Youth Supportive Housing Worker - Bright Mindz

CMHA Kelowna is hiring two part-time Youth Supportive Housing Workers in the Bright Mindz Program offering 16 hours per week.

The shift schedules available are:

Evening shift: Saturday and Sunday, 3:30pm-11:30pm

Overnight shift: Saturday and Sunday, 11:30pm-7:30am

WHO IS A YOUTH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORKER?

The Youth Supportive Housing Worker (YSHW) in the Bright Mindz Program is dedicated to supporting young individuals (ages 16-24) who are housed in a specialized youth floor at a market housing building. This role focuses on assisting program participants who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of homelessness, promoting housing stability and enhancing quality of life. The YSHW collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement individualized care plans encompassing health referrals, social connections, life skills, and educational and employment support.

WHAT DOES A YOUTH SUPPORTIVE HOUSING WORKER DO?

• Foster and maintain collaborative relationships with housing, health, and social service professionals to address clients’ needs effectively
• Create and implement individualized care plans aimed at achieving housing stability for each program participant
• Provides life skills training such as cooking, housekeeping and personal self-management skills
• Connect clients to available income supports as required and advocate on their behalf with relevant agencies
• Liaise with community agencies and businesses to ensure program needs are met and facilitate the flow of information and resources
• Provide accurate information and appropriate referrals to clients regarding community resources
• Employ an ethical, efficient, and therapeutic approach to crisis intervention in a timely manner
• Ensure the safety of clients in potentially dangerous situations, following established protocols
• Maintain accurate case files, notes, and daily statistics regarding client interactions and program activities
• Prepare referral letters and manage information updates to assist other agencies
• Ensure compliance with program policies, including monitoring tenant guest policies
• Performs other related duties as assigned

YOUR STRENGTHS & EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum Grade 12 or equivalent education required
• Criminal Records Check Clearance in the vulnerable sector is required
• Diploma in Community Social Service considered an asset
• Understanding of working with a Trauma Informed lens
• Ability to be regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling with and/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental health challenges and/or mental illness
• Certificates in First Aid/CPR, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, Naloxone and Food Safe are considered an asset
• Experience working with youth, particularly those facing homelessness, mental illness, and/or addictions is considered an asset
• Experience working with the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) is considered an asset
• Ability to build trusting relationships with youth, demonstrating empathy and understanding
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Mediation and conflict resolution skills to address disputes and challenges among residents
• Ability to maintain consistent professional boundaries
• Familiarity with health and social service systems, especially the income assistance system
• Understanding of Harm Reduction theory and demonstrated ability to implement harm reduction strategies
• Understanding of Intentional Outreach, Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing, and Shelter Diversion principles is considered an asset
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel   
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to assess client needs and develop appropriate interventions

WHO IS CMHA KELOWNA?

At CMHA Kelowna, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter how old or how young, we provide support for families and individuals through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery, while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people from thriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. We are looking for someone who shares our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna and are passionate about making a difference in our community by bringing their particular expertise to our organization. To learn more, check out our website at www.cmhakelowna.org

CMHA KELOWNA OFFERS YOU:

• A competitive wage of $24.36/hr - $28.01/hr
• RRSP matching program
• Vacation & Personal Health Days
• A workplace culture that fosters learning, transparency, trust and team work

As an employer, CMHA Kelowna strives to create a workplace that respects and values all individuals, minimizes bias, and promotes the equity, diversity, and inclusion of different perspectives and ideas. At CMHA Kelowna that means welcoming diversity in mental health, race, ethnicity, and culture. It also means diverse abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, gender identities, education, marital status, language, and physical self-expression. These values are embedded in the work CMHA Kelowna does every day.

We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, however only short-listed candidates and those legally eligible to work in Canada will be contacted.

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.