***Cover letter and Resume are required to apply for this position***
Location: Truro NS & Elmsdale NS
Hybrid Work-In Community Serving: Colchester County and East Hants community members
Organization Summary
Serving central Nova Scotia since 2014, the Truro Housing Outreach Society (THOS) is a registered nonprofit and charitable society that works to address housing insecurity in our community. Our facility, Haven House, provides emergency and transitional beds, personal care supplies, food, housing support, eviction prevention, and advocacy to anyone over the age of sixteen. We apply housing first, rapid re-housing, shelter diversion and harm reduction principles within our service delivery model, client case management and care plans. To date, THOS has served more than 650 individual clients, and due to the current housing crisis and heightened need due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we often operate at capacity.
Mission: To ensure housing security for everyone in Colchester and East Hants. We achieve this by offering emergency shelter, housing support, outreach and navigation services, empowering our community through education, shelter diversion strategies, and advocating for societal change.
Vision: A community where everyone has a place to call home
Our Values:
Diversity and Inclusion: We are dedicated to creating an inclusive space where everyone is valued and treated with respect, regardless of their background or identity. Celebrating diversity
strengthens our community and moves us towards equity and empowerment.
Equity: We believe that housing is a fundamental human right. We aim to ensure fair and equitable access to housing opportunities for all community members.
Integrity: We commit to accountability, honesty and respect in all interactions, holding ourselves, clients and collaborators to a high standard of integrity.
Community-minded: We actively listen to our clients and support them as they integrate into the community. Through collaboration with partners, we strive to promote empathy, combat
stigma, and develop lasting solutions to housing challenges.
Advocacy: We fearlessly advocate for those we serve, amplifying their voices to drive meaningful change among decision-makers in our society.
Population Served: THOS provides low barrier, human-centered support that is rooted in harm reduction practices using anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed approaches to care. We support individuals of all genders (16+) and couples who experience barriers to housing including; criminalization, gender-based violence, transphobia, racism, homophobia, varying levels of life skills, inadequate access to mental and physical health supports, racism, challenges with alcohol and substance use, and poverty.
Position Summary: The Outreach Program is an initiative funded by the Department of Community Services, which supports the growth of THOS and the services we provide to the unhoused and insecurely housed community members. The Outreach Case Manager’s role is to build rapport and connections with unhoused and precariously housed individuals throughout Colchester County and East Hants, with the goal to support the identified needs of community members, connecting them with services within their community, and supporting their engagement with housing support services.
Street outreach is a critical aspect of community response to homelessness, involving the identification and engagement of individuals living in unsheltered locations including but not limited to: abandoned buildings, cars, encampments, parks, and the street. Outreach Case Workers meet people where they are, developing genuine relationships and linking them to community resources, primarily to secure stable housing. The Outreach team will interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from communities made marginalized and vulnerable, who may not typically access services, ensuring the fair provision of resources through trauma-informed and culturally sensitive practices. The goal of the outreach program is to improve access to resources and provide lifesaving connections.
The Outreach Case Manager’s (Full time) is responsible for providing services and support that are consistent and equitable, and in alignment with THOS policies and values. All staff are responsible for supporting individuals in meeting their basic needs, providing resources, referrals, and supporting their engagement in obtaining transitional and/or permanent housing and retaining that housing obtained with various in person supports done by the Outreach Case Manager on a case by case for length and needs.
Key Responsibilities:
Under the supervision of the Outreach Coordinator, the Outreach Case Manager (Full-time) is responsible for:
- Actively engage in meeting individuals where they are and building genuine relationships to encourage engagement and connection to available community resources and developing a plan to transition into housing.
- Providing individuals with essential community resources to meet their immediate and long term identified needs. Supporting unsheltered individuals to gain access to life sustaining resources such as food, tents, hygiene products, sleeping bags, and assisting with access to income via Income Assistance, pension, or unemployment.
- Developing and maintaining positive working relationships with partner agencies such as the Department of Opportunities and Social Development Services, Cobequid Housing, property owners, and property management companies, as well as other service providers related to housing.
