Housing Preparation and Support Worker

**Employment Type**: Full-Time (Short term Contract)
**Department**: Housing Services
**Union**: Included (CUPE Local 2497)
**Salary**:Level 3 - $26.42/hr
**File #**: 24-HS-38 (1 OPEN)
**Posting Date**: February 20, 2025
**Posting Close**: March 6, 2025

The Housing Preparation and Support Worker will be required to Work Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

**Position Summary**

Reporting to the Manager, Housing Access Services, or such other persons as deemed necessary by the agency, the Housing Preparation and Support Worker works to assess and identify clients for long term housing through counselling, referral and outreach. Once clients have been housed, the Housing Preparation and Support Worker continues to provide housing access, support and follow up services with a focus on the long-term success of the client in their housing.

**Duties & Responsibilities**
Housing Preparation, Assessment and Identification for Housing
- Implement housing preparation plans with clients (i.e. I.D., taxes, income supports, etc.).
- Provide crisis counseling and emotional support to proposed residents.
- Provide referrals to appropriate services.
- In collaboration with other Dixon Hall Housing Services staff, assess and identify all potential housing needs of the shelter residents and the readiness for permanent housing of those residents.
- Assess and triage clients to the appropriate level of housing support.
- Work with potential residents to identify their housing support needs; determine how those support services will be delivered.
- Housing Occupancy
- Develop working relationships with public and private landlords to facilitate housing access.
- Engage in individualized housing searches with clients who are prepared to access permanent housing.
- Facilitate housing preparation for the purpose of moving clients into the position of being potential tenants, in collaboration with the other Housing Preparation/Support Workers from the Agency.
- Arrange steps for potential residents to move into housing (i.e. income verification, contact with property management, financial arrangement regarding rent, trusteeship etc.).

Housing Support
- Arrange and maintain regular and intermittent times for home visits with tenants.
- Support the tenants in maintaining their housing.
- Make referrals to appropriate services.
- Accompany clients to appointments if necessary.
- Liaise between property managers and tenants.
- Advocate on behalf of tenants.
- Educate tenants on their responsibilities and rights.
- Hold house meetings as required.
- Case conference with hospitals, doctors, other support agencies etc.
- Re-assess housing support needs as required.

Additional Client Support
- Assist clients with interpersonal skills, self-reliance, community building and other skills required for successful maintenance of housing via communal programming and one-on-one support.
- Plan and implement special events for residents of housing programs.
- Share responsibility with fellow staff members to ensure that the Homeless, Hostels and Housing department office is staffed.
- Provide individual support/counselling.
- Mediate conflicts that develop between clients and other significant people who surround them.

Administrative/Liaison
- Maintain appropriate information for statistics and files.
- Maintain client files.
- Attend department team and agency staff meetings.
- Provide letters for clients.
- Escort clients to hospitals, doctors, court, etc.
- Arrange funerals, notify families, liaise with police, etc., as required.
- Other Duties as assigned.

**Qualifications**:

- Previous experience (one year or more) working in a shelter and/or housing environment.
- Previous experience (one year or more) assisting clients access and maintain housing.
- Post-secondary education in a relevant field (i.e. certificate, degree, or diploma in social services) preferred.
- Practical knowledge of crisis intervention, conflict resolution, counseling, harm reduction, community service agencies, and the homeless population gained through either experience or education/training.
- Demonstrated ability to use sound judgement, perform job duties with mínimal supervision, and problem solve.
- Demonstrated ability to work sensitively with a wide variety of individuals and with groups of homeless and hard-to-house men and women in a community setting.
- Ability to collaborate with individuals, client groups, agencies, and other organizations working towards social change.
- Knowledge of political, structural and sociological reasons for homelessness, under housing and poverty.
- Ability to quickly identify issues and possible solutions.
- Strong written and verbal English language skills; knowledge of other languages will be considered an asset.
- Excellent writing skills for social assistance appeals, letters, etc.
- Ability to work with all levels of professionals in community agencies and government offices.
- Experience working with seniors.
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