Community Crisis Response Worker

For 50 years, Nellie’s has provided shelter and support for marginalized women and their children in the Greater Toronto Area. We operate programs and services for women and their children who had or are experiencing violence, poverty, and homelessness. Nellie’s works to lessen homelessness for women and their children, whether the cause is family violence, mental health, or any other reason that results in dealing with the impact of trauma.

Nellie’s operates Community Support and Outreach programs that provide aftercare support and follow-up services to women and their children after they leave the shelter, as well as transitional housing support for women and gender-diverse people living in the community who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Nellie’s is looking to hire a Contract Community Crisis Response Worker. The Community Crisis Response Worker is part of a Transitional Housing Support Program (THSP) Expansion pilot project to provide outreach support to women and gender diverse people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced gender-based violence who may also be experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. This project prioritizes supporting individuals and families in the Toronto shelter system who need gender-based violence support, this role will work closely with the Community Outreach Housing Support Worker.

**Nellie’s is committed to developing an agency that reflects the women it serves. This position is open to all women*. Woman* signifies anyone who self-identifies as female, femme and/or woman. This includes transwomen, cisgender women, and non-binary people identifying as femme or female-presenting. Applications from equity-seeking groups are strongly encouraged.**

**JOB SUMMARY/DESCRIPTION**

**CASE MANAGEMENT**
- Provide one-on-one case management support, including providing support with housing, income, mental health, substance use, legal, immigration, employment, education, and referrals to community supports.
- Work with client to create and implement safety plans and transitional support plans that are client-centered and based on their individual needs. Transitional support plan should identify the short-term and long-term goals that the individual would like to achieve and the steps they will need to take to achieve these goals.
- Support clients to look for private market housing, and for clients that qualify support them to access rent supplement programs.
- Support clients to coordinate moving, including accessing financial support (Housing Stabilization Fund, Rent Bank) and referrals to the Furniture Bank and Shelter Movers.
- Provide eviction prevention support including advocating with landlords, accessing legal advice and landlord and tenant board hearings.
- Provide support with mental health and substance use challenges from a harm reduction and trauma informed perspective. As necessary, refer clients to mental health and substance use clinical supports.
- Support clients to access food banks and other programs that assist with food security.
- Support clients to secure legal assistance, prepare for court proceedings and accompany clients to court.
- Support clients with immigration by connecting them to community supports that specialize in immigration and supporting clients to secure legal assistance.
- Support clients to access parenting resources, childcare subsidy, childcare programs and school registration.
- Support and accompany clients to appointments and services when appropriate.
- Attend case management meetings and case conferences with internal and external teams to support client needs; including case management with external project partners to ensure continuum of support, referrals and action plans for clients.
- Collaborate with community agencies to support client needs.
- **SHORT-TERM INFORMAL CRISIS SUPPORT**:

- Provide short-term informal crisis support to clients from a harm reduction and trauma informed perspective.
- Provide information and support on experiences of gender based violence, trauma, mental health and substance use.
- Provide crisis intervention and support client with the development of skills to deal with crisis, conflict, de-escalation and grounding.

**COMMUNITY NETWORKING AND PARTNERSHIP**
- Attend FOCUS Toronto Situation Table meetings to connect with individuals and families in crisis in the community experiencing domestic violence or human trafficking.
- Provide housing help at community agencies as outreach to connect with women and gender diverse people in the community who have experienced gender based violence who may be experiencing mental health or substance use challenges.
- Coordinate and collaborate with the Community Crisis response team to implement a targeted outreach strategy to survivors of gender based violence, sexual exploitation, or individuals at risk who experience mental health and harm reduction needs.
- Actively leverage internal programs and services