Housing Support Worker

**Job Summary**:The Housing Support Workers are responsible for participant on-site case management, programming, community resources and supports, partnerships, safety, reporting and cleaning. Reporting to the Supportive Housing Director, or such other persons as required by the organization, the Housing Support Worker will support the successful transition through supportive housing to long-term housing and assist those participants to maintain stable housing with proper community support. The facility is operated on a 24/7 basis and there are 20 independent bachelor apartments.

**Accountability**:Willing to adhere to the vision and mission of The Lighthouse by demonstrating commitment to our organization's values of flexibility, adaptability, compassion and dignity with sensitivity to the issues related to poverty, homelessness, mental illness, addictions and developmental disabilities with a commitment to a discrimination-free environment.

**Responsibilities**:

- **Participant Case Management**_
- Assess and support development of life skills for independent living.
- Build positive relationships that are healthy and supportive.
- Work with participants to define their goals and develop personal plans.
- Develop and implement housing preparation plans for participants in collaboration with other staff members. This includes arranging steps for participants to move into housing (income verification, financial management, etc.).
- De-escalate participants and help them work through the issues that are causing problems including conflict resolution between neighbours.
- Address promptly any behaviours that could lead to harm to themselves or others, or any behaviour that goes directly against the agreed upon program expectations.
- **Transitional Participant Case Management **_
- Support applicants coming into Supportive Housing
- Meet with potential new intakes and complete interviews and follow-up meetings.
- Help new participants transition into the program.
- Help participants understand the agreements they have signed upon entering the program.
- Create safe use plans and safety plans with the participants.
- Help participants transition into new long-term housing from the program.
- Help participants with boundaries and recognizing healthy relationships
- Assists participants with tasks related to housing start up (moving, accessing furniture and household goods).
- **Participant Programming**_
- Ensure all programming has a housing focus at the heart.
- Create, implement and/or organize programs that will assist participants to develop skills of independent living (tenant rights and responsibilities, budgeting, utility set up).
- Work with participants one on one to develop life skills and develop health habits.
- Work with the participant in meal planning and preparation and other daily life skills as needed.
- Directly assist participants to maintain their apartments. Note any extreme collecting behaviour and intervene as required or seek the support of the team for further action.
- Arrange recreational activities to foster further social development.
- Occasionally provide transportation or accompaniment to support programming goals.
- **Community Resources and Supports**_
- Assist in the design and facilitate responsive community-based programs that support a range of psychosocial development activities building self-esteem, personal, interpersonal, and other life skills with community safety and stability in mind.
- Accompanies participants to hospitals, doctors, court, shopping etc as necessary.
- Assists participants to connect to appropriate community resources (food bank, CMHA, addiction support etc).
- **Partnerships**_
- Work collaboratively with those supports determined in the goal setting process as the key organization/individuals in the development and implementation of the action plans.
- Support participants and community members to develop, plan, and implement community-building activities and special events (e.g. community meals).
- **Safety**_
- Always wear a panic button during the entire shift and return before leaving. Signing in and out
- Do frequent circle checks of the inside and outside of the building
- Ensure the cameras are all in working order and continue to use them throughout the shift to monitor for any issues.
- Record and report any safety concerns promptly.
- Call management on duty if a serious occurrence occurs.
- **Cleaning and Maintenance**_
- Ensure the cleaning and sanitizing of all high touch surfaces each day.
- Ensure the bathrooms are cleaned during your shift.
- Ensure that the office and common room are kept clean throughout your shift.
- Ensure the laundry room each shift.
- Clean storage as needed. Ensure the maintenance is inventoried
- Put out garbage, recycling and green waste as required.
- Record and report any maintenance issues promptly.
- **Reporting**_
- Record daily activities and important information, participant attendance of set