Housing and Settlement Worker

About this position

Housing and Settlement Worker

CHRISTIE REFUGEE WELCOME CENTRE is a Christian organization serving and advocating for refugee families by providing safe, temporary housing, initial settlement services, and follow-up support. 

We are a charitable organization that operates a City of Toronto emergency shelter for refugee claimant families, with support from the City, Province of Ontario, community groups, churches, foundations, and individuals.  We provide basic orientation to life in Canada, assist with the preparation of documents to make a refugee claim, make medical and legal referrals, and provide a community of support.  At full capacity, our Emergency Shelter has 30 rooms with 76 beds to accommodate refugee families.  Each family has a separate bedroom and shared bathroom facilities.  There is a communal kitchen and dining area which provides all meals and snacks for residents.

Our Shelter Program has an immediate opportunity for a full time (i.e., 37.50 hours weekly) Housing and Settlement Worker.  Working collaboratively, this front-line role provides initial housing, settlement, and case management services, and supports to Shelter residents with the goal of successfully transitioning residents to permanent or transitional housing accommodations and the larger community. The successful candidate will be highly relational, a collaborative team player with a genuine desire to assist and equip CRWC refugee families in their basic orientation to life in Canada. On an occasional basis, position may require evening and weekend hours.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

• Provide Community Exit consultations for all shelter residents once they have a confirmed address and move-out date; providing information and/or referrals for basic needs and settlement supports in new community, including furniture, mattresses, food banks, schools, medical clinics.
• Assist with completing Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) or subsidized housing and Transitional Housing Allowance Program (THAP) applications, and referrals to Housing Help Centers for access to additional housing supports.  
• Provide tenant-rights education and budgeting to make informed decisions regarding their housing options.
• Provide additional follow-up information and advocacy with landlords and social assistance offices prior to move-out from CRWC.
• Conduct admissions and Shelter Orientation consultations for newly arrived residents.
• Provide advocacy and referrals to assist residents in developing their settlement, housing and financial goals.
• Work closely with residents to ensure that they are progressing through the refugee claim process.
• Establish rapport through meeting and providing basic needs, responding promptly to day-to-day inquiries, and fostering a sense of community throughout their residency at Christie Refugee Welcome Centre. 
• Complete all case management and housing-related documentation for shelter residents on Shelter Management Information System (SMIS) and similarly, ensure that all housing services and housing-related statistics are tracked and updated in the statistical data base.
•  Update Shelter Manager and Shelter Program team members on various resident case management progress and/or challenges via weekly Shelter Program meetings.
• Perform rotational On-Call duties and provide pertinent communication to CRWC staff through the communication Logbook.
• Amenable to handling a range of miscellaneous tasks when needed by Shelter Manager to enhance shelter residents stay at CRWC.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Educational requirements will include a degree in social sciences/social work or 2-year social services diploma with 2-3 years of direct experience in the Housing/Settlement sector or, a relevant combination of education and experience.  The candidate must possess well-developed relational skills, an ability to creatively problem-solve, be knowledgeable of approaches to de-escalate conflict situations and provide crisis intervention strategies as required.  Additionally, strong organizational and time management skills and experience in report writing and SMIS are required. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of the plight of refugees and possess knowledge of newcomer issues; able to engage others in a culturally sensitive manner; and manage conflict situations with skill and diplomacy.  In accordance with the CRWC’s’ Child Protection Policy, a satisfactory Vulnerable Police Check clearance is required as a condition of employment.

CRWC offers a collegial work environment and is centrally located at Bloor and Christie Streets in Toronto.

The Christie Refugee Welcome Centre is a place of welcome, safety and support for refugees.

Our Core Values

• We are Christian
• We respond to refugees with dignity and respect
• We are resilient and responsive to the changing needs of refugees
• We are committed to children and families
• We partner with others to serve refugees more effectively
• We are advocates for refugees

Interested candidates are invited to forward a resume with accompanying cover letter to:

employment@christiestreetrc.com

All applications are appreciated; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Closing date for applications:  July 11, 2011