Relief Service Access Unit Intake Worker

**Grow with us**
Family Service Toronto (FST) helps people face a wide variety of life challenges. For over 100 years, we have worked with individuals, families and communities destabilized by precarious mental health and/or socioeconomic circumstances, to achieve greater resilience, stability and equity.

We achieve this through our understanding of poverty and the harmful effects of marginalization, discrimination and oppression. We direct our energies to support individuals and families in our core service areas - community counselling and mental health, gender-based violence and developmental disabilities. At the same time, we work to influence policy, build knowledge, strengthen communities and advocate for system change.

We’re proud of our people and culture We are constantly evolving what we do and how we do it. Our work is grounded in the lived experience of the clients and the community. We celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and excellence. We are agile, learning and always willing to try new things.

**The Opportunity**

The Service Access Unit (SAU) at FST acts as the first point of contact for prospective clients and community members. As System Navigators, SAU staff work with people primarily over the phone or in person at our 355 Church St office to connect them to the service(s) that best meets their needs within FST or facilitates referrals to other agencies, services or community resources appropriate to the client’s identified needs.

This position will be a hybrid of work from home and office-based work located at our Church St location (355 Church St).

**Responsibilities**
- Receiving calls and working with callers to establish the nature of service request and screen for eligibility as well as any potential risks or need for immediate or urgent services; determine the appropriate service and register clients in different programs or referred them to other service providers.
- Working with drop-in clients to establish the nature of service requests
- Registering client requests for service in client database and conducting appropriate follow
- up
- Accepting registration for group programs across Family Violence and Changing Lives Division
- Keeps abreast of developments in FST and community resources. Service Navigation: Files, and uses this information to aid clients, callers to connect with other services. Shares this information with team members and other FST staff on request.

**Qualifications**:

- B.S.W. or equivalent combination of education and experience over a minimum of three years (foreign credentials and relevant experience will be considered)
- Demonstrated skill and experience in dealing respectfully and competently with clients, diverse community members and partners in a customer service role
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to sensitively and professionally respond to the diverse needs of clients who are first time callers, calling in crisis, repeat callers, callers who speak little or no English, etc. as well as using tact, diplomacy and flexibility in dealing with people in a variety of roles
- Good listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Demonstrated knowledge of community resources as well as the ability to absorb and retain a wide variety of unique and detailed program information
- Strong computer skills particularly working with electronic records, contact centre software, texting, chat, Microsoft Office products as well as the ability to learn and execute simple data trend analyses from intake data.
- Demonstrated experience working effectively independently as well as part of a team in a fast-paced environment
- Detailed-oriented, able to work accurately in an environment with many potential interruptions
- Proven ability to manage competing demands and prioritize work within the context of multiple requests for time and assistance
- Good conflict resolution skills and ability to set appropriate limits with others
- Demonstrated commitment to principles of cultural competency, social justice, anti-oppression, diversity equity and inclusion
- Satisfactory Criminal Reference Check/Vulnerable Sector Search executed within the last 12 months

Our goal is to attract, develop, and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives.

We actively encourage applicants from all equity seeking groups. First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black and People of Colour, people with disabilities, people of diverse gender expression, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities and people with lived experience of poverty are encouraged to apply.

In accordance with Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and FST’s Equity and Inclusion policy, accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.

We thank all applicants and will contact the individuals sel