YWCA Toronto - Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker

Ontario Association of Interval & Transition Houses; Ontario; On-site; CAD 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Overnight Housing Support Worker to join their team. This role is pivotal in providing support to women and gender diverse individuals facing housing challenges. You'll engage in crisis intervention, facilitate community safety initiatives, and ensure a trauma-informed environment. With a focus on harm reduction and anti-oppression, you will empower tenants to maintain their housing and well-being. Join a passionate team committed to social justice and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those in need.

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical Coverage

Vision and Dental Coverage

Life Insurance

Long-Term Disability Benefit

Pension Plan

20 Vacation Days

Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Child Care Benefits

Financial Assistance for Professional Development

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience in housing/shelter settings.
• Knowledge of trauma supports and community resources.
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services.

Responsibilities

• Support tenants with eviction prevention and crisis intervention.
• Monitor tenant health and well-being, ensuring safety.
• Provide case management and referrals for health and wellness.

Skills

Crisis Intervention

Conflict Mediation

Trauma-Informed Care

Harm Reduction Principles

Culturally Sensitive Services

Community Resource Knowledge

Client-Centered Approach

Excellent Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor of Social Work

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

YWCA Toronto - Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker

Posted on May 05, 2025

YWCA Toronto

Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker

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.

Internal and External Job Posting

Awake Overnight Housing Support Worker

Housing Support Program - Church Street

JOB ID: CHUR1111-repost

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Hours: 35 hours per week, Sunday – Wednesday 9PM-6AM (3 hours meeting on Tuesday once in a month)

Salary: $52,348 annually (Level 6), plus comprehensive benefits

Internal Application Deadline: Monday, May 12, 2025

External Application Deadline: Wednesday, May 14, 2025

JOIN OUR TEAM

YWCA Toronto strives to uphold anti-discrimination practices and anti-oppression principles to ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected and protected. We work to promote a climate that is welcoming of all women and individuals who identify as trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people from all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

The Overnight Housing Support Worker (HSW) is responsible for supporting tenancy through: Eviction prevention activities in a complex permanent housing environment, developing and implementing community safety initiatives and offers a range of services and supports to tenants through a trauma-informed, harm reduction and Anti-oppression (AOP) lens that meets the wellness needs of the tenant community.

With in-depth knowledge in the area of trauma supports, this role performs a variety of functions to support the health and safety, social and mental well-being of tenant’s onsite, and facilitates in partnership with security personnel the overall effective operation of the building on the overnights. The HSW role acts as a resource to staff and tenants and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes mental health and addiction supports, monitoring the activities of tenants and visitors, assessing and responding to potential crisis situations, maintaining building common areas and supervising the property.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – HOUSING SUPPORT PROGRAM, CHURCH STREET

YWCA Toronto Church Street facility includes 120 units of permanent housing. The Case Worker is responsible for providing case management support to women and gender diverse people including: individuals with complex mental health issues and who are chronically homeless or at risk of homelessness; individuals transitioning from provincially funded institutions and service systems such as hospitals or prisons; Indigenous women/two-spirit people. The program goals include housing stabilization, harm reduction, and health promotion. Individual and group support assists tenants to identify and build the skills required to address the barriers they experience in their lives and to maintain their housing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uses effective eviction prevention measures to assist tenants to assume and maintain their tenancy obligations;
• Provides crisis prevention, intervention and counseling for women and children and gender diverse people to respond to crisis in ways that support individual and community well-being;
• Monitor and update caseworkers on tenants’ health and wellbeing;
• Models and coaches tenants to use conflict resolution and mediation skills to support positive relations between tenants;
• Provides case management follow-up supports, and referrals in the areas of health and wellness, harm reduction, counselling, income and food security;
• Conducts health and safety assessments, and identifies tenants’ issues/resources;
• Demonstrates and maintains knowledge of relevant legislation regarding housing services, Child Welfare, the dynamics of gender violence, substance use and mental health, and effective support strategies;
• Applies trauma informed practice knowledge, stays current and demonstrates skill in the area of trauma support and acts as a resource to security staff and tenants during the overnight;
• Working with the Manager, participates in the team as a specialist in the area of innovative community development and capacity building with marginalized and mixed communities;
• Ensures accurate, timely documentation of program and tenant support initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Bachelor of Social Work) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered) ;
• 1 - 3 years directly related experience working in a housing/shelter setting in a direct service setting with children, youth and adults who experience impacts of poverty, homelessness/ violence/trauma, mental health/addictions, or concurrent disorders;
• Excellent crisis intervention and conflict mediation skills, with ability to remain calm in crisis;
• Proven experience working independently, developing and facilitating groups;
• Demonstrated experience in cultivating leadership within groups and developing dynamic and innovative programming;
• Supportive counseling and group-work approach that is flexible, client-centered and strengths-based
• working knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice;
• knowledge of community resources and supports focused on trauma;
• Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing Services Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services;
• Strong knowledge and understanding of community resources;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft office suite;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated understanding and proven ability to work from Anti-oppression, Trauma Informed, Harm Reduction, and feminist frameworks.

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

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.

HOW TO APPLY

https://ywcatoronto.applytojob.com/apply/D0qL2qoFN8/Awake-Overnight-Housing-Support-Worker-Job-ID CHUR1111repost?source=Diversity+list

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 secondable.

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 is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.