, and or other appropriate support services so that the individual can remain housed and grow.

The Lifeskill Coach works closely with individuals/families in need of housing, funded agency housing teams, other community agencies, landlords, government representatives, and as well as members of the Uturn team.

Responsibilities:

MINISTRY DUTIES (65%)

1. 1. Provide Case Management to 8 Housing First (HF) and/or Uturn participants as determined;
2. 2. Establish professional working relationships with all agency HF Teams to appropriately assist in housing their participants. Understand each team’s requirements, and proactively provide housing supports as required;
3. 3. Provide resources and referrals to individuals or families that assist with problem solving and address immediate needs;
4. 4. Assertively engage with HF and Uturn participants, and their case manager if appropriate, in the formulation of a comprehensive personal development plan that is reviewed and modified with young people on a regular basis;
5. 5. Provide individually tailored services to each HF and Uturn participant—i.e. housing placement, unit rental, damage deposits, securing income assistance if required, setting up of utilities, signing of leases, and arranging for furnishings and household items, independent living skills, vocational guidance, appointment escorts, integrated substance use treatment, and counseling;
6. 6. Assist HF and Uturn participants to manage their monies, including preparing budgets with participants and computing expenses;
7. 7. Provide outreach, counseling, advocacy, and other needed services to HF and Uturn participants in any environment including: the streets, shelters, prisons, hospitals, apartments, office, etc;
8. 8. Maintain written and computerized records, compile reports and complete other program documentation (case notes, statistics, letters, psychological evaluations, etc.);
9. 9. Educate, inform and advocate for HF and Uturn participants regarding benefits and entitlements (Social Security, Public Assistance, food stamps, etc.);
10. 10. Conduct housing searches and build inventory lists of available housing units for candidates. Liaise with property managers, landlords, realtors and other sources to identify properties for participant placement;
11. 11. Participate in Uturn check-in meetings and door knocking as scheduled;
12. 12. Spend time on-call and attend to crises as they arise during non-office hours. Contact the HF Coordinator and Uturn Director in the event of a major crisis

ADMINISTRATION (15%)

1. 1. Meet with supervisor regularly.
2. 2. Ensure that the HIFIS system is utilized daily.
3. 3. Ensure all reporting is complete and submitted on time.
4. 4. Attend weekly Uturn/YFC staff meetings as directed and monthly all-staff meetings.
5. 5. Complete required ministry reports and expense forms.
6. 6. Adhere to the WYFC Policy Manual.
7. 7. Abide by Health and Safety Requirements.
8. 8. Assist in the upkeep of WYFC Facilities.

PARTNER DEVELOPMENT (10%)

1. 1. Participate in ministry partner development as the salary of this staff position is partly funded on a missionary basis requiring the gathering of a ministry partnership team.
2. 2. Communicate with ministry partners regularly (newsletters quarterly, visits & phone calls as appropriate)
3. 3. Conduct fundraising presentations to individuals, churches, and other groups.
4. 4. Participate in Uturn and Westman YFC fundraising events several times per year, which may include evenings and weekends.

SPIRITUAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT (10%)

1. 1. Spend time in spiritual reflection and development.
2. 2. Ongoing participation in a community of faith.
3. 3. Completion of the WYFC Canada Credentialing process within 2 years of start date.
4. 4. Participate in training and development courses, conferences and workshops as approved by supervisor.