Social Services Worker – Canada Summer Jobs 2024

Job title: Social Services Worker – Canada Summer Jobs 2024

This is a Canada Summer Jobs 2024 posting. In order to be eligible, candidates must:

• Be between 15-30 years of age at the start of employment
• Be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or an individual to whom Refugee Status has been granted/conferred for the duration of employment
• Be legally entitled to work in accordance with relevant provincial legislation and regulations

International students, and those who are here in Canada on a work, youth, or visitor visa/permit are not eligible for the program.

Hourly wage: $18.00

Required Hours per week: 35 hours

Length of Position: 8 weeks

Anticipated Start Date: Mid to late May/beginning of June

Organization Overview: Margaret's mission is to provide the continuum of housing and support services for individuals with mental illness through innovative programming, advocacy, and education which empowers them to build and reclaim their lives.

Job Overview: The Social Services Worker’s role is to work within a client-centred, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and eviction-prevention model to ensure clients are able to secure and maintain housing by providing support and guidance to individuals to be respectful and responsible tenants. They must collaborate in a warm and collegial fashion with team members including other employees, volunteers and clients, as well as referral agencies to ensure successful and prolonged community integration and tenancy.

Job Responsibilities: 

• Provide necessary supports to clients, fostering essential social skills and attitudes to overcome or reduce barriers to successful tenancies, enabling them to become and remain responsible, respectful tenants
• Help clients avoid conflicts with landlords, other tenants, and neighbours, and act as a client's advocate to ameliorate or prevent eviction situations
• Assist clients facing barriers that impede their ability to achieve successful, sustained tenancy
• Work with clients to help them make decisions, evaluate information, consider options, and set realistic, achievable goals
• Offer supportive counselling and problem solving on an ongoing basis
• Create and maintain safe, collegial environments with team members, other employees, volunteers, clients, referral agency personnel, etc.
• Work closely with staff to prevent crisis situations from starting; safely and responsibly intercept escalating crisis situations in non-violent ways whenever possible
• Participate in unit inspections and assists clients with unit maintenance when needed
• Research and connect with related agencies who may provide additional services/resources and help clients access appropriate resources
• Assist in providing knowledge regarding provincial Landlord-Tenant laws, local rules and regulations followed by large rental enterprises, such as the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), and other 'rent-geared-to-income' (RGI) housing concerns
• Encourage interested clients to become familiar with the basics of tenant-landlord laws, rules and regulations
• Perform additional tasks as required

Required Skills and Competencies

• Post-secondary education in Social Services, a degree in Social Work/College Diploma in Social Services, with a specialty in mental health and addictions or equivalent experience
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, in a social service setting preferred
• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple responsibilities effectively
• Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and record-keeping
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Superior interpersonal skills with a high level of social and emotional intelligence
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a diverse team, demonstrating reliability and professionalism in all interactions
• Must demonstrate values of anti-oppression and anti-racism, and operate from a non-judgmental, client-centered framework
• Compassionate and empathetic approach to client care, with a commitment to upholding their dignity and respecting their autonomy
• A strong desire to contribute to a community-based organization and the improvement of the quality of life for a marginalized community
• Good Crisis management and Conflict Resolution skills
• Approachable and sensitive to the needs of others
• Knowledge of available resources in the community an asset
• Ability to speak a second language an asset

Working Conditions:

• The incumbent will be working in a low-barrier setting, in close communication with designated clients and other individuals from the community who may be experiencing homelessness, mental health, and addictions issues
• Possible exposure to loud noises and crowded areas on-site

Margarets is an equal opportunity employer. Should you need accommodation for the interview process, please do not hesitate to reach out prior to your scheduled interview.