Tenant Support Worker

**We’re Hiring**

**TENANT SUPPORT WORKER**

**Program** Ted Kuhn Towers

**Location **_Surrey, BC_

Options Community Services is a non-profit registered charity providing social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. We believe in helping people help themselves. We believe in collaborating with individuals, businesses, community groups and government to create focused, effective and responsive resources for the community.

This position establishes positive relationships with a diverse tenant population including people who are at risk of homelessness, fleeing abuse, or challenged with medical, mental health or addictions issues. The TSW helps tenants overcome the various challenges that arise when living in a social housing environment. The position facilitates the development of personal support networks by utilizing supports within communities, family members, peer support initiatives, and self-help groups.

**ACCOUNTABILITIES**

**Tenant Relations and Support**:

- Work with residents, as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, to promote a supportive community environment on each site;
- Develop and facilitate access for residents to social, occupational, spiritual, financial, intellectual, residential, recreational, and educational activities or programs;
- Provide crisis intervention, information and assistance to help residents meet their obligations and to facilitate access or follow through with available site and community resources.
- Encourage the residents to use available social, occupational, spiritual, financial, intellectual, residential, recreational and educational resources to reach their goals, ensuring services are culturally relevant to the individual tenant.
- Advise residents on options and expectations concerning conflict resolution, breaches of tenancy and/or program agreements, and other residency-related issues;
- Mediate disputes among residents, with a view to helping residents learn to problem-solve such disputes more independently;
- Advise residents on provincial and federal income and employment programs and available support services
- Work with other service providers to facilitate specific services to individual residents and building
- Establish a positive working relationship with external agencies and other resources within the community
- Preserve a high degree of professionalism in resident relations, particularly with regard to confidentiality and the privacy and respect owed to residents residing in Ted Kuhn

**Information/Issues Management**:

- Document substantive interactions with tenants as required for referral purposes and continuity of service delivery
- Implement client-centered service plans
- Input data into OCS designated database systems to accurately outline updates, and current statuses of case management, and substantive interactions with tenants, and support agencies;
- Performs other duties, as assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**

**Education, Training, and Experience**:

- Certificate in Community Social Service Worker Program, or Community Mental Health Worker or in a related discipline; Or College diploma in a relevant discipline. An equivalent combination of education and experience acceptable to the employer may be considered.
- 2 years direct support or educational experience with individuals or families with multiple barriers to successful housing; Or minimum 3 years directly related work experience.
- Lived experience that facilitates greater degrees of understandings of challenges facing highly marginalized individuals will be considered an asset.

**Skills and Abilities**:

- A basic understanding of Options Community Services Society and social housing programs, and their role in the social service system;
- Knowledge of current social issues such as poverty, homelessness, mental illness, addictions, domestic violence, child protection, et cetera;
- Knowledge of the integrated concurrent disorders recovery model for working with chronically homeless individuals.
- Demonstrated skills in crisis intervention, mediation and conflict resolution;
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
- Knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act and applicable Health and Safety regulations;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills;
- Strong time management skills;
- Proficiency in basic computer skills and software such as Microsoft Office.
- Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse client base and with people who may have experienced abuse, poverty, grief and loss, oppression, violence, mental health challenges, and/or addiction issues, and/or those who may be living with HIV/AIDS or other life-limiting of life-threatening conditions.
- Knowledge of the bio-psychosocial addictions model, including stages of change and harm reduction
- Crisis Line experience an asset.

**SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS**
- Applicants may be required to provide proof of Covid -19 vaccination.
- Applicants with lived experience are strongly encou