Relief Community Worker

**About Home Base Housing**

Home Base Housing is in the business of ending homelessness. We do this by caring and providing individual wrap-around services delivered by case managers to the vulnerably housed and homeless. With over 22 properties under our management we offer emergency, transitional and supportive housing, for youth, families and single adults, the One Roof Youth services hub, a housing help centre, street outreach, housing loss prevention services and advocate for affordable housing for all.

Join us and make a difference

**Overview**

Relief Community Workers provide coverage when full-time staff are unable to be at work at the Youth Shelter (Rise). The Relief Community Worker adheres to the policies of Home Base Housing and to the Program where they are assigned.

**Description**

The **Relief Community Worker** is responsible for**:

- Responding to requests for coverage in a timely manner and accepting a minimum of one shift per month
- Creating a welcoming, supportive, respectful and safe atmosphere
- Providing assistance and interim support to clients in attendance
- Encouraging client involvement in activities and obtaining feedback on these activities
- Promoting safety and security at all times, taking action as required
- Attending program meetings and training sessions as requested
- Completing other duties assigned by full-time staff and/or the Program Manager
- Seeking feedback from staff and bringing any issues forward to the relevant Program Manager/ Supervisor
- Triaging individuals and families who seek emergency assistance for their housing crisis through administration of screening and coordinated intake protocol;
- Booking persons into the appropriate shelter when diversion is not successful or appropriate; and initiating a “warm transfer” to the receiving shelter as needed;
- Providing essential shelter and program services to meet the immediate need of clients for safe over-night accommodation; nutrition and hygiene, and security of belongings;
- Providing housing resources such as access to voice mail, housing listings and general housing search techniques;
- Providing information on other community services to assist the individual or family resolve their homelessness;
- Adheres to the “Relief Support Worker” client documentation requirements of the program
- Entries into the daily communication book and HIFIS as appropriate,
- Completion of incident reports as per policy

**Required skills and Knowledge**
- knowledge of homelessness and affordable housing issues within the Kingston community and the strategies to end chronic homelessness which are identified in the 10 year Municipal Housing and Homelessness Plan (Dec 2013);
- knowledge of the Operating Standards for the program and the program’s expected client outcomes
- knowledge of the resources in the community for individuals, youth and families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, living in poverty, or living with mental health or addiction issues and skilled at brokering services for client appropriate to the responsibilities of the job;
- ability to assist in the housing process appropriate to the specific job responsibilities
- ability to integrate harm reduction approaches as appropriate in daily interactions with clients;
- ability to use assertive engagement techniques as appropriate in interactions with the client;
- understanding of psycho-social rehabilitation, recovery model motivational interviewing and journey of change and its influence on client outcomes;
- ability to identify and assess risk and implement strategies which minimize risk to self, the client, and others;
- knowledge of and adherence to privacy legislation and policies within the organization related to confidentiality of client information;
- strong problem solving, conflict resolution and mediation skills within a solution-focused framework;
- the ability to negotiate and mediate difficult situations and produce positive results
- ability to function as a participating member of the team and understand the work of the team as part of a broader system to end chronic homelessness
- ability to use strategies to appropriately divert people from the shelter system into other shelter solutions
- excellent written and oral communication skills
- knowledge of impacts homelessness has on families and children
- implementation of life skills based programming

**Qualifications and Requirements**
- university degree or community college diploma in a related discipline
- minimum three years work experience in human services
- possess a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle, with appropriate insurance
- Non-violent Crisis Intervention Training or related training
- First Aid and CPR
- CPIC - vulnerable sector required prior to employment

All employees of Kingston Home Base Housing must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to help prevent and limit its spread. (An individual is considered fully vacci