Housing Worker | YWCA Elm Housing Support Program

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

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality

Internal and External Job Posting

Housing Worker 

YWCA Elm Housing Support Program

JOB ID: ELM1028-repost

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Hours: 35 hours per week (Evening and weekend shifts; shares on-call duties)

Salary:               $55,939 annually (L7), plus comprehensive benefits 

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

Internal Application Deadline:            Friday, April 5, 2024

External Application Deadline:         Monday, April 15, 2024

JOIN OUR TEAM

YWCA Toronto strives to uphold anti-discrimination practices and anti-oppression principles to ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected and protected. We work to promote a climate that is welcoming of all women and individuals who identify as Trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit.  We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people from all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

The Housing Worker is responsible for assisting tenants to maintain their tenancy through individual support, and workshops. This position 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. This Housing Worker also 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, and 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 and gender diverse people, 50 units for women and gender diverse people, women-led families and gender diverse-led families of Indigenous descent (including 10 women-led and  gender diverse-led families fleeing violence) and 85 units for women and gender diverse people 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

• Assists and supports tenants to be successful in their tenancy by ensuring tenants assume and maintain their tenancy obligations;
• Assists the Intake Co-ordinator with intake and move-in orientation processes;
• Provides crisis prevention, intervention and counseling for women and children primarily in the Affordable units to respond to crisis in ways that support individual and community well-being;
• Models and coaches tenants to use conflict resolution and mediation skills to support positive relations between tenants;
• Assists tenants to problem solve and access relevant community supports;
• 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;
• Maintains a working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing Services Act, Ontario Human Rights Code and Rent geared to income calculations;
• Receives and responds to all housing related forms in accordance with YWCA procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

• General knowledge of an academic or technical discipline normally acquired through the completion of an undergraduate degree (example: Community Worker) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered);
• Over 3 to 5 years’ experience working in a supportive housing setting in a direct service setting with children, youth and adults who experience 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 Indigenous descent through individual support;
• Supportive counseling that is flexible client-centered and strengths-based;
• Life Skills certificate an asset;
• Working knowledge of the Residential Tenancies Act, Housing Services Act and Ontario Human Rights Code, 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.

Vaccination Policy: In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health.  

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your cover letter and résumé to Danielle Nakouz, Manager of Elm Housing Support Program at
Elmhousingjobs@ywcatoronto.org. Please quote JOB ID number ELM1028-repost 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 within the Bargaining Unit. Please indicate on your cover letter if you are an internal candidate. 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 and gender diverse people 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

Posting Date: March 27, 2024