Housing Support Worker – Port Hawkesbury

The Opportunity

Housing Support Workers (HSWs) work alongside individuals to build trusting relationships centered on providing individualized, person-driven, strength and asset-based, trauma-informed support. Examples of support may include assistance in accessing community services and community integration, finding and maintaining housing, or advocating for supports and services when appropriate to do so for individual case management purposes. HSWs work with people in areas of skill building, goal setting, and safety planning. HSWs are key players in eviction prevention services, providing in-home support services after a participant is placed in housing for a minimum of 6 months after housing placement, and could be extended based on individual needs identified through an assessment such as VAT, SPDAT or another assessment tool approved by the Ministry of Opportunities and Social Development. Often a HSW is a “go to” person when problems arise that require additional support services such as legal, tenancy or financial concerns. HSWs support autonomy and self-determination for the individuals they are working with by pre-identifying goals through a participant-led goal planning session and providing the tools and supports necessary for success.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Develop supportive relationships with participants.
• Assist individuals to: access basic needs, access income supports to sustain tenancies, complete appropriate housing applications, access information related to community resources.

• Set and achieve goals within a case management model based on outcomes and assessments such as VAT, SPDAT, or other assessment tools approved by the Department of Community Services.
• May be required to act as a mediator between participants and rental providers.
• Teach/mentor participants to complete activities of daily living until connections are made with community supports.
• Advocate on behalf of participants for supports and services when appropriate to do so for individual case management purposes.
• Support rental providers as necessary, including provision of information, and building relationships and rapport.
• Develop a knowledge base of external community programs and resources for referral purposes including Employment Support and Income Assistance, Regional Housing Authorities, Tax clinics, Financial Literacy programming, Trustees, Education, Employment, etc.
• Conduct ongoing assessment of program participants using a recommended and recognized assessment tool (SPDAT (Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool) – Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool or VAT – Vulnerability Assessment Tool, or other assessment tools approved by the Department of Community Services).
• Have regular and ongoing contact with participants, both in social settings as well as in the participant’s home.
• Provide ongoing in-home support for a minimum of 6 months after housing placement to reduce the chance of eviction and re-entry into homelessness.
• Ongoing documentation of participant led goals and objectives including participant outcomes.
• Accurate daily entry and maintenance of participant data and case management in HIFIS.
• Other duties as assigned by the Manager.

Skills and Qualifications

• Housing support work is relationship-based. HSWs must be able to form and maintain positive and trusting relationships with participants, rental providers and other providers within health and social services.
• Participant choice is key to Housing First, it must be proficient in person-directed support.
• HSWs must be flexible and able to work in an evolving environment as challenges faced by participants are at times unpredictable.
• Housing support work occurs out in the community and independently, must be comfortable with working
• Must have excellent communication and negotiation skills due to the potential for negotiating conflict between participants and rental providers.
• Mental health challenges and addictions are commonly faced by participants of Housing First models. Therefore, an academic and practice background in mental health and addictions is strongly recommended.
• Housing First is grounded in a philosophy of harm reduction. HSW must understand the theoretical underpinnings that drives and supports their work (such as trauma-informed care and harm reduction).
• Supporting individuals with complex challenges can be challenging work, therefore they must have well established self-awareness, personal coping, and self-care skills, be supported in their workplaces, and have the required access to supportive resources.
• HSWs should have skills in home-based care, non-violent crisis resolution, safety planning and trauma informed practices as HSW meet participants in their home.
• Due to the requirement to connect participants with local resources, HSW must have a strong knowledge of local services.
• Existing relationships within the health and social sectors are an asset.
• A diploma in health or social services is frequently defined as a minimum requirement. However, lived experience as well as working experience in these fields may be sufficient.
• Housing First is provided within a team setting, therefore they should have a demonstrated ability to work within a team model.
• Valid First AID/CPR and naloxone is required

The YMCA of Cape Breton is an equal opportunity employer that values the diversity of people and communities and is committed to excellence and inclusion in our Association. We are committed to an environment that is barrier free. If you require accommodation during the hiring process, please inform us in advance to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation.