Housing Legal Advocate

**HOUSING LEGAL ADVOCATE**

If you are looking for a career working with amazing people while helping your community thrive, then this opportunity is for you and we want to hear from you. We urge individuals that have retired, semi-retired, are returning to the workforce, those that are new to Canada, and recent graduates to also apply. At Good Shepherd, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, equal and authentic workplace.

**About Good Shepherd**

The work of Good Shepherd is based on a fundamental belief in providing hope and restoring dignity to the most vulnerable members of our community. Our services include emergency food and clothing; daily hot meals; emergency shelters for men, youth, families, women and children; transitional housing and education for homeless and street-involved youth; hospice palliative care; community mental health programs; and supportive housing programs. This opportunity is with our Good Shepherd Centres - Reaching Home Division.

**Why Work with Good Shepherd?**
- Be a part of a caring **TEAM THAT SUPPORTS OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY**:

- **POSITIVE **and **ENCOURAGING** atmosphere
- Dental Care
- Disability Insurance
- **EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM**:

- Extended Health Care
- Life Insurance
- Sick Leave
- RRSP match
- Out of Country Travel Insurance
- Vision Care
- Wellness Program
- Make a difference and provide **HOPE**:

- 3 weeks’ vacation (after mandatory completion of waiting period)

Rooted in Hospitality and guided by Good Shepherd’s Mission Values of Availability, Adaptability, Quality, Dignity, and Responsibility, the Housing Legal Advocate will provide targeted supports in an effort to increase housing stability and prevent future housing loss to all individuals enrolled in Reaching Home programs.

Work takes place in the community and in the office. The Housing Legal Advocate will visit apartment buildings, meet with landlords in their offices, attend appointments at the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic, and will attend Landlord Tenant Board Hearings. Must be willing and able to assist in a hands-on capacity with a family’s housing plan. Must be comfortable with advocacy and building partnerships with community landlords.
- Work collaboratively with case managers to identify individuals and families at risk of eviction or housing loss
- Provide direct accompaniment, guidance, advocacy, and emotional support to service users attending Landlord Tenant Board Hearings
- Help service users prepare for hearings, access legal services, and create a plan to avoid eviction
- Build and maintain partnerships with local private and non-profit housing providers
- Liaise and collaborate with the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic to ensure service users have access to legal advice & services and follow through on lawyer’s requests
- Debrief and discuss court outcomes, lawyer appointments, consultations with duty counsel and next steps
- Resolve issues with landlords and tenants as they arise in the tenancy with advocacy, education, mediation including rights and responsibilities
- Attend community events related to housing and stay up to date with community housing resources
- Facilitate educational groups for program staff and service users
- Remain current on issues related but not limited to the Residential Tenancies Act, Landlord and Tenant Board, Ontario Human Rights Code, Family Law Act, Federal Divorce Act, Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and other aspects of the legal system as it relates to housing barriers and challenges
- Attend weekly case conferences to share housing information and resources with case managers

**Qualifications**
- Minimum 2-year related experience or equivalent combination of education, training and experience
- A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field or diploma in paralegal practice is required
- A solid understanding and utilization of person-directed, anti-oppression/anti-racism, and feminist frameworks with a thorough understanding of a range of issues impacting families and women including homelessness, woman abuse, child witnessing, poverty, mental health and substance use/abuse
- Fluency in a 2ndlanguage is an asset
- CPR certification or willingness to be certified is required
- Valid G license required
- **Hours of work**: Shifts are Day shifts (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and one evening shift (11 a.m. - 7 p.m.) per week. Shifts are scheduled Monday to Friday. Some flexibility in work hours may be required.

**Don’t Meet Every Requirement?**

**How Can I Apply?**

**Our Values**
- **Hospitality**_, as inspired by St. John of God is at the heart of Good Shepherd’s mission. This means that we welcome all people with compassion, acceptance and a spirit of generosity; creating opportunities for transformation.

Hospitality embodies our **Values** of:

- **Responsibility**:

- **Availability**:

- **Adaptability**:

- **Quality**:

- **Dignity**
- Good Shepherd, a ministry of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God