Encampment and Community Outreach Worker

**Position Title**:Encampment and Community Outreach Worker **Department**: Support Services
**Reports to**: Assistant Manager of Community Services **Classification**:Outreach
**Schedule**: 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday (70 hours bi-weekly) **Location**: Victoria, BC

**Organizational Focus**:
Pacifica Housing Advisory Association (Pacifica Housing) has been providing safe and affordable homes for almost 35 years and is one of the largest non-profit housing providers on Vancouver Island. As a charitable organization, Pacifica Housing's vision is to provide _Equitable housing in pursuit of thriving communities_. Our mission is to advance independence of individuals and families through equitable housing and supportive services.
Pacifica is proud to be a Certified Living Wage Employer by The Living Wage for Families Campaign.

**Position’s Primary Objectives**:
The position’s goal is to liaise with members of the H.A.R.T team in efforts to identify homeless individuals in encampments and connect them to services and stable housing, by:

- providing a variety of assessment, placement and advocacy services for encampment clients;
- connecting identified individuals to permanent housing in conjunction with the local C.A.A. process, DOHRS services, and managing program specific subsidy allotments/agreements within the private market;
- developing and maintaining relationships with community members, agencies, landlords and identified clients;
- providing senior-level support to the team including the resolution of difficult/complex issues, debriefing and case management consultation;
- assisting, as needed, in scheduling staff, managing absences and coverage, and resolving related issues;
- preparing and providing regular reports and statistics regarding critical incidents, program developments, operational issues and program evaluations;
- assisting in fundraising, public relations campaigns, workshops and special events and projects;
- ensuring policies, procedures and obligations associated with Property Services are implemented and adhered to; and
- mentors new/existing front-line staff as needed.

**Key Responsibilities**:
1. Provides a range of support services to clients who have multiple barriers to housing, including:

- Develops and maintains on-going working, professional relationships with community members, landlords, property owners/managers, in collaboration with the Landlord Liaison position, including:

- Manage, in conjunction with the Assistant Manager of Community Services, program specific private market subsides, by:

- As a member of the DOHRS team, performs a variety of administrative duties and attends professional development functions, including:

- conducting comprehensive assessments through direct one-to-one consultations with clients;
- seeking out and approaching people living ‘in the rough’/street entrenched with the intention of establishing a rapport and building trust;
- supporting clients by providing educational materials and guidance regarding how to obtain and maintain housing;
- problem-solving and skills training with clients to facilitate securing affordable, adequate, safe housing;
- providing interim case management services during the period of assessment and placement in housing.

2. Develops and maintains on-going working, professional relationships with community members, landlords, property owners/managers, in collaboration with the Landlord Liaison position, including:

- providing mediation and problem-solving services to resolve disputes/disagreements between clients and landlords;
- following up with landlords on a regular basis to identify and mitigate potential housing retention issues before they escalate and become costly and difficult to manage.

3. Manage, in conjunction with the Assistant Manager of Community Services, program specific private market subsides, by:

- acquiring and facilitating multi dwelling housing sites for encampment related individuals and other such housing models;
- mange housing sites in collaboration with Pacifica Housing’s property management services;
- case managing individuals in collaboration with community based housing first organizations that offer support and case management services.

4. As a member of the DOHRS team, performs a variety of administrative duties and attends professional development functions, including:

- initiating and participating in program and policy assessment;
- attending weekly team meetings to debrief cases, provide and receive peer support, provide up-dates on community status and exchange information on community resources;
- tracking client housing activities and compiling monthly statistical reports;
- maintaining the BC Housing Data Base and all associated processes such as reports and confidential documents;
- participating in producing year-end reports for the Housing Outreach Program;
- attending pertinent workshops/seminars and conferences;
- supporting and participating in