Housing Relief Worker

About this position

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL

Job Title: Housing Relief Worker
Position Type: Bargaining Unit, Permanent, Relief (occasional shifts – as needed)      
Number of Positions: 10
Rate: $20.43 per hour
Vacation: 8% Vacation Pay
Hours: Varies
Supervisor: Senior Manager of Housing, Manager of Family Housing, THP Program Manager
Posting Date: January 3, 2024    
Application Deadline: Until positions are filled   
Location: 145 Queen St. East, 40 Oak, 20 Palace, 418 Dawes Rd, 704 Mortimer, 4626 Kingston Road, Toronto                    

Why Fred Victor?
For over 125 years, Fred Victor has been a leader in providing place and purpose to people in need in Toronto. Our mission is to improve the health, income and housing stability of people experiencing poverty and homelessness. We are committed to ending chronic homelessness. This is an ambitious and bold goal, but we believe, achievable.

We are seeking motivated self-starters to work as a Relief Staff for our Housing Programs. Fred Victor Housing consists of a variety of affordable and rent geared to income housing programs. They all serve people who are experiencing homelessness and poverty. The position requires respect for, and expertise working with people who face barriers due to mental health, substance use, trauma, social isolation, immigration, poverty, unemployment/underemployment and history with the criminal justice system. The incumbent will also be someone who is personable, dynamic and creative in their approach. The position also requires a great amount of flexibility and ability to be available on very short notice. Relief staff are expected to be available to provide short notice shift coverage and to work a variety of shifts that include: overnights, days, evenings, weekends and holidays.

Does this sound like work you want to be a part of?
We offer a high-energy and collaborative, learning environment, and an opportunity to join a diverse team of caring professionals and a chance to make a difference. With over 60 programs and services and more than 21 sites, there are lots of opportunities to grow your career with us. Many members of the management team started in relief and front-line roles.

What You Will Do:

• Welcome community members and tenants into the program or building.
• Develop and facilitate groups, community activities, life skills programming and encourage on going participation.
• Proactively de-escalate potential conflicts; deal with emergencies as they arise and effectively handle crisis and conflict when necessary.
• Provide tenants and community members with referral information for other Fred Victor as well as external community supports and resources.
• Complete administrative tasks such as answering phones, supporting food programming, writing letters, notices, daily entries into Pirouette and tracking statistical information.
• Attend daily debriefs and shift changes and complete incident reports as required.
• Facilitate regular participant or tenant meetings, introductions and conflict resolution meetings.
• Support to all tenants and community members to maintain their housing and assist them to deal with housing and program related issues such as behaviour, social isolation, mental health, substance use and hygiene by encouraging and assisting and supporting tenants to problem solve and access community resources.
• Role-model professional behaviour and positive communication with participants, volunteers and partners
• Attend staff meetings, supervisions, and trainings as required.
• Support tenants and community members utilizing harm reduction principles and programming, including handing out safe use kits, and responding to overdoses.
• Assist with meal service including serving of food.
• Clean and prepare rooms for new intake when required.
• Assist tenants and program space with pest control preparation.
• Engage community members and tenants and build healthy, positive relationships.
• Build a culture of teamwork.
• Adhere to agency policies and procedures and uphold Fred Victor values in our community.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

What You Bring to the Team:

• Diploma or degree in Social Services and/or equivalent 1 year of front-line social services experience
• Thorough knowledge of community-based resources and supports.
• Open and flexible availability.
• Experience working directly with men and women from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Strong understanding and commitment to social justice issues and anti-racism and anti-discrimination practices.
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals with mental health and addiction issues.
• Strong skills in crisis intervention, conflict resolution and de-escalation strategies
• Strong knowledge and understanding of trauma informed practices.
• Experience with group facilitation and community development programming
• Strong knowledge of harm reduction tools and resources
• Strong interpersonal skills resulting in effective, productive and appropriate relationships with the community members, tenants and greater FV community, partner programs and organizations including police and other crisis services.
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Highly developed ability to make fast and sound judgments.
• Highly reliable and proven ability to work independently, adhere to team decisions and to give, receive and follow direction to and from others.
• Well-developed understanding of and a proven ability to communicate appropriate professional boundaries.
• Strong understanding of systems that cause and support homelessness, poverty, discrimination and a respect for the realities of the community we serve.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, prioritize work and remain adaptable and flexible.
• CPI; First Aid/CPR; anti-oppression/anti-racism; Suicide Intervention and overdose prevention are required certification/trainings for this role.  

Working Conditions:

• There is a likelihood of exposure to unpredictable behavior, unpleasant odors, bodily fluids and pests including bedbugs, mice and cockroaches.
• All employees must expect to be in potentially threatening situations.
• This is stressful and emotionally challenging work that deals with vicarious trauma, grief and compassion fatigue on a regular basis.
• Required to travel to Fred Victor’s program and administration locations.
• Travel will be by public transportation, unless approved to use personal vehicle.
• Will be required to work weekends but also could be asked to work mornings, evenings or overnights on occasion in order to provide oversight to the program.
• Must be willing to work with pets as many tenants have pets.

Compensation and Benefits

• For the position of Housing Relief Worker, Fred Victor offers an hourly rate of $20.43.
• 8% vacation pay
• Access to employee and family assistance plan

How You Can Apply
Send your resume and cover letter as one document to the Hiring Housing Manager at dropinhousingrelief@fredvictor.org with ‘Housing Relief Worker’ in the subject line.

A Police Record Check is required by the final candidate prior to hiring.

All candidates offered a position with Fred Victor from September 30, 2021 onward must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination as a condition of employment. Fred Victor will comply with its Human Rights obligations and accommodate employees who are legally entitled to accommodation.

Accessibility & Accommodation
Fred Victor is committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible environment where employees feel valued and respected, and where every employee has the opportunity to realize their potential. As such, we welcome and encourage applicants who identify as racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons across the spectrum of sexual orientation and gender identities and have lived-experience.
 
If you are a person with a disability and require accommodation and/or assistance during the application process, please contact us in advance. We strive to provide reasonable accommodations whenever requested. Information received relating to accommodation requests will be treated with confidentiality.