Drop-in Services Worker

**Position**: Drop-In Services Worker (Our Place Program)

**Reports to**:Drop-In Coordinator

**Hours of Work**:10:30 am - 6:30 pm, Monday to Friday

**Position Description**: The Drop-In Services Worker works directly with Our Place participants, spending most of their time in activities directly with participants. These activities are focused on safe access to Our Place’s social-recreational drop-in program, identification of participant needs and issues, provision of advice, referrals, support, life-skill building activities, and supporting clients in accessing opportunities for socialization and the development of a support network. The Drop-In Worker is responsible for implementing the drop-in program on a day to day basis, including by:

- Opening and closing the center to maintain a welcoming, safe and clean environment
- Welcoming and supervising participants, including assisting new participants to join the program
- Proactively engaging participants to provide counseling, crisis intervention and support
- Preparing and implementing program activities both in person and online through Zoom and other virtual platforms
- Intervening in times of conflict and modelling strong social skills at all times
- Assisting participants with referrals via phone, in writing, and in-person
- Advocating on behalf of participants with external social service and health providers
- Completing attendance and collecting statistical information throughout the entire day
- Helping serve dinners, ensuring that meal statistics are recorded
- Assisting in receiving the weekly Second Harvest delivery, organize food, cleaning and paper product inventory
- Ability to lift 10-25 lbs and be comfortable carrying orders up and down a set of stairs (food deliveries, and donations)
- Participating in maintenance and up-keep, such as tidying up, cleaning the facilities, etc. as a shared staff team responsibility
- Encouraging and supervising participants working on honorarium basis cleaning the Centre
- Contributing to a cooperative and effective team and make a sincere effort to develop good working relationships with all coworkers, volunteers and participants
- Participating fully in community meetings, staff meetings and offer suggestions for program enhancements
- Other duties as assigned

**Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**
- Knowledge and experience with issues related to mental health, addiction, concurrent disorder, trauma and recovery.
- Knowledge and understanding of low threshold/drop-in services.
- Knowledge of the spectrum of social-recreational supports for mental health recovery.
- Understanding and commitment to health equity, diversity and inclusivity.
- Experience utilizing various approaches to mental health and recovery.
- Skilled in managing individuals who are anxious or escalated, including strong crisis de-escalation skills.
- Experience and skills working with individuals affected by poverty, violence, homelessness, institutionalization (incarceration), stigma, racism and/or homophobia/transphobia.
- Knowledge of the impact of social/cultural/economic factors on the determinants of health.
- Knowledge, understanding and sensitivity to the complexity of issues arising for individuals who have experienced homelessness, mental illness, poverty and/or addictions.
- Ability to work collaboratively within and across interdisciplinary teams and community partners.
- Ability to work with clients presenting with a wide range of mental health issues.
- Demonstrated flexibility, sound judgment, initiative and creativity.
- Demonstrated capacity to thrive and engage in a dynamic and changing work environment.
- Experience working within an anti-oppression and trauma informed framework.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Experience working in a residential setting is an asset.

**Qualifications**:

- College Diploma in a related field OR equivalent education and related work experience.
- Demonstrated experience in mental health and/or addictions work, supportive counseling and brief intervention.
- Demonstrated experience in motivational interviewing.
- Demonstrated experience with crisis management and de-escalation.
- Additional training in working with clients with concurrent disorders an asset.
- Proficiency and ability to work in both French and English is an asset.
- Ability to work in a language in addition to English is an asset.

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

**Salary**: $42,144.00-$44,640.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision care

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
Staff currently continue to mask when in program with clients. All staff must have 2 doses of Covid-19 vaccination.

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Toronto, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

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