Assistant Housing Support Worker

Role: Assistant Housing Support Worker
Position Type: Part-Time (25 hours per week) 
Compensation: $22/hour
Location: Ottawa, ON
Reports to: Senior Manager, Transition Homes
Application Deadline: November 15th, 2024
Start Date: ASAP

About Matthew House Ottawa

Since 2010, Matthew House Ottawa has housed hundreds of refugee claimants and provided quality furniture to more than 17,000 people through our furniture bank program. We have done this with a large, dedicated team of volunteers and a handful of employees, with a lot of passion and commitment.

About the program

This job is under a Newcomer Training and Employment Program which offers 10 weeks of paid work and on the job training for refugees and newcomers to help you on your path to long-term, stable, sustainable employment.

While there may be opportunities for permanent employment at Matthew House, the goal of this program is to empower you with a stable foundation for future work success regardless of where you land. You will receive wraparound support from beginning to end, including from our program partner Causeway Work Centre who are available to support you in a variety of ways in your longer-term search for employment.

About this role

Position Overview  

The Assistant Housing Support Worker will play a crucial role in supporting refugee claimants with housing needs and is responsible for supporting Matthew House Ottawa’s Housing program, which comprises of finding appropriate housing and building connections with affordable housing agencies and landlords within the Ottawa area. As Assistant Housing Support Worker you will serve as a liaison between homeowners, landlords and rental companies interested in renting their properties and/or rooms to Matthew House residents and will also assist residents in accessing essential information related to housing in the city. This position is ideal for individuals passionate about supporting vulnerable populations and promoting equitable access to longer term housing opportunities.

The Assistant Housing Support Worker works with the Housing Support Worker, Transition House Manager and Program Manager Refugee Services to develop and improve the Housing Program and its core areas.

Duties & Responsibilities:

  • Connect with and provide housing search assistance to Matthew House residents at Reception Houses and Transition Houses

  • Assist housing support worker to establish and maintain positive relationships with homeowners, landlords and rental companies interested in renting to program participants.

  • In consultation with the Housing Support worker, collaborate with the MHO team to identify housing opportunities and match them with suitable MHO residents.

  • Receive and screen housing referrals from service providers and partner organizations.

  • Manage transitions out of MHO’s reception & transitional housing.

Housing Placement:

  • Work closely with the Housing Support Worker and MHO team to assess the housing needs of individual program participants.

  • Orient and set expectations for program participants in their search for longer-term housing.

  • Support and accompany program participants to find safe, affordable and long-term housing.

  • Support program participants to fill out and submit housing applications including to subsidized housing providers, ensuring all necessary documents are submitted.

  • Assist in the coordination of property viewings and lease agreements between landlords and residents.

  • Establish residents in their new longer-term housing by acquiring tenancy insurance, setting up internet and other utilities, (such as Hydro, Enbridge as needed)

Information and Education

Under the direction of the housing support worker, the assistant housing support worker will be required to perform the following tasks, as and when necessary:

  • Provide program participants with comprehensive up to date information about the local housing market, rental processes, and tenant rights.

  • Offer guidance on budgeting, utilities, and other aspects of maintaining a stable housing situation.

  • Conduct workshops or information sessions related to housing as needed.

  • Connect program participants to relevant housing community resources, such as legal services, social services, and support networks.

  • Maintain an up-to-date resource directory to help program participants access essential services.

  • Maintain accurate records of housing placements, interactions with homeowners, and resident feedback on MHO’s database and ensure it is being used properly and effectively to ensure that everyone on the team is on the same page as to where each resident is at in their settlement journey.

  • Prepare regular reports on housing activities and outcomes.

  • Works with MHO volunteers to connect residents to members of the public who have houses to rent. 

Other

  • Perform other duties assigned by the Housing Support worker and Senior Manager, Transition Homes. 

Essential requirements 

  • Strong commitment to the mission and values of Matthew House and the welfare of Program participants

  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

  • Ability to speak additional languages an asset.

  • Demonstrates strong privacy and confidentiality boundaries

  • Demonstrates a strong understanding of services available to refugee claimants

  • Exceptional management and communication abilities

  • Sensitivity to program participants' English capacities and an ability to communicate with simple, direct language

  • Knowledge of local housing markets, rental regulations, and tenant rights preferred.

  • Empathy, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

  • Reliable and able to maintain confidentiality.

  • Access to transportation for property viewings and meetings (if required).

Qualifications:

  • Post Secondary education in Social Services or related discipline 

  • Proven experience in client support or customer service 

  • Excellent people skills 

  • At least 1 year working in the refugee services sector in Ottawa 

  • The ability to practice patience with a non-judgmental attitude 

  • Knowledge of the social services sector in Ottawa 

  • Fluent in English (required); ability to communicate in French and other languages an asset 

  • Proficiency in MS Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote) 

  • Police Records Check (Level 3 - Vulnerable sector check) 

  • Ability to solve routine problems 

  • Attention to detail and ability to respect and follow established systems 

  • Ability to work independently but also to thrive in a diverse team 

 Skills:    

  • Organizing skills 

  • Ability to function without supervision and efficiently in a faced paced dynamic environment

  • Problem solving 

  • Excellent interpersonal skills 

  • Ability to prioritize tasks and multi-task  

  • Ability to work collaboratively and thrive in a diverse team serving clients from diverse cultures 

  • Cultural sensitivity.   

  • Respect for human dignity  

WORKING CONDITIONS 

  • You will work within a team of committed and passionate individuals to run the program. 

  • You will be required to work in person with refugees who recently arrived in Canada. 

  • You may be required to work extended hours to take care of emergencies. 

  • Requires travel to various locations of MHO reception and transitional houses.

  • Working on some evenings maybe required.

 NOTE: This job description is not limited to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Please note, we will review applications on an ongoing basis and the job posting will be removed once candidate has been identified.  We are only able to consider candidates who currently have the right to work in Canada.

Mission

Matthew House Ottawa is a faith-based, volunteer-driven, charitable organization that helps Ottawa’s marginalised population to establish connected, safe, healthy, and dignified homes within our community. We do this by:

  • Providing shelter, food and refugee settlement assistance, including volunteer opportunities, in a family atmosphere to refugee claimants so that they may begin their journey to independence as members in Canadian society; and,

  • Distributing quality used furniture and household goods to Ottawa’s marginalised population

Values Statement

Faith Based: We live by our Christian faith and care for the stranger in response to God's call (Matthew 25:35).

Loving Service: This ministry seeks to express loving service towards each person we serve, do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

Compassionate: We are passionate, caring, and enthusiastic in support of people's needs and seek to express a ministry of loving service toward each person we serve.

Respecting Human Dignity: We believe in respecting the value and dignity of each person receiving our services and those who serve in this ministry.

Engaging Community: We believe in building relationships with individuals, groups and other organizations to create fellowship and mutual support to help those in need.

Building Community: We believe in helping our clients to integrate into their new community to build a happy, healthy home, live in personal safety, and achieve their potential within our society.

Accountable: We are accountable to our clients, volunteers, and community partners and treat all who come in contact with this ministry with integrity, fairness, consistency, and honesty.

Environmentally Conscious: We encourage waste reduction, reuse, and recycling through our programs to promote healthy environments.