Psychosocial Support Worker

Come Build Hope and Homes with Us!

Psychosocial Support Worker - Full Time

403 Thompson Road, London

44 Enhanced Support Units

Salary: $45,900-$54,600

Position Description:  As the Psychosocial Support Worker, you will come alongside residents who have experience with mental health and/or substance use disorders to optimize housing stability. The goal of the Psychosocial Support Worker role is to holistically support a resident within an interdisciplinary team. You will offer support services that help individuals to flourish within their community. Using a service plan, assisting residents to learn skill sets needed for independent living within community. Engaging in a collaborative assessment process of residents’ progress, helping them achieve their social inclusion and community development goals, focusing on purpose-filled planning and intervening in crisis situations. As part of an interdisciplinary team, you will also enhance community engagement, resident-led initiatives, and develop a safe environment for our residents to thrive.  This position will require a high level of resilience and willingness to work in close proximity to 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 Us:   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: Full time 40 hours per week, 8 hours a day. Shifts are expected to fall between 8am-11pm including evenings, weekends and public holidays. As the program operates 7 days a week, being on-call for 1 week every 4-6 weeks is required to support the residents and each other on the team. The on-call rotation consists of carrying a work cell phone 24/7 for that one week, responding to urgent matters. At times, this position will also require substantial flexibility to meet program needs.  

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING:

Direct Support to Residents 

• Skilled in building therapeutic relationships with residents with a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed approach, promoting hope and trust
• Coordinate, lead and/or participate in case conferences with outside supports
• Understanding and implementation of psychosocial rehabilitation, recovery models, including harm reduction strategies around substance use. 
• Develop, contribute to, and carry out individual support plans, while working with residents to identify and achieve goals as it relates to their individual support needs and recovery
• Proven advocacy skills to ensure residents can access and receive the support and referrals they need to achieve their goals
• Monitor, review and update the support plans on a scheduled basis and revise the plan, as necessary, ensuring flexibility to meet the residents’ needs 
• Connect residents with supportive community resources, including both clinical and informal supports, facilitating case coordination and case management
• Confident in utilizing crisis management and intervention skills
• As a representative of a faith-based organization, recognize and promote the role of spirituality in personal development, and provide support and guidance as required
• Respond to resident complaints/concerns with care, compassion, and efficiency
  Assist with intake and orientation of new residents
• Develop and facilitate relevant group programming that promotes a sense of belonging, community, and inclusion through a biopsychosocial and psychosocial rehabilitation lens
• Champion the importance of skill development in housing stability. This involves coming alongside the resident in their goals; coaching independent living skills, coaching through appointment coordination, maximizing abilities to promote community independence, encourage residents in maintaining good personal hygiene, self-confidence, and conflict resolution. This may include accompanying to appointments, leisure activities or other activities of interest including religious, educational, or vocational opportunities to provide support and encouragement
• Provide support with identifying early warning signs of mental health decline, develop coping, crisis, and safety plans
• Identify and foster resident leadership and resident-led programming development, while fostering a sense of belonging and community
• Support will also address positive interpersonal relationships with family, friends, neighbours, and co-workers, as appropriate. Examples of this could include conflict resolution education and coaching around how to be a good neighbour 
• Work with residents to improve the capacity of the community so that it becomes “physically, mentally healthier and a better-prepared community.” 
• Encourage meaningful engagement with the broader community 
• Develop initiatives, programming, and support mechanisms to promote the value of safety within a community for residents and for staff
• Other duties as required

Support, Direction, and Commitment to Interdisciplinary Team 

• Work as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide direct and indirect support to residents, encouraging housing stability. These supports will include: medication administration, apartment checks, implementation of pest management protocols, community events, meal program, and other supports as necessary
• Consult and collaborate with all team members on a regular basis
• Complete required assessment tools according to appropriate timelines
• Keep apprised of new research and developments in these areas through journals, web sites and literature to transfer knowledge to the team and residents in the most effective manner available
• Strive to help reduce bias and stigma, while fostering social inclusion within communities through program development and implementation
  Participate in quality improvement and data gathering as assigned. Consult on effective service plan and assessment tool development when necessary
• Complete required documentation in a thorough and timely manner with a focus on maintaining and protecting health records
• Comfort and familiarity with landlord responsibilities such as pest management and rent collection

Health, Welfare and Safety Practices 

• Use appropriate procedures and follow-up documentation when responding to emergency situations
• Ensure your own health & safety, that of residents, and co-workers by adhering to health & safety standards
• Complete required safety checks and inspections as assigned
• Attend and participate in all required training to maintain and develop new skills
  
  

Leadership 

• Consistently show initiative and engage in creative problem solving. 
• Demonstrate ongoing commitment to learning and supporting diverse individuals and communities (i.e. cultural safety, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice). 
• Experience leading and/or guiding internal teams to accomplish shared goals. 
• Reinforce a positive workplace culture and tone through your skilled verbal and written communication. 
• Work collaboratively with Indwell’s Facilities Team, supporting and reporting maintenance needs to ensure upkeep of buildings and resident units. 
• Keep interdisciplinary team informed of community opportunities and emerging trends related to best practices in housing stability, community capacity building, and other relevant topics. 

WHAT YOU WILL BRING: 

• Post Secondary education in related field or equivalent
• Experience working within a case management framework with individuals with serious mental illness, substance use, or other special needs
• A warm, sensitive, and caring approach
• Ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships and have a genuine interest in supporting people living with mental illness 
• Work independently, have strong problem-solving skills, be flexible, organized, responsible, and take initiative 
• A valid “G” class driver’s license with own vehicle   

We want you to thrive:     

• Vacation: 3 weeks (15 days paid 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.