- Assisting case management clients in obtaining and retaining housing, this includes helping clients identify their own personal struggles or needs while working to grow their knowledge or skills.
- Ensuring that all interactions are carried out in a safe, dignified, and culturally responsive manner.
- Providing support to individuals during periods of escalation and dysregulation, while under the influence of alcohol or substances, or while in crisis.
- Ensures that support is confidential and that information is not shared without the individual's informed consent. All documentation relevant to confidentiality is complete and stored in a secure location that is accessible to appropriate staff.
- Maintain statistical data relevant to the outreach program, as outlined by the Outreach Coordinator and program funders.
- Develop and sustain essential landlord relationships to support continued opportunities for clients.
- Actively participating in the broader community to support education on homelessness support for initiatives and develop long‐term strategies for addressing homelessness in the community.
- Maintains accurate, detailed, confidential records including timely input within the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System (HIFIS) database.
- Facilitate the Hospitality drop-in hours at THOS between 5pm-8pm Wednesdays, and 4pm-8pm Sundays. Providing shower and laundry access, resources, referrals, and one-on-one support.
Qualifications
- Community College Diploma in Human Services or University Degree in Social Justice, Sociology, Social Work, or the broader Social Services field (counseling, addictions, behavioral interventions). A combination of relevant experience and education may also be considered.
- Minimum of two years experience in social service delivery is considered an asset.
- Access to a reliable personal vehicle with adequate insurance coverage of $2000,000.00 needed to transport community members is required. Vehicle costs incurred, with the exception of reimbursement based on current mileage rates, are the responsibility of the Employee.
- Relevant experience working with individuals experiencing criminalization, transphobia, racism, homophobia, varying levels of life skills, inadequate access to mental and physical health supports, gender-based violence, racism, challenges with alcohol and substance use, and poverty, and a demonstrated understanding of the affects capitalism has on those who are unhoused or housing insecure.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the current economic and housing crisis
- Ability to connect and support individuals through one-on-one engagement in ways that are relevant and respond to identified needs.
- Ability to build relationships with those who are from racially and socioeconomically diverse communities.
- Demonstrated commitment and ability to provide low barrier, human-centered support rooted in harm reduction, anti-oppressive, and trauma-informed approaches to care.
- Effective written, verbal, interpersonal communication, and computer skills. Proficiency in word processing, spreadsheets, email, cloud based document storage and other technology applications or software are considered an asset.
- Knowledge of community resources, programs, and services within Colchester County and East Hants County, in addition to an understanding of the gaps in service provision.
- Demonstrated understanding and engagement with healthy boundaries with individuals supported, and staff as it pertains to the context of working relationships.
- Demonstrated organizational skills, time management skills, and the ability to start and complete tasks.
- Be dependable, conscientious, trustworthy, empathetic, and goal oriented
- Ability to take initiative, work independently, and collaboratively with a team.
- Demonstrated ability to support individuals in conflict resolution and de-escalation.
- Ability to work under pressure and adapt quickly to unforeseen circumstances.
- Familiarity with the HIFIS database is considered an asset.
- Must provide a Criminal Background and Vulnerable Sector Checks. Please contact the Outreach Coordinator if you feel this may be a barrier.
Must have the following or be willing to obtain
- Standard First Aid/CPR Level “C”
- Harm Reduction / Naloxone Training
- Non-violent Crisis Intervention or comparable De-escalation Training
- ASSIST or equivalent
**On the job training is provided and cultivated**
Pay: $27.00 / hr including 4% vacation pay Bi-weekly
Work Term: Permanent
Schedule:
- 40 hours/week, 10 hour shifts
- Evenings and weekends between 9am-9pm to increase access to service provision
- Potential overtime must be pre-approved by the Outreach Coordinator
The Truro Housing Outreach Society is committed to building a diversified staff team and we strongly encourage applicants to self identify in their cover letter as: Indigenous, Black, African Nova Scotian, Person of Color, Person with lived experience, or belonging to the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $27.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Truro, NS B2N 1X7
