Resident Support Worker

Job Overview
The Resident Support Worker (RSW) provides support to up to 18 program participants during 10-hour shifts in a 24/7 residential setting. The RSWs’ primary focus is to create a welcoming, non-discriminatory, non-judgmental, caring and safe environment that supports individual dignity and personal choice for all while ensuring safety and security of residents, guests, staff, and the building. This team-oriented, front-line, hands-on position provides guidance and stability to residents in upholding their program agreements and growing their life skills and resilience.

Hours of work: Up to 40 hours/week full time / Up to 30 hours/week part time. Shifts are 10 hours. Daytime, evening and overnight. Weekdays and weekends.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES

Core Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain relationships with residents who have a history of homelessness using a client-centered housing first and harm reduction approach.
• Develop positive trauma informed relationships with individuals who may have mental health, physical health and/or substance use challenges in their lives.
• Possess a thorough knowledge of the Program Agreement as signed by residents, program polices and safety plans.
• Uphold safety of residents and guests by ensuring harm reduction and overdose response protocols are followed.
• Maintain building security by performing and documenting regularly scheduled walk throughs both inside and outside the building.
• Contact RCMP, Paramedics, and other emergency or critical care responders as needed.
• Mandatory participation in team meetings and make recommendations to Team Lead and Supervisor regarding service delivery gaps reflective of resident support needs.
• Other duties and responsibilities as required and as directed by the Team Lead or 5131 Supervisor.

Program residents

• Provide residents with information about program guidelines, including room inspections and orientation at move-in, enforcing resident expectations and building safety procedures.
• Maintain a high standard of cleanliness, mitigating pest infestations, infectious diseases, and the smoking of cannabis or cigarettes indoors;
• Provide crisis management and intervention by responding to emergency situations within the building through conflict-resolution, guest management, suicide prevention, and de-escalation techniques;
• Encourage positive resident choices to uphold their housing stability through promoting positive life skill development, including problem solving, self-awareness, personal wellness. Supporting personal choice particularly around instrumental activities of daily living such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry;
• Daily light cleaning duties of common areas and resident spaces as needed/requested;
• Re-stock facility supplies and notify Supervisor when purchases are necessary.
• Monitor CCTV footage, investigating and managing disturbances according to safety policies and procedures.
• Support Program Coordinator in facilitating resident activities onsite using internal or external resources and supports;
• Problem-solve where tenancies appear unstable and assist in negotiating specific arrangements to mitigate evictions, and guest/resident and neighbour conflict;
• Support the Outreach Worker with connecting residents to external community resources, government, non-government, and First Nation government providers;
• Prepare rooms for move-ins according to established room cleaning protocols;

Reporting, Evaluation & Monitoring

• Maintain detailed, accurate, objective documentation, logbooks, case notes and data for all residents, involved supports and community services, to ensure staff are comprehensively updated on all new and unfolding developments.
• Report any building maintenance issues to the Supervisor or Team Lead immediately.
• Monitor and maintain good relationships with neighbours, ensuring strong neighbourhood relationships including safety and cleanliness issues around the vicinity of the building.
• Participate in succession planning and adhere to organizational IT and privacy standards and procedures (i.e. storage, records retention, passwords etc);

Education & Experience

• Completed post-secondary education in social services or related field and a minimum 2 years work, volunteer, or lived experience related to homelessness, outreach, housing, and supports; a combination of experiences will be considered;
• Knowledge of decolonising, trauma-informed, and housing first approaches to client support;
• Awareness of the complexities of homelessness, poverty, and the colonial context of homelessness in the Yukon, among other related issues;
• Awareness of community agencies, resources, non-government, First Nations, and territorial government agencies and the cross section of service providers in the Yukon as they relate to client support;
• Knowledge of Safe at Homes vision.
• The submission of a Vulnerable Sector police check required.
• Yukon First Nations 101 certificate an asset.
• Standard First Aid/CPR required; basic life support an asset.
• Naloxone/Narcan training required (training will be provided).
• Trauma-informed Care training required (will be provided).
• Medication Assist training required (will be provided).
• Mental Health First Aid an asset.
• ASIST suicide awareness and prevention training an asset.

Skills & Abilities

• Sound knowledge of Substance Use Universal Precautions and harm reduction techniques.
• Excellent conflict management/crisis prevention/mediation training and/or demonstrated skills.
• Ability to maintain strong personal and professional boundaries when building relationships with residents and service providers.
• Experience in customer service roles and commitment to client service.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to work accessibly and effectively with individuals living with multiple barriers to stable housing.
• Ability to accept resident’s rights to self-determination, and individuality; as well as maintain a positive conviction about the capacity for people to grow and change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Presentation skills an asset but not essential.
• Ability to apply a high degree of discretion in establishing supportive, trusting relationships with residents, neighbours, and various service providers.
• Knowledge of computer programs, specifically Microsoft word, outlook and excel.
• Possesses the ability to manage competing priorities and coordinate several tasks at once.

Work environment:
The role is entirely front-line focused working with residents and staff at the 5131 Fifth Avenue building. Day-to-day work is very team focused. From time to time, the position may be required to perform the same duties at another SAHS Supportive Housing building.

Additional Application Instructions: Safe at Home Society is committed to employment equity and strongly encourages all qualified applicants to apply. Given the over-representation of Indigenous community members across Yukon’s homeless population, strong consideration will be given to Indigenous applicants. Consideration will also be given for those who are able to dedicate focus to their role and work full and part-time.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: 30 – 40 per week

Additional pay:

• Overtime pay

Benefits:

• Casual dress

Flexible language requirement:

• French not required

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Monday to Friday
• Night shift
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person