Housing Worker (Contract Position)

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing.

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women back from achieving equality.

Internal and External Job Posting
Housing Worker
(Contract Position)
YWCA Elm Centre
JOB ID: ELM0241

Employment Type:                Full-Time Contract

Work Hours:                           35 hours per week (Monday to Friday evening and day shifts)

Length of Contract:                6 Month Contract

Salary:                                    $29.47 per hour (Level 7)

Location:                                 150 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0B1

Application Deadline:             Monday, July 15, 2019

JOIN OUR TEAM

The Housing Worker is responsible for assisting tenants to maintain their tenancy through individual support, and workshops. The Housing Worker helps to identify and build the skills required to successfully maintain their housing. This position works within a collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework and a housing first frame-work that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. The Housing Worker acts as a resource to staff and tenants and is responsible for assisting and supporting tenants with a broad range of administrative housing issues.  The Housing Worker works in collaboration with other YWCA Elm staff and Jean Tweed staff and management. The Housing Worker shares in the 24 hours on-call rotation providing crisis intervention and support to tenants.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – YWCA ELM CENTRE

YWCA Elm Centre includes 300 units of permanent housing for three different resident groups: 165 units of affordable rental units for women, 50 units for women and women-led families of Indigenous descent (including 10 women-led families fleeing violence) and 85 units for women who are experiencing significant mental health challenges or concurrent mental health/addictions disorders. The program will provide services to the entire residential community, with a dual focus on community building and individualized supports.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assisting tenants to maintain their tenancy through individual supports, and housing skills-based workshops;
• Actively works to identify barriers tenants face and to support tenants to build the skills required to successfully maintain their housing;
• Plays an active role in the preparation of legal documentation and may be required to attend Landlord Tenant Board hearings;
• Works within a collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework and a housing first framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression;
• Provides specialized knowledge and expertise regarding housing administration and eviction prevention strategies to staff and tenants and is responsible for assisting and supporting tenants with a broad range of administrative housing issues and goals;
• Works in collaboration with other YWCA Elm staff, Jean Tweed staff and management;
• Shares in the 24 hours on-call rotation providing crisis intervention and support to tenants;
• Provides education to the tenants on the rights and responsibilities of tenancy, conflict mediation and resolution, crisis prevention and intervention, referrals regarding income supports, employment and health care, assists with budgets and preparation of payment plans when needed;
• In conjunction with the Community Engagement staff, develops and implements workshops that educate tenants about their rights and responsibilities in relation to tenancy;
• Conducts fact finding investigations and provides documented summaries of all occurrence reports involving potential lease infractions.

QUALIFICATIONS

• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Community Worker);
• Over 3 years to 5 years’ experience working in supportive housing settings in a direct service setting with children, youth and adults who experience the impacts of poverty, homelessness/under-housing, violence/trauma, mental health/addictions or concurrent disorders;
• Demonstrated experience in assisting tenants in maintaining tenancy;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in providing holistic, culturally competent support to women and families of Aboriginal descent through individual support;
• Supportive counseling that is flexible client-centered and strengths-based;
• Life Skills certificate an asset;
• Sound knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act Housing Services Act, Ontario Human Rights Code and Landlord Tenant Board; excellent crisis intervention and conflict mediation skills, with ability to remain calm in crisis;
• Proven experience working independently, developing and facilitating workshops;
• Very good knowledge and understanding of community resources;
• Very good knowledge of household budgeting and household finance;
• Familiarity with Windows and Excel programs; excellent oral and written communication; demonstrated ability to work within an anti-oppression and feminist framework;
• Knowledge of a second language or culture an asset.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your cover letter and résumé by Monday, July 15, 2019 to Danielle Nakouz, Manager of Elm Housing Support Program at elmhousingjobs@ywcatoronto.org

Please quote JOB ID number ELM0241 and your name in the subject line

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate prior to hiring. YWCA Toronto is a unionized workplace. Staff are represented by CUPE Local 2189. This position is not within the Bargaining Unit. For internal applicants, this position is not secondable.

YWCA Toronto promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations. 

YWCA Toronto provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.