Housing Focused Shelter Worker

About Us: The Mustard Seed is a certified humanitarian organization whose vision is to build community, grow hope and support change. The Mustard Seed combats the root causes of poverty across Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, striving to create lasting, positive impacts in the lives of those we serve. In addition to providing essential services—such as food, clothing, and shelter—we are expanding our support offerings to include health & wellness centers, education programs, employment coaching, and permanent supportive housing to those living in poverty within Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.

Position Type: Full-Time
Schedules: Sunday to Thursday 7:00am to 4:00pm, OR Sunday to Thursday 3pm-11:pm
Reporting to: Shelter Manager
Location: Saskatoon, SK

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the first point of contact for shelter participants, providing compassionate and respectful service that promotes dignity, kindness, and equity.
• Respond promptly to individuals in crisis, addressing physical and mental health concerns, aggression, and interpersonal conflicts using de-escalation techniques to reduce harm and offer healthy alternatives.
• Enforce shelter rules and expectations, including handling suspensions when necessary.
• Maintain a clean, safe environment for all shelter participants seeking respite.
• Mediate conflicts and facilitate reconciliation conversations when appropriate.
• Assist with the coordination and delivery of daily meal programs.
• Support the daily operations of the shelter, including laundry, cleaning common areas, conducting security checks, and supervising shelter activities.
• Perform janitorial and basic maintenance tasks to ensure the cleanliness and functionality of the shelter.
• Build healthy relationships with shelter participants by actively listening, providing advice, offering appropriate referrals, and being open to spiritual conversations.
• Work collaboratively with team members, including volunteers and visitors, to create a supportive and proactive environment.
• Provide assistance to other shelter locations as needed, based on operational priorities.
• Use case management tools to help shelter participants set and achieve housing goals, managing a caseload of 7-8 clients.
• Support participants in accessing community resources and services through a person-centered approach, encouraging progress toward their goals.
• Conduct housing-focused case management intake, schedule regular check-ins, and engage in daily intentional conversations with participants, ensuring thorough documentation of these interactions.
• Collect and maintain accurate client records using the client database system, adhering to privacy and confidentiality standards.
• Maintain professional boundaries with shelter participants at all times.
• Participate in staff training, attend regular meetings, and engage in one-on-one sessions with your supervisor.
• Follow all health and safety policies, submitting incident reports as required to ensure a secure environment for all.
• Utilize critical thinking to assess situations and make informed decisions to support participants effectively.

Qualifications and Skills:

• 1 year of experience working with marginalized populations.
• Diploma and/or certificate in Human Services, Social Work, or a relevant field (preferred).
• Demonstrated passion for ending homelessness in Saskatchewan.
• Cultural sensitivity and respect for client individuality and self determination.
• A broad knowledge of and experience working with Indigenous communities is an asset.
• Ability to follow organizational protocols of front-line programs to completion.
• Experience in case management and advocacy (considered an asset).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and adapt to shifting priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as conflict resolution abilities.
• Self-starter capable of working effectively within a cross-functional team.
• Strong desire to work with marginalized and vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrated teachability and a proactive attitude, with a willingness to take initiative
• Integrity, discretion, and tact in handling confidential matters.

Working Conditions:

• This position involves working in a challenging and potentially volatile environment where you may encounter racial slurs, name-calling, and derogatory comments from community members. It requires resilience, conflict resolution skills, and the ability to maintain professionalism and composure in the face of adversity. Training and support will be provided to ensure your safety and well-being.
• The working environment for this position requires moderate amounts of walking, climbing, standing, sitting, lifting, carrying, and daily interactions with colleagues and guests.
• This position is often fast-paced and requires moderate amount of mental effort to analyze information and problem solve.
• This position requires varied mental and emotional effort, must be able to respond appropriately to intense situations, provide conflict resolution, work directly with clients at risk.
• This position requires training in usage of a two-way radio communications; MS Office based computer programming, as well as client database systems, FDARP, FOIP, First aid, NVCI, and SafeTALK.

Additional Requirements:

• An Employment Background Check is required for all positions at The Mustard Seed.
• As The Mustard Seed is a Christian ministry, we require our employees to agree to respect and not detract from The Mustard Seed's Employment Values during their employment at The Mustard Seed.
• Must have legal authorization to work in Canada on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer.

Compensation & Benefits

• The Mustard Seed offers a competitive compensation package for full-time employees, including 100% employer paid extended health and dental benefits for staff and dependents.
• An overnight premium is provided for all overnight shifts to recognize and compensate for the unique demands of working during these hours.
• All The Mustard Seed employees have access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides support for maintaining a healthy work-life balance, addressing mental health concerns, and focusing on personal development in various areas.

NOTE

• Your privacy is important to us. The information we collect is used solely for consideration for employment.
• We thank all candidates for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. The Mustard Seed reserves the right to amend job advertisements. No phone calls please.
• Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.