Drop-in Support Worker

_**Link Drop-In Support Worker**_

Aunt Leah’s Place is a non-profit organization that helps prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless and mothers in need from losing custody of their children. To support youth on their journey to self-sufficiency, we provide supported housing, job training, and coaching on essential life skills.

**Job Summary**:As part of the Link Housing First Team, the Link Drop-In Support Worker provides scheduled and unscheduled housing programming out of Aunt Leah’s Resource Centre. Link is a unique program focused on providing a continuum of supports for youth aging out of government care and families. Link focuses on housing, preventing homelessness, and improving the quality of life for former youth in care with the goal of providing supports akin to what parented peers receive.

**Reports To**:Link Program Coordinator

**Salary**:Starting at $23.00 an hour

**Qualifications**:

- Post-secondary Child and Youth Care Diploma, Social Services Diploma, or equivalent
- Minimum of one to two years’ experience in providing support to youth or;
- A relevant combination of education and experience combined with general suitability

**Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**:

- Communication (verbal and written)
- Flexibility/Adaptability in managing multiple priorities
- Ability to follow and implement program policies and procedures
- Computer/Technical Literacy
- Interpersonal abilities and team work Skills
- Planning/Organizing & Budgeting Skills
- Cultural safety/competency
- Report Writing & Documentation
- Creative problem solving
- Knowledge of Residential Tenancy Act
- Crisis management, de-escalation and conflict resolution skills
- Knowledge of principles of Housing First
- Ability to work independently

**Requirements**:

- Undergo and maintain satisfactory Criminal Record Check and Local Police Information Check
- Standard First Aid
- Food Safe
- Agrees to the Society’s Code of Ethics
- Follows Aunt Leah’s Practice Guidelines

**Assets**:

- RentSmart training
- Mental Health First Aid
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
- **Key Duties and Responsibilities**:_

**1. Direct Care (Drop in)**:

- Provide outreach and support to participants primarily in office setting
- Support, encourage, and collaborate with participants through developing a trusting relationship, using a trauma-informed approach to practice. Responsibilities include:

- Facilitate housing readiness
- Support with budgeting as it pertains to housing - understanding rent amounts based on the type of housing, location, etc.
- Connect participants to tenant resources, including the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) and the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC)
- Connect participants to affordable housing
- Support participants with housing searches, educate participants on how to respond to housing postings, and provide advocacy with landlords
- Connect participants to emergency housing, supportive housing, and private market housing options
- Collaborate with Link Coordinator and Housing Case Manager to determine participants’ eligibility for Aunt Leah’s housing subsidies
- Connect participants to external housing subsidies, as needed
- Provide housing advocacy and supporting housing maintenance
- Support participants with tenancy challenges, to prevent evictions
- Educate participants about tenants’ rights and responsibilities
- Organize and facilitate RentSmart and other housing-related workshops for participants
- Connect participants to other external housing-related workshops and resources
- Refer participants to other internal and external services, including mental health, education, and employment supports, as needed
- Facilitate communication between participants and landlords and provide advocacy, as needed
- Prevent homelessness through moving support
- Support participants through eviction process, including during dispute resolutions
- Book movers for participants, as needed
- Connect, or reconnect, participants to tenant resources

**2. Direct Care (Housing First)**:

- Embrace the six principles of Housing First:

- **1) Rapid access to housing with supports**:_
- _Support participants with finding and securing permanent housing as rapidly as possible_
- _Assist participants with moving in or rehousing if needed_
- _Understands that housing readiness is not a requirement to secure housing_
- **2) Offering participants’ choice in housing**:_
- _Provide choice in terms of housing options as well as the services participants wish to access_
- **3) Separating housing provision from other services**:_
- _Understand that acceptance of any services, including treatment, or sobriety, is not a requirement for accessing or maintaining housing_
- **4) Providing tenancy rights and responsibilities**:_
- _Educate participants on tenancy rights and responsibilities, in accordance to the Residential Tenancy Act_
- _Support participants with landlord relationships and advocacy within the