Shelter Support Worker - Emergency Weather Shelter

Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of your neighbours and community. If you are looking for a career with purpose, we would love to hear from you!

As a Shelter Support Worker, you will be helping community member clients address their issues with mental illness, substance use, physical health, and life skills. The most important task is building a relationship with clients and collaborating with them to achieve their goals. The Support Worker works collaboratively with other direct service staff, family, and external service providers, advocating for access and rights as needed. The role of Support Worker is integral to our shelter program.

In this role, you will complete intake and initial assessments for community members facing multiple barriers including experiences of homelessness, physical and mental health challenges, substance use, social isolation, histories of abuse and trauma, immigration, and histories within the criminal justice system.

You will collaborate with our other programs and an array of community supports to develop and coordinate effective plans for shelter clients. The successful candidate for this role is highly motivated to support vulnerable people in truly transforming their lives. This role reports to the Supervisor of Follow-Up Services.

This position is for our Extreme Weather Response Shelter program. The Extreme Weather Response Shelter is open in the winter when a local community declares an alert, under the Assistance to Shelter Act, that sleeping outside could threaten health and safety. The shelter will be open from During an alert the shelter is open every night from 6:00 pm - 8:00 am.

Key Responsibilities:

· Provides consistent coverage for assigned shifts, working within the team and independently to complete all shift tasks.

· Monitors and supervises shelter and client affairs, assists clients of the shelter with needs and questions and maintains order in accordance with Nicola Valley Shelter and Support Society.

· Receives new clients, completes intake paperwork, and orients new clients to the shelter.

· Enforces shelter polices and follows staff polices and procedures.

· Monitors the activities of clients to ensure the safety of clients, volunteers, and staff.

· Helps clients resolve any issues as they may arise

· Provides crisis intervention as needed, including determining when it is necessary to involve other staff, administration, or the authorities.

· Maintains written and oral communication of incidents in accordance with polices.

· Reports any problems to the Shelter Manager.

· Completes work time sheets bi-weekly

· Attends staff meetings and participates in activities designated by Shelter Manager.

· Other duties as may be assigned by the Shelter Manager

Required Qualifications:

· Drawing on the unique benefits of shared lived experience, you are able to understand the systemic, cultural, and individual barriers facing the homeless and those with mental health and substance use disorders.

· Demonstrated professional experience working as part of a team.

· Conflict resolution training or willingness to be trained.

· Trauma informed practice training or experience preferred.

· Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries in working with clients.

· Able and willing to perform light housekeeping and occasional lifting to 30 pounds independently.

· Demonstrated understanding of strategies required to work effectively with vulnerable populations, including identifying assets and barriers.

· Ability to assess emergency situations and respond effectively.

· Demonstrated ability to build collegial and effective professional relationships with community members, staff teams, partner organizations and the general public.

· Reliable and flexible self-starter with the Ability to multitask

· Pass and maintain a clear Criminal Record Check

· Hold or be willing to obtain a valid First Aid Certificate

A Shelter Support Worker on their experiences:

“It’s hard. Have no illusions, working here will challenge your abilities, beliefs, tolerances, biases, sleep patterns and social life, not to mention witnessing daily the struggles, trauma, and injustices the people we serve must face.

It is not a job for everyone. For those of us who do work here, it is an opportunity to make a difference. To provide the most basic of needs for someone – food, shelter, clothing – and to assist with attending to medical, financial, and housing issues.

Most importantly, it is an opportunity to creatively solve problems otherwise deemed too complex or impossible. To witness the resiliency and self-determination of the human spirit daily. To work beside peers who share similar values as yourself.”

Job Types: Casual, Seasonal

Salary: $22.00-$24.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Vision care

Flexible Language Requirement:

• French not required

Schedule:

• Evening shift
• Night shift

Supplemental pay types:

• Overtime pay

Work Location: In person