Outreach Support Worker

_Outreach Support Worker (Link Program) _

**About Us**:
Aunt Leah’s Place is a non-profit organization that helps prevent children in foster care from becoming homeless and mothers in need from losing custody of their children. To support youth on their journey to self-sufficiency, we provide supported housing, job training, and coaching on essential life skills.

**About You**:
**Job Summary**:As part of the Link Team, the Link Outreach Worker provides housing outreach supports. Link is a unique program focused on providing a continuum of supports for youth aging out of government care and families. Link focuses on housing, preventing homelessness, and improving the quality of life for former youth in care with the goal of providing supports akin to what parented peers receive.

**Reports To**:Link Program Coordinator

**Salary**: $24.50 an hour

**Qualifications**:

- Post-secondary Child and Youth Care Diploma, Social Services Diploma, or equivalent
- Minimum of one to two years’ relevant experience in providing support to youth or; a relevant combination of education and experience combined with general suitability

**Requirements**:

- Satisfactory Criminal Record Check (including vulnerable persons) and Local Police Information Check
- Undergo & Maintain a MCFD Contracted Agency Caregiver Clearance
- First Aid - Level C w/ CPR
- Food Safe Certificate
- Agrees to the Society’s Code of Ethics
- Follows Aunt Leah’s Practice Guidelines

**Assets**:

- A valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License, and access to a vehicle; with $5,000,000 in business liability insurance, and clean driver’s abstract
- RentSmart training
- Mental Health First Aid
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention

**Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities**:

- Communication (verbal and written)
- Ability to follow and implement program policies and procedures
- Interpersonal abilities and team work Skills
- Cultural safety/competency
- Creative problem solving
- Crisis management, de-escalation and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to work independently
- Flexibility/Adaptability in managing multiple priorities
- Computer/Technical Literacy
- Planning/Organizing & Budgeting Skills
- Report Writing & Documentation
- Knowledge of Residential Tenancy Act
- Knowledge of principles of Housing First
- **Key Duties and Responsibilities**:_

**1. Direct Care (Outreach)**:

- Provide outreach and support to participants in various environments including shelters, correctional facilities, hospitals, the streets, and market, public, and private housing dwellings, etc.
- Support, encourage, and collaborate with participants through developing a trusting relationship and using a trauma-informed approach to practice. Responsibilities include:
Facilitate housing readiness
- Support with budgeting as it pertains to housing - understanding rent amounts based on the type of housing, location, etc.
- Connect participants to tenant resources, including the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) and the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC)

Connect participants to affordable housing
- Support participants with housing searches, attending housing viewings, and providing advocacy with landlords
- Connect participants to emergency housing, supportive housing, and private market housing options, as needed
- Collaborate with Link Coordinator and Housing Case Manager to determine participants’ eligibility for Aunt Leah’s housing subsidies
- Connect participants to external housing subsidies, as needed

Provide housing advocacy and supporting housing maintenance
- Support participants with tenancy challenges, to prevent evictions
- Conduct housing set-up shops with eligible participants
- Educate participants about tenants’ rights and responsibilities
- Connect participants to RentSmart and other housing-related workshops at Aunt Leah’s
- Conduct monthly home visits
- Attend housing-related appointments with participants, as needed
- Refer participants to other internal and external services, including mental health, education, and employment supports, as needed
- Facilitate communication between participants and landlords and provide advocacy, as needed

Prevent homelessness through moving support
- Support participants through eviction process, including during dispute resolutions
- Support participants during moves and re-housing process

**2. Direct Care (Housing First)**:

- Embrace the _**six principles of Housing First**:_
- **1) Rapid access to housing with supports**:_
- _Support participants with finding and securing permanent housing as rapidly as possible_
- _Assist participants with moving in or rehousing if needed_
- _Understands that housing readiness is not a requirement to secure housing_
- **2) Offering participants’ choice in housing**:_
- _Provide choice in terms of housing options as well as the services participants wish to access_
- **3) Separating housing provision from other services**:_
- _Understand that acceptance of any services,