Housing Support Team Lead (Woodstock - Blossom Park)

Come Build Hope and Homes with Us!

Housing Support Team Lead- Full Time

Blossom Park - Woodstock

Salary: $51,200- $59,772

Position Description:  Working as part of the interdisciplinary team, reporting to the Program Supervisor, the Housing Support Team Lead will be responsible for implementing housing stability strategies and oversight of the housing support program. Providing direct supervision and support to the housing program staff and volunteers.  Working in collaboration with Indwell’s leadership team to uphold organizational mission, vision, and values.  This position will require a high level of resilience and willingness to work in challenging situations. 

What matters to you? Being in a work culture that operates out of their core values of DIGNITY, LOVE and HOPE- embracing diversity, promoting equality and inclusion. A place that sees you as a LEADER contributing your individuality to champion the vision of creating communities that TRANSFORM lives.   

About Indwell:   Founded in 1974, our Christian charity continues to thrive and grow exponentially as we serve people impacted by poverty and homelessness through our vision of HOPE and HOMES for All.   We are the fastest growing developer in Ontario creating affordable high quality efficient housing communities coupled with supportive programs to over 1200 tenants to meet their needs of health, wellness, and belonging.  To learn more, go to: indwell.ca/our-model

Hours of Work: 40 hours per week Tuesday through Saturday. The program operates 7 days a week, including public holidays. Flexibility is required to meet program needs, which will include evening  hours. Participation in the on-call schedule rotation is required to support the tenants and each other on the team. The on-call rotation consists of carrying a work cell phone 24/7 for one week at a time, responding to urgent needs. 

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Direct Support to Residents:

• Exhibit understanding of psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery models, including harm reduction strategies around substance use. 
• Demonstrate confidence in utilizing de-escalation and crisis management skills
• Facilitate case management with residents, connecting them to supportive community resources, including both clinical and informal supports.
• Develop, contribute to, and carry out individual resident support plans, including any relevant assessment tools
• Respond to resident complaints/concerns with care, compassion, and efficiency
• Reinforce residents’ life skills, including spiritual, social, and coping skills
• Assist with intake and orientation of new residents
• Develop and facilitate relevant group programming

Support, Direction, and Commitment to Interdisciplinary Team:

• Supervising and supporting the Housing Support team, including both full and part-time employees as assigned, providing leadership and direction. Conducting and documenting regular check-ins with staff and completing employee performance evaluations in collaboration with the Program Supervisor
• Monitoring and leading healthy team dynamics, and the development and maintenance of positive, professional team culture. Responsive to the care, culture and competence needs of staff
• Participating in the recruitment process for Housing Support staff, in collaboration with the leadership team and the Human Resources Team
• Overseeing a thorough onboarding and orientation process for new employees, students, and volunteers
• Supporting roll-out and implementation of new assessment tools, frameworks, and policy to program staff and residents
• Collaborating with Program Supervisor to ensure that the Housing Support Team has dedicated time to plan and implement housing stability strategies
• Participating and contributing to relevant Cross Regional Teams
• Attending and being actively involved in team meetings and other agency meetings as required. Ensuring an overview of housing support services and needs is prepared as requested
• Keeping apprised of new research and developments relevant to your role, through workshops, journals, websites and literature, transferring knowledge back to the team and residents in the most effective manner available
• Developing and maintaining relationships with community and health partners to support the team and residents in connecting to community resources and supports
• Leading, coordinating and/or participating in case conferences with outside supports
• Leading and engaging the team in creative, value-driven occupancy stewardship. 
• Implementing dispute resolution processes that maintain housing stability for the resident and community
• Responding to resident complaints/concerns with efficiency, while upholding principles of tenancy stewardship
• Working collaboratively with Indwell facilities staff regarding property maintenance and unit turnovers. Monitoring upcoming vacancies and participating in the intake process for new residents while supporting the team with move-ins, ensuring that all relevant information is collected and processed
• Administrative responsibilities such as monitoring rent payments, rent collection and deposits, intake, and discharge planning
• Developing and facilitating programming related to housing stability
• Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of psychosocial rehabilitation, recovery models, including recovery and harm reduction strategies around substance use

Leadership:

• As a representative of a faith-based organization, recognizing and promoting the role of spirituality in personal development and providing support and guidance as required
• Demonstrating an ability to engage in self-reflection around interpersonal dynamics, leadership skills, feedback, professional practice, and apply learnings
• Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to learning and supporting diverse individuals and communities (i.e. cultural safety, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice), while leading the teams in the same
• Leading and/or guiding internal teams to accomplish shared goals specific to health and housing support  
• Keeping interdisciplinary team informed of community opportunities and emerging trends related to best practices in housing stability
• Demonstrating creative problem-solving abilities and initiative to implement adjustments that may be needed to the housing support program
• Applying evidence-based practice, influencing policy and program development, identifying relevant and appropriate trauma informed care that promotes hope and trust

Health, Welfare and Safety Practices:

• Maintain a safe and healthy working environment
• Use appropriate procedures when responding to emergency situations
• Uphold organizational policy and procedures
• Attend and participate in all required training to maintain and develop new skills

Administration:

• Complete required documentation in a thorough and timely manner with a focus on maintaining and protecting tenant health records
• Ensure thorough record keeping including minute taking, client files, occupancy statistics and financial records
• Ensuring that rent concerns are followed up in a prompt and efficient manner
• Ensure information is entered into organizational data systems
• Other duties as required

WHAT YOU WILL BRING   

• Commitment to upholding and modeling the standards set out in the organization’s Mission Statement, Statement of Faith, Code of Conduct, and other operating standards and policies. 
• Skill in building therapeutic relationships with residents with a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed approach, promoting hope and trust. 
• Relevant post-secondary education or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. Lived experience is considered a valuable asset in this work.
• Experience working in mental health and/or addictions sector, as well as within a case management and/or interdisciplinary team model is beneficial.
• A client centered approach, using trauma and violence informed strategies to support residents
• A warm, sensitive and caring approach with a genuine interest in supporting a diverse population of people living with mental health concerns and/or substance use disorders
• Strong communication, listening, interview and assessment skills, as well as critical thinking and problem-solving abilities
• Effective crisis intervention and conflict management skills
• Ability to work effectively in a high stress environment, work independently, be flexible, organized, responsible and take initiative
• Excellent written, verbal, time management and organizational skills
• A commitment to interpersonal collaborative teamwork and care and continuous professional development
• A strong familiarity with local resources

We want you to thrive: 

• Vacation: 3 weeks paid (15 days) with 8 HEAL days (sick and personal appointments) per year 
• Extensive Benefits paid: Extended health (100% medication coverage- some exceptions may apply), dental and vision care.  Life Insurance and long term disability
• Employee Assistance Program- primary care and professional consulting services
• Group RRSP: Indwells contributes 5% of salary
• New Staff Orientation Days  
• Professional and Personal Development- annual Leadership Conference (themed with guest speaker) + Spiritual Ranch Retreat (reflection and recharge with various outdoor activities).  Clifton Strengths Finder Assessment facilitated by People Developer for mentoring opportunities, Lunch and Learn Webinars, Indigenous Cultural Competency and 2SLGBTQ Awareness. Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI), First Aid/CPR/Naloxone, Therapeutic Relationships and Applied Suicide Intervention (ASIST) 
• Social Events:  Indwell’s Hope and Homes Banquet yearly to celebrate the important work we do + team gatherings 

As Indwell works to support diverse tenant populations, we are seeking to create a diverse work culture that closely matches the diversity of our communities with qualified individuals who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives.  Our supports, services and employment are open to people from every creed, race, ethnicity, sex, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.  And we especially invite applications from Black, Indigenous peoples, members of racialized communities and intersectionalities.  Indwell’s leadership are motivated by the example of Jesus Christ as reflected in Indwell’s statement of faith.  

Inspired to JOIN OUR TEAM, we invite you… 

To APPLY:  Please forward your cover letter and resume to our website: www.indwell.ca/careers. We thank all for your interest; however, only those applicants that are being considered will be notified.  

Personal information submitted will be used only for employment opportunities within Indwell in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.   

Accommodation will be provided to applicants who make their needs known in advance for the duration of the hiring process as required under Indwell’s Employment policy.