Shelter Counsellor

**Posted**: March 25th, 2024**

**Closes: April 8th, 2024**

**Posting #**: 20240325**

**INTERNAL POSTING**

**SHELTER COUNSELLOR**

**RELIEF**

**CUPE Local 3521**

**OFFICE LOCATION**:Crossroads Shelter

**START DATE**: ASAP

**WAGE RANGE**:$25.04 to $28.12/hr (includes pay equity adjustments to March 2022)

**HOURS**: Relief, On-Call

**POSITION PURPOSE**:
***:
**MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES**:
***:
**Shelter Counsellors, with the support and guidance of the Shelter Managers, are responsible for ensuring that the YWCA’s funder mandated outcomes are met. These outcomes are based upon the premise that Crossroads and HERS exist to keep women, with and without children safe from harm.**:
***:
**Specific mandated outcomes include (including MCCSS VAW emergency residential guidelines)**:

- ** Assist women who are fleeing violent / abusive relationships to increase safety for themselves and their dependents, prevent re-victimization and take steps to rebuild their lives.**:

- ** Support women and their dependents to understand their rights, safety planning and violence prevention strategies.**:

- ** Assist women in supporting their dependents to heal from the effects of witnessing violence.**:

- ** Assist and advocate for women and their dependents regarding their health, safety and well-being.**:

- ** Each woman who calls may have the opportunity to find out their level of danger by way of an initial lethality screening being done by the Shelter Counsellor.**:

- ** Each woman who calls has a safety plan for themselves and their family co-created by them and a Shelter Counsellor.**:

- ** Once a resident at the shelter, each woman co-creates a safety plan with staff created appropriate to their changed circumstances while living at Crossroads or HERS.**:

- ** Upon discharge from Crossroads or HERS, staff will work with each woman to co-create a safety plan appropriate to their new living arrangements.**:

- ** Provide immediate crisis intervention, information, or referrals to callers on the agency’s 24-hour crisis lines in a non-judgmental manner.**:
**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- Completed relevant post-secondary education (Social Service Worker diploma, Dual Pathways Program - Social Service Worker and Mental Health and Addictions, and/or Bachelor of Social Work) and at least 2 years relevant experience, or a combination of education and experience.
- Completion of workshops and courses pertaining to mental illness, trauma, harm reduction, crisis de-escalation and anti-oppressive practice.
- Demonstrated knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice.
- Demonstrated knowledge of community resources and supports focused on mental health, addictions, individual and group supports.
- Experience delivering culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment.
- Knowledge and understanding of mental health, substance use/addictions, advocacy, refugee and immigration issues and homelessness.
- Demonstrates knowledge and ability to work with women and their families using brief solution-focused techniques.
- Demonstrates knowledge, understanding, and ability to respond appropriately to women and their children as they deal with the short and long-term effects of surviving trauma including having lived in an abusive situation; having survived an abusive situation and dealing with the impact of leaving an abusive situation.
- Incorporates knowledge and understanding of the impact of marginalization on women.
- Women may be marginalized by: living in a rural and/or isolated location; housing/homelessness; poverty; physical and mental health status; use of legal/illegal drugs &/or alcohol; racialization; immigration status; sexual orientation; gender identity; family status; physical & mental health status of their children; differing ability/disability; language; culture; religion; education; employment; source of income; socio-economic status; literacy and numeracy skills; and so forth.
- Demonstrates knowledge, commitment and ability to incorporate anti-oppression & antiracist understanding into daily practice.
- Knowledge of, and proven ability to use, Crisis Prevention & Intervention skills in order to diffuse and prevent crisis situations.
- Strong crisis intervention, de-escalating, conflict management and resolution skills.
- Demonstrates ability to be self-reflective and self-aware in the role of Shelter Counsellor.
- Demonstrates awareness of the personal impact of VAW work and creates and uses a personal well-being plan in order to deal with the impact of the work.
- Demonstrates ability to adhere to professional standards in all facets of shelter work; with clients, with co-workers, and with the public.
- Demonstrates knowledge, commitment and ability to create a healthy workplace environment for residents and co-workers.
- Demonstrates the ability to incorporate training and professional development into day-today work.
- A solid understanding of de-colonization practices and the impacts of colo