Job Detail

The Division: SSHA Division provides emergency accommodation and assistance to individuals and families with children experiencing homelessness while promoting stable housing solutions. SSHA directly operates several shelters and programs across the City. Service delivery is aligned to a Housing First approach and connects individuals to supports and services needed to stabilize their housing. As a member of the shelter staff team and guided by Toronto Shelter Standards, Client Service Workers play a critical role by assisting people on a day to day basis during their shelter stay.

Shift requirements: Must be available to work all shifts (days, afternoons & overnight shifts) four (4) separate days a week, of which two (2) days must include Saturdays & Sundays. Work schedules are posted six (6) weeks in advance, and hours of work will be determined based on operational needs, including call-in shift coverage.

The Role:

As a Client Service Worker you will be responsible for addressing client needs through a client focused and harm reduction perspective. In your role as a Client Service Worker, you will:

• Perform initial screenings and assess client eligibility for admittance to emergency shelter programs
• Admit clients and assist them to integrate into the emergency shelter environment by providing a tour of the program, explaining the rules and policies, fire safety procedures, and housing first philosophy
• Ensure safety and well-being of clients and staff by doing regular facility and bed/room checks
• Assess and assist with addressing client's personal hygiene, medical, financial and emotional needs and refer them to appropriate community health, housing and social support services if necessary. Liaise with other City staff and with community agencies (e.g. hospitals, social workers, doctors, courts, shelters providers, etc.) to ensure clients receive high quality service
• Provide assistance when medical emergencies and other critical incidents occur within the shelter using problem-solving and crisis intervention to de-escalate conflicts
• A high level of professional customer service skills in establishing and maintaining working relationships with clients, service providers, the general public and/or staff when addressing service inquiries, requests and/or complaints
• Document shift occurrence information in line with internal policies, including the completion of logs, incident reports, case management notes and recording admittance and discharge information in the SMIS system
• Participate in meetings, case conferences and divisional initiatives, as well as the development of client case plans and program development and delivery (e.g. recreation, educational, social/life skills)
• Ensure a high level of customer service and professionalism
• Undertake training and other duties as required

Key Qualifications:

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to:

You must also have:

• Knowledge of working with Indigenous populations and/or lived experience as an Indigenous person is considered an asset.
• Knowledge of current issues and expertise related to homelessness and/or street involved individuals.
• Advanced knowledge of community resources and services to assist clients to address their presenting issues.
• Ability to work in an automated environment with excellent computer skills to prepare, write and maintain reports/records.
• Ability to effectively perform job duties with minimum supervision.
• Ability to appropriately assess situations and problem solve, and to de-escalate interpersonal conflicts in an effective fashion through crisis intervention techniques.
• Excellent customer service skills with an ability to establish and maintain effective working with clients, service providers, community agencies, the general public and/or staff to address service inquiries, requests and/or complaints.

As the potential work locations may include the following, you must have the ability to travel and work at different locations based on operational needs:

• Seaton House Portfolio
• Women's Residence Portfolio (Women's Residence, Fort York Residence, Bellwoods House)
• Birkdale Residence Portfolio (Birkdale Residence, Downsview Dells, and the motel program)
• Family Residence Portfolio
• Roehampton & Scarborough Women's Shelter
• Four Points Sheraton
• SHARC, 129 Peter
• 705 Progress
• Other temporary shelter or motel programs operated by the division.

Note: All City of Toronto employees are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of hire in accordance with the City's Mandatory Vaccination Policy. Candidates will be required to show proof of vaccination during the recruitment process.