Job Description

Job ID:

55801

Job Category:

Community & Social Service

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Division & Section:

Toronto Shelter & Support Services, Outreach and Access

Work Location:

Downtown Toronto

Job Type & Duration:

Full- Time. 6 Permanent, 10 Temporary (12-month vacancies)

Hourly Rate and Wage Grade:

$38.58 - $42.46

Shift Information:

Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week per week, Monday - Sunday. Rotational Shifts. For more information, please see below.

Affiliation:

L79 Full-time

Qualified List:

Candidate List will be established. For applicability and duration, see below.

Number of Positions Open:

16

Posting Period:

22-MAY-2025 to 05-JUN-2025

Join Us!

Interested applicants are recommended to join us at our virtual information session. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the role and working for the City of Toronto, ask questions related to the position, and find out more about the application process.



Central Intake and its supporting programs operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as a call centre, providing information and conducting intake assessments over the phone and in person for individuals and families seeking emergency shelter assistance, homelessness prevention supports and other housing related services. Central Intake Caseworkers provide high quality customer services by providing access to information in a timely manner, with a focus on minimizing caller wait times.



For date, time and TEAMS info please see below:

Wednesday, May 28th, 2025 at 10:00am to 11:00am

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/66f2ba03-2546-452e-9e18-9b13231eb701@f0bc8ec6-9ed8-4d0c-9189-411ad949cc65

Major Responsibilities

Conducts assessments by phone and in person to determine needs and resources of individuals and families to develop a short term service plan to meet / address their specific needs Applies homelessness prevention and shelter diversion strategies where possible, to assist clients to sustain their current housing and/or be directed to applicable service providers to meet their needs Collects and assesses information