Housing Focused Street Outreach Worker

**Mission Impact / Role Summary**

St. Matt’s is a charitable not-for-profit multi-service agency. Services include emergency food, crisis intervention and outreach to seniors and vulnerable persons to support independent living. Clients include persons with limited or no income, persons living in poor health or with chronic conditions, persons of all ages and newcomers.

The Housing Focused Street Outreach Worker reports to the Manager of Social Services and is responsible for advancing the health and well-being of the people St. Matt’s serves and providing ongoing social support services, crisis intervention and friendly visiting for older adults living in poverty. The Housing Focused Street Outreach Team must work with other local service agencies to ensure that the needs of our seniors are being met.

The Housing Focused Street Outreach Worker will provide services to individuals living in poverty through case finding, assessing, planning with clients, referring, crisis intervention, supportive counseling, advocating, educating, linking with natural supports, emergency shelters and/or other professionals. The service is primarily focused on people living with serious mental illness and/or who are experiencing homelessness. All duties are performed with a multidisciplinary and multiagency team approach.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

It is the responsibility of the Housing Focused Street Outreach Worker to support individuals living with mental health challenges to promote the achievement of optimal health and well-being among adults experiencing homelessness and living in the community through such activities as:

- One on one contact with emphasis on seniors living in at-risk conditions; some situations may require supports to be provided to other adults and youth
- Provide supportive counseling and crisis intervention to clients
- Advocate on behalf of clients and/or support them to advocate for themselves
- Collaborate and coordinate services with community agencies, hospitals, etc.
- Consultation with mental health professionals
- Timely documentation of case notes, activities and statistics
- Take responsibility for the workload assigned in the Mental Health and Street Outreach Service and work in cooperation with the City of Hamilton’s Public Health Services staff
- Abide by the Occupational Health and Safety Act to ensure a safe working environment
- Creating/taking part in inclusive programming and engage in EDI focused community outreach for new St. Matthew’s House initiatives, including new community/municipal partnerships.
- Other duties as reasonably assigned.

**Skills / Knowledge**

**Qualifications**:

- Diploma in social work, social services or gerontology; must include specific training in counseling and specific Mental Health Training
- A minimum of 2 years of experience working in a community service based non-profit organization with experience working independently out in the community
- Primary case management and assessment skills regarding a variety of needs usually acquired through post-secondary education or experience in mental health services and other community programs
- Knowledge of community resources and services, social and environmental determinants of health, health promotion, disease prevention, curative, rehabilitative, and supportive services
- Excellent interpersonal skill, communication skills and ability to work in a team
- Ability to interact with people of all ages and cultural backgrounds
- Ability to work with seniors in an engaging and friendly manner
- Valid Certificate - Standard First Aid with Level C CPR
- Non-violent crisis intervention training is an asset
- Fluent in at least one other language is an asset

**Mental & Physical Effort / Working Conditions**
- The Housing Focused Street Outreach Team member’s role will often take them to non-standard workplaces - most often to clients’ transitional homes, emergency shelters or street environments. Position poses some risk going into locations where addiction and mental health issues may be present. Some office work will also be required for writing case notes, documentation of activities, preparing monthly statistics etc.
- **A valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle are required as some local travel is necessary.**:

- Ability to lift 4.5 kg (10 lbs.) when carrying groceries to a client.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From $27.50 per hour

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
- RRSP match

Application question(s):

- Do you have experience working with individuals living in homelessness?

Licence/Certification:

- Driver's License and reliable vehicle (required)

Work Location: In person