Housing and Support Worker

**Job Posting: Housing and Support Coordinator**

**Reports to**: Executive Director
**Location**: Saskatoon
**Position Type**: Full time contract position

**Pay**:$25.00/hr - $30.00/hr depending on level of experience

**Job Purpose**

The Housing and Support Coordinator supports older adults (55+) who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness or living in unsafe or unstable housing. This role combines **front-line case management** with **program coordination**, working at the intersection of **housing, healthcare, and community supports**.

You will work directly with seniors facing barriers such as **poverty, trauma, mental health challenges, addictions, and social isolation**, helping them secure safe, stable housing and access vital services. You'll also contribute to program development and the creation of a **Housing and Support Toolkit** for broader sector impact.

This is a meaningful, challenging role requiring **resilience, strong advocacy, crisis response skills, and comfort working in high-risk environments**.

**Key Responsibilities**

**Direct Client Support**
- Support older adults in securing and maintaining safe, stable housing.
- Assist with hospital discharge planning into appropriate housing options.
- Develop and monitor individualized housing stability plans.
- Connect clients to services such as healthcare, income support, food security, and addictions/mental health programs.
- Assist with essential needs: furniture, clothing, groceries, and utilities.
- Provide supportive listening, crisis intervention, and brief case support.
- Advocate on behalf of clients with landlords, providers, and systems.

**Program Coordination and Development**
- Collaborate with landlords, housing providers, and government/community partners.
- Maintain accurate data in the **HIFIS** system and engage with Coordinated Access.
- Contribute to the development of a **Housing and Support Toolkit** for sector-wide use.
- Identify service gaps and advocate for system improvements for older adults.
- Support program evaluation, reporting, and documentation of best practices.

**Project Activities**
- Assist with housing placements, mediation, and transitions from shelters/hospitals.
- Advocate for client preferences in housing and support services.
- Coordinate with long-term care, public and private housing sectors.
- Help secure short-term subsidies and assist with home setup costs.

**Qualifications and Certifications**
- Post-secondary diploma or degree in Social Services, Community Work, Mental Health & Addictions, or equivalent.
- Minimum **10 months of experience** in a residential or outreach setting supporting vulnerable populations.
- Strong knowledge of housing systems, community resources, and government programs.
- Experience supporting individuals with complex needs (mental health, addiction, cognitive impairment).
- **Required or willingness to obtain**:

- First Aid/CPR and Mental Health First Aid
- Trauma-Informed Care
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention
- Narcan/Naloxone administration
- Strong computer literacy: Microsoft Office, internet, and databases.
- Valid driver's license and access to reliable transportation.
- Vulnerable sector check and criminal record clearance.
- Experience working with Indigenous communities and understanding the impacts of colonization, with cultural safety and TRC knowledge considered an asset.

**Key Skills and Competencies**
- Strong interpersonal, advocacy, and communication skills.
- Patience and ability to de-escalate high-risk situations.
- Solid understanding of professional boundaries and confidentiality.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
- Organizational skills to manage both case work and coordination duties.
- Resilience and capacity to work independently in complex situations.
- Ability to build trust with diverse populations.
- Commitment to anti-oppressive and trauma-informed approaches.

**Work Environment and Conditions**

This position involves **frequent exposure to high-risk environments** and individuals with complex needs related to **chronic homelessness, trauma, addiction, and mental illness**.

You may be required to work in:

- Temporary housing units, shelters, long-term stay motels, and hospital discharges.
- Homes or units with **pest infestations** (bedbugs, cockroaches, lice, rodents).
- Environments with **unsanitary conditions, hoarding, and communicable illnesses**.
- Situations involving **verbal aggression, behavioural challenges, or emotional dysregulation**.
- Physically and emotionally demanding settings with limited control over conditions.

**Preventative Measures for Staff Safety**:

- **Pest control protocols** (e.g., clothing changes, item isolation).
- Access to **Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)**.
- Training on environmental health and safety.
- Support in **co-developing preventative strategies** for pest control and environmental risks.
- Ongoing **supervision, debriefing, and mental wel