Social Worker

This position is within the collective bargaining unit.

**Position overview**:
Adsum for Women & Children shelters and houses as many as 100 people each day. Hundreds more use Adsum services and support without ever staying with us, often related to their basic needs for safe and affordable housing, food, clothing and connection. We believe that everyone has the right to a safe secure home.

**Position scope**:
Under the day-to-day supervision of the Social Work Coordinator (acting), the Social Worker is responsible for providing supportive counseling and case management services to individuals and families staying at Adsum House. The Social Worker acts as an advocate for clients with outside service providers and within Adsum’s client support team.

The Social Worker is skilled in various assessment and supportive counseling approaches and has an understanding of trauma informed service principles. The Social Worker models a non-punitive, collaborative and social justice oriented approach to client care. They demonstrate and encourage creative problem solving and case planning in order to support clients with complex needs.

The Social Worker has excellent crisis assessment and intervention skills and takes the lead in crisis situations along with the Coordinator. Managing stressful situations effectively, flexibility and the ability to prioritize and work under pressure within a changing environment are essential skills for this role.

The Social Worker provides advice and recommendations on issues of concern to women, trans* persons and youth who are homeless and their children. They assist the Coordinator with program development, implementation and evaluation. The Social Worker has a sophisticated understanding of harm reduction, client centered practice and anti-oppressive frameworks and readily implements these principles in daily work with clients. They must also have demonstrative knowledge of Nova Scotia Child & Family Services Act and ESIA programs and relevant service systems and resources.

**Typical duties**:
Provides supportive counseling and case management services to clients and their children.
- Identifies issues of concern to clients staiing at Adsum House and seeking to re-access the shelter;
- Conducts social work assessments and assists clients in the development of both short
- and long-term goals and the pursuit of those goals;
- Makes referrals on behalf of clients and advises on the development of referral protocols;
- Responsible for crisis assessment and intervention;
- Advocates with and on clients’ behalf;
- Responsible for maintaining case records and case management within Adsum House;
- Identifies issues and works to ensure the protection of the rights of all clients;
- Provides assistance and support to clients during difficult and crisis situations;
- Collaborates, supports and, along with the Coordinator, provides leadership to the client service team; and is
- Responsible for on-call duties.

Provides information, support and other services to clients and their children requiring emergency and short-term shelter.
- Provides information in person and on the phone to women, trans* persons and others seeking assistance in locating emergency, short-term and permanent housing;
- Ensures that all interactions with clients are carried out in a safe, dignified and unobtrusive manner;
- Maintains client confidentiality and privacy; and
- Assists clients in obtaining medical treatment and other essential services.

Develops, implements and evaluates both short
- and long-term programs for residents.
- Recommends the implementation of programs on behalf of residents and other clients;
- Develops programs in response to identified needs of clients within Adsum House;
- Responsible for evaluation of approved programs;
- Promotes and develops community partnerships;
- Facilitates and negotiates effective partnerships with community, private and government stakeholders to carry out programs and other project initiatives;
- Serves as a representative of Adsum House on community committees; and
- Collaborates with community organizations to integrate a gender analysis and women’s and families’ issues into the development of project proposals.Prepares reports, correspondence and presentations.
- Assists the Social Work Coordinator in the preparation of monthly and annual statistical reports;
- Maintains clients’ records;
- Prepares written evaluations of programs;
- Designs and delivers presentations on diverse issues related to homelessness for members of the general public, professional organizations, community agencies and government; and
- In consultation with the Social Work Coordinator assists in the preparation of a monthly written report for the Executive Director.

Supervises and supports the training of social work practicum students and social service students.
- Assists the Social Work Coordinator in facilitating the training of practicum students.

Performs other