Job Title : Diversion and Housing Outreach Support Staff

Based at : Red Deer

Reports to : Manager, Diversion and Housing Outreach

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week, Monday-Friday

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OUR MISSION

Because of the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ, Hope Mission exists to serve the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those in search of help, healing, and hope.

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Job Summary: 

The Diversion & Housing Outreach Program has been created to assist community members and staff in developing a clear action plan to help the community members exit homelessness and improve their quality of life. The purpose of this program is to move community members through the process within 21 days or less. The focus of the Diversion & Housing Outreach Support Staff will be to connect with people who are new to shelters and can be diverted quickly to natural supports (family or friends), housing and landlord connections, or other community supports.

Major Duties & Responsibilities:

• Connect with new shelter registrants within the first 21 days of their stay in shelter to assess needs and develop a diversion/shelter-exit plan.
• Receive referrals for diversion from other community programs within and outside of Hope Mission.
• Schedule intake appointments with referrals, complete assessments and create appropriate diversion plan.
• Develop in-depth understanding of community resources within and outside of Hope Mission and make appropriate referrals to them.
• Build critical working relationships with contact persons within community programs within and outside of Hope Mission for easy referrals.
• Assertive outreach to landlords via cold calls, emails, face to face meetings to promote the program and schedule viewings.
• Conduct housing searches and build inventory lists of available housing units for participants. Liaise with property managers, landlords, realtors, resident managers and other sources to identify vacancies for potential tenants.
• Building relationships with landlords in order to increase opportunities to efficiently secure housing.
• Advocacy on behalf of participants with landlords, and other community resources.
• Assist with applications, accessing income supports, setting up 3rd party payments.
• Complete case notes and assessments in order to accurately track the work and progress made with participants on the caseload.
• Complete other administrative duties related to the position.
• Work to meet goal of 4 housings per month.
• Attend housing meetings with the team.
• Other duties as outline by the Team Lead, Diversion and Housing Outreach.

Minimum Qualifications and Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and active-listening skills - genuinely interested in supporting community members experiencing homelessness
• Strong advocacy and negotiation skills.
• Able to work co-operatively within a multidisciplinary team
• Able to demonstrate patience and understanding for those with addictions, mental health, and/or behavioral disorders
• Ability to make decisions in a timely, organized, and appropriate manner.
• Solution focused.
• Strong computer proficiency
• Strong work ethic, time management skills and ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication skills
• Has a good understanding of trauma-informed care and meeting clients where they are at.
• Experience working in the inner city is an asset but not a requirement.
• Experience in sales is an asset but not a requirement.
• Experience working in other housing programs is an asset but not a requirement.

Other Requirements:

• Being a Christian Organization, we require our employees to be in agreement with and sign the Hope Mission Statement of Faith.
• Cover letter stating why you would like to work in a Christian organization.
• Must be legally entitled to work in Canada on a full-time basis.
• Able to provide Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Search 
• A letter of reference from a ministry or church is an asset
• Adherence to Hope Mission’s Policies and Procedures.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.