Community Support Worker

Summary: The Brain Injury Association serving the four counties of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Northumberland is a unique supportive organization structured as an Association including individuals with the lived experiences of acquired brain injuries, their care partners and both paid and unpaid staff and a Board of Directors. We work from a philosophy that each individual is unique and worthy of respect and opportunities to nurture and continually develop their strengths and pursue their aspirations. The Community Support Worker position has been developed with the intent to ensure that individuals with the lived experience of both non-traumatic and traumatic acquired brain injuries are assisted to reach goals and activities that they hold to be meaningful and life-enhancing.

**Role/Purpose**: The Community Support Worker (CSW) partners with individuals to promote their health, safety, independence, and overall well-being. Support is provided in a respectful and collaborative way that honors each person’s dignity, strengths, lived experiences, and choices. The CSW works alongside the individual—rather than _for_ them—helping to create opportunities for self-determination, connection, and meaningful daily activities. Support is rooted in principles of trauma-informed care, emphasizing safety, trust, empowerment, and choice. Through this approach, the CSW helps individuals build upon their own skills and abilities—whether cognitive, physical, social, or emotional—in ways that feel functional, relevant, and aligned with their personal goals. The aim is to foster confidence, resilience, and quality of life, while ensuring that individuals remain at the center of all decisions affecting their care and daily living.

**Responsibilities**
The Community Support Worker will:

- Accurately documents client interactions, observations, and interventions in accordance with agency protocols and privacy requirements.
- Actively participate in supervision and team meetings as required to ensure coordinated care and effective collaboration.
- Adhere to all agency policies, procedures, documentation requirements, and guidelines outlined in the team handbook.
- Always respect and uphold the client’s rights: autonomy, privacy, dignity, cultural and religious beliefs, and the right to live free from discrimination or abuse.
- Collaborate with the team to ensure coordinated care and consistent messaging to the client.
- Consistently reports to scheduled shifts on time and communicates promptly with the supervisor regarding any changes to availability or shift coverage needs.
- Engages in regular, timely communication with team members and external service providers to support coordinated care.
- Ensure successes, concerns, and potential crises are shared with the Case Manager/Supervisor.
- Maintains professional boundaries and calm, solution-focused communication in high-stress or emotionally charged situations.
- Participates in required training and professional development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge.
- Respond to challenging or escalated situations using non-judgmental, client-centered de-escalation techniques.
- Submit timecards, time-off requests, and other required administrative forms accurately and on time, following agency procedures.
- Support the development and maintenance of case management care planning including crisis support plans in collaboration with the team and other service providers.
- Use a harm reduction, trauma-informed, person-centered, and anti-oppressive approach in all interactions and support strategies.
- Works collaboratively with the care team to implement and adjust the client’s case management care plan.

**Job Duties**
The job duties include the following:

- Assist the client with activities of daily living as needed — e.g., cooking, light housekeeping, shopping, banking, laundry, home maintenance, etc.
- Assist the client, as required in navigating community resources. (e.g., housing, healthcare, employment, education).
- Assist the client in navigating public transportation and accessing essential resources as needed.
- Celebrate and support the client’s achievements — big or small — to foster confidence and growth.
- Ensures case management documentation is clear, concise, and submitted in a timely manner.
- Provide consistent prompts, reminders, written cues, and structured support to assist the client with daily routines, personal care, medication adherence, behavioral expectations, and goal-directed activities.
- Provide holistic support to the client addressing emotional, social, and practical needs to promote overall well-being.
- Provide individualized, client-centered support based on the client’s needs, goals, and case management care plan.
- Provides in-person support by accompanying clients to medical appointments, community services, and social or recreational activities, ensuring safety, advocacy, and encouragement throughout.
- Reports di