Family Outreach Worker

At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun

Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is

The Family Outreach Program, a community-based program operating in neighbourhoods across Waterloo Region, works with families with children aged 17 and under to prevent and reduce the effects of poverty. Family Outreach Workers support parents and guardians to meet their family’s basic needs by brainstorming solutions together, connecting them with resources in the community.

As a Family Outreach Worker, you will take on a unique role that includes being a community connector and system navigator. You will walk with and support families experiencing low income with children aged 17 and under, collaboratively working together to set goals, create solutions, ensuring basic needs are met and addressing the social determinants of health. You will serve as the first contact for families facing crisis, providing triage services to identify and support urgent needs followed by ongoing support. Your role will be instrumental in crisis management, trauma-informed work, and advocating for families in need.

*** This is a permanent, part-time (17-21 hours per week) position with paid sick time, personal days, vacation pay; group health benefits and defined contribution pension plan.**

**Schedule generally weekday, daytime hours.**

*** Valid G class driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle are required. Successful completion of a Police Records Check (Vulnerable Sector) is required pre-employment.**

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Provide support as needed to families with children aged 17 and under who are experiencing low-income
- Act as the initial point of contact for families facing crises such as housing, domestic violence and addictions
- Support newcomer families with their settlement needs including system navigation and community referrals along with basic needs support
- Work collaboratively with families to identify and address social determinants of health that may impact their well-being and overall health outcomes
- Conduct comprehensive assessments of families’ social and economic conditions, to determine the appropriate supports and services to refer the family to within the community, taking into consideration factors such as socioeconomic status, housing, education, employment and access to healthcare services
- Connect families to relevant community resources, social services, and support networks to improve their access to essential resources and opportunities
- Provide advocacy and support for families facing challenges related to social determinants of health, helping them navigate through complex systems and services
- Engage in culturally sensitive and trauma-informed practices when working with families, respecting their unique backgrounds, values and lived experiences
- Participate in ongoing professional development and training to enhance knowledge and skills related to social determinants of health and family-centered care approaches
- Complete data entry, documentation and administrative tasks to support the program

**Job Specific Knowledge/Skills**:

- Strong knowledge of community resources is an asset
- Strong administrative and database competency and proficiency in using MS Office tools such as Word and Excel
- Ability to multitask and triage multiple requests while maintaining responsiveness to families
- Understanding of trauma-informed care principles
- Thorough understanding of supporting people experiencing low income
- Ability to work independently with mínimal supervision, including ability to make decisions about how best to serve families
- Ability to manage time independently, including meetings with families, ongoing communication, teamwork and administration
- Familiarity with financial management and financial literacy
- Fluency in a second language is considered an asset

**Education/Experience**:

- Post-secondary education in a related field of study or equivalent lived or work experience
- Demonstrated experience in front-line work with children, youth and/or families
- Experience in supporting newcomers, with a strong understanding of settlement processes

**Critical Skills**:

- Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected
- Exemplary emotional intelligence, resilience, communication, conflict management and problem-solving skills required
- Ability to work professionally as a team member with staff, participants and community members
- Experience or strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural b