FT Contract Indigenous Housing Outreach Worker (IHOW)

Status: Full-time, contract to March 31, 2025
Location: Guelph, ON
Hours: 35 hours/week
Salary: $59,910 to $70,488 per year
Paid Time Off: 3 weeks of vacation, plus sick days, spiritual/cultural leave, birthday
Benefits: Health and Dental
Pension: HOOPP (defined benefit plan) – optional
Posting Date: August 26, 2024
Deadline: September 9, 2024

Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) is a diverse, dynamic, multiservice Indigenous health and wellness agency. We strive to provide quality, wholistic health services by sharing and promoting traditional and western health practices to enable people to live in a more balanced state of well-being. SOAHAC provides services to Indigenous people including those who live on and off reserve, status, non-status, Inuit, and Metis within the Southwest, Waterloo Wellington and Erie St Clair regions. SOAHAC has a mandate of ensuring that health services are accessible, of high quality, and are culturally appropriate. It is SOAHAC’s objective to build health care capacity within Indigenous communities. Currently, we are seeking the services of an Indigenous Housing Outreach Worker (IHOW) to join our interdisciplinary staff team to work with the Guelph and Wellington Indigenous community, working out of Hope House in Guelph.

Reporting to the Integrated Care Manager, Waterloo Wellington, the IHOW is responsible for providing a range of outreach support services to those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. Focusing on the safe and successful integration back into the Guelph-Wellington community, the IHOW will work directly with Indigenous clients.

Responsibilities
• Provide a range of outreach support services that promote wholistic wellbeing for those experiencing homelessness, at risk of homeless or in a crisis situation.
• Ability to support/facilitate programming and workshops for Indigenous community.
• Assist and educate clients to conduct housing searches, fill out necessary applications for housing, and coaching on interacting with landlords and neighbours.
• Provide a range of opportunities for clients to learn daily life and living skills, while increasing their sense of community and belonging and connection to culture and traditions as necessary.
• Provide comprehensive culturally appropriate assessment and culturally relevant service plans.
• Educate clients about their tenant rights and responsibilities.
• Contribute to the coordination, planning and enhancement of local services, including those from Indigenous agencies and partners.
• Support the implementation of realistic and culturally relevant goals and objectives through regular community and home visits.
• Coordinate, plan and support SOAHAC workshops and events to enhance community engagement with Guelph-Wellington Indigenous community members.
• Act as an advocate on clients’ behalf.
• Access and utilize community resources for clients such as furniture acquisition, household supplies, food banks, etc. and support for personal services such as prescription medication costs, physiotherapy services, transportation, food vouchers, etc.

This job may require additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre.

SOAHAC values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer; however, hiring preference will be given to qualified Indigenous applicants. SOAHAC is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, please advise Human Resources.