Community Shelter Support Worker- Housing Worker

**Employment Type**:Full-Time, Permanent
**Work Hours**:35 hours per week **(Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 3:30 Pm to 11:30 Pm, Thursday
- 2:00 pm to 10:00 Pm)**
**Salary**:$59,399 per annum (L7), plus comprehensive benefits
**Location**:80 Woodlawn Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M4T 1C1
**Internal Application Deadline**:Friday, August 15, 2025
**External Application Deadline**:Monday, August 18, 2025

**JOIN OUR TEAM**

The Community Shelter Support Worker will work within collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services to shelter residents and tenants within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. This position will act as a resource to staff and participants and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes crisis counselling, case management and the development, implementation and evaluation of workshops. This position shares in the responsibility of the overall health and safety of the building. This position provides housing supports to participants of 80 Woodlawn.

**ABOUT YWCA TORONTO - 1**st** STOP WOODLAWN**
This program provides up to 62 shelter beds for youth (16-24yrs) and adult (25 and older) women, trans and non binary participants. This program operates as part of a congregate living site which includes 72 units of permanent housing. Community Shelter Support Workers will work a fixed schedule that may include week day and/or weekend work and will be responsible for case planning of all shelter residents. This shelter is funded by the City of Toronto and adheres to Toronto Shelter Standards.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Applies knowledge of the issues of trauma and the dynamics of gender-based violence and homelessness to develop and implement effective support strategies;
- Uses harm reduction approaches to increase individual’s capacity for a successful shelter stay, recovery goals and community engagement;
- Provides crisis prevention, intervention and support using harm reduction principles for residents experiencing mental health/substance use challenges;
- Applies knowledge, stays current and demonstrates skill in the area of housing advocacy, referral and support and acts as a resource to staff and participants;
- Provides supportive counselling to participants regarding their housing options; assesses participants’ housing needs through group sessions or in one-to-one interviews;
- Works with participants individually and/or in groups to develop and improve social and living skills by assisting them to set goals, follow through on plans, recognize options and make positive choices;
- Provides assessment and case management support services to residents that focus primarily on housing while supporting case plans for housing readiness;
- Adheres to policies and procedures of YWCA Toronto and Toronto Shelter Standards.

Note: On Call responsibilities (may be required to work shifts outside of their regularly scheduled hours including occasional overnights).

**QUALIFICATIONS**
- 3 to 5 years’ experience working in a diverse, direct service setting for participants that range from youth to seniors who have experienced impacts of poverty, homelessness/under-housing, violence/trauma, mental health/substance use or concurrent disorders and other sources of marginalized or oppression;
- Demonstrated experience in cultivating leadership within groups and developing and evaluating dynamic and innovative programming;
- Completion of the Housing Help Services Certificate;
- Completion of Toronto Hostel’s Training Certificate (T.H.T.C.) or equivalent;
- In-depth knowledge of the dynamics of gender-based violence and trauma within an anti-oppression framework;
- Experience delivering culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
- Completion of Hostel Services Shelter Standards is an asset;
- Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Mental Health Act, Housing Services Act, and Ontario Human Rights Code is an asset;
- Knowledge of relevant legislation regarding immigration and refugee policy and law is an asset;
- A certificate in trauma counselling is an asset;
- Knowledge of a second language is an asset.

**What we offer**:

- Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage
- Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Benefit
- Multi-Sector Pension Plan: Employer’s contribution of 5.75% and Employee Contribution of 3.25%
- Time off: Starts with 20 Vacation Days, 1.5 Days Per Month Sick Leave, 12 Paid Holidays, Health Promotional Days and 4 Float Days
- Other Benefits: Child Care Benefits, Maternity/Parental Leave Supplementary Employment Benefits, Educational/Sabbatical Leave, and Financial Assistance for Professional Development

**Posting Date**: August 6, 2025

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people