Overnight Shelter Support Worker

**Employment Type**:Full-Time, Contract
**Work Hours**:35 hours per week (Saturday - Wednesday, 12:00 am to 8:00 am,
with on
- call responsibilities)

**Salary**:$28.76 per hour (L6)
**Location**:348 Davenport Road Toronto, ON, M5R 1K6
**Contract Start Date**:March 7, 2025
**Contract End Date**: June 7, 2025
**Application Deadline**:Monday, March 3, 2025

**JOIN OUR TEAM**

The Overnight Shelter Support Worker works within a collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. They act as a resource to staff and clients and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes crisis counselling, case management and the development, implementation and evaluation of workshops. The position shares in the responsibility of the overall health and safety of the building and will work in an open shelter/work environment without a dedicated office space.

**ABOUT YWCA TORONTO - YWCA DAVENPORT**
YWCA Davenport provides up to 80 emergency shelter beds to young women and gender diverse people (16 - 24 years of age) and adult women and gender diverse people (25 and older) and is staffed 24 hours a day. This pet friendly 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 woman and gender diverse people abuse and homelessness to develop and implement effective support strategies;
- Completes risk assessments and safety plans;
- Models and coaches residents to use conflict resolution and mediation skills to support positive relations between residents;
- Provides supportive counselling to clients regarding their housing options; assesses clients’ housing needs through group sessions or in one to one interviews;
- Identifies tenancy support required and, in collaboration with the client, develops an individualized housing and tenancy support plan;
- Engages with the staff team in reflective practice, to ensure the development and implementation of quality programs and services;
- Contributes knowledge and expertise to team members to develop meaningful and relevant services for clients.

**QUALIFICATIONS**
- Completion of workshops and courses pertaining to mental illness, trauma, harm reduction, crisis de-escalation and anti-oppressive practice;
- 1 to 3 years’ experience in counselling and group work focused on clients at risk and/or homeless women;
- Completion of Toronto Hostel’s Training Certificate (T.H.T.C.) or equivalent;
- Demonstrated knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice;
- Demonstrated knowledge of community resources and supports focused on mental health and group support;
- In-depth knowledge of the dynamics of woman abuse and trauma within an anti-oppression framework;
- Demonstrated experience in the development, delivery and evaluation of workshops and groups;
- Experience delivering culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment;
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
- Knowledge and understanding of mental health, substance use/addictions, advocacy, refugee and immigration issues and homelessness;
- Life Skills Certificate an asset;
- A certificate in trauma counselling would be an asset;
- Knowledge of a second language and/or culture would be an asset.

**Posting Date**: February 20, 2025

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing.

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

**Vaccination Policy**: In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.

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