HOUSING SUPPORT WORKER | ID: 106

Atlohsa Family Healing Services is seeking a motivated and dynamic individual to fill the role of Housing Support Worker for Atlohsa’s Housing First program. The main priority of the Housing Support Worker is to help Indigenous community members reintegrate back into the community by living independently and by reconnecting to Indigenous Ways of Being and culture. The Housing Support Worker will work with participants and community members through an Indigenous cultural framework that will help achieve successful reintegration back into the community by implementing an Indigenized Housing First approach in alignment with the Giwetashkad Indigenous Homelessness Plan.

Role and Responsibility

Using a Wholistic Indigenous-led approach to principles of Harm Reduction and Housing First, the successful applicant will offer compassionate and assertive care and support to community members who may be experiencing homelessness, social stigma, problematic mental health, trauma and substance use. The main priority of the Housing Support Worker will be to create long-term housing stability for participants by creating healing plans, offering housing support and cultural empowerment. The Housing Support Worker will work with a warm, welcoming, and culturally safe approach while fostering a sense of family and community with participants and community members. The Housing Support Worker will be flexible in providing intensive in-house supports to participants while from time to time providing support to participants who are living outside. The Housing Support Worker will use assessments to create goals on the strengths, abilities, needs and preferences of participants and community members. The Housing Support Worker will also employ motivational interviewing and coaching skills to community members in the learning and achievement of activities such as budgeting, personal hygiene, chores, socialization etc. This may also include providing lay counselling and proactively intervening when crisis or conflict arises, which may include aggressive or disruptive in the moment behavior due to substance use and or mental health issues. The Housing Support Worker will liaison with other social service agencies, record accurate and detailed shift notes and must be able to provide clear, concise objective communication regarding community members who are supported through Atlohsa’s Housing programs.

Suitability

• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the languages, traditional ways, history and cultures of the Indigenous population in the London region
• Strong analysis of colonialism and they ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous people intergenerationally
• Current knowledge of Indigenous and non-Indigenous community services and resources
• Understanding of Indigenous homelessness and Indigenous harm reduction
• Experience with working with marginalized individuals
• Demonstrated ability to receive training support, supervision and direction
• Demonstrated strengths in interpersonal relations, problem-solving, crisis intervention, group dynamics, community development and other innovative approaches
• Understanding of cultural safety and an awareness of its impact on practice
• Skills in conflict resolution, mediation, and negotiation (to build trust and resolve disagreements)
• Excellent organizational and coordination skills and the ability to prioritize multiple competing workload demands in fast paced environment
• Effective communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact with others in a respectful manner as defined in the Atlohsa Code of Conduct
• Current Vulnerable Sector check

EMPLOYMENT TERM: Full-time

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled

REMUNERATION: Competitive compensation and benefits package based on qualifications

Individuals who self-identify as First Nations, Metis or Inuit are strongly encouraged to apply. It is beneficial to state in your cover letter if you are Indigenous or have lived expertise relevant to the position. At Atlohsa, we value diversity in our workforce and encourage all qualified candidates to apply, however preferences will be given to qualified, Indigenous applicants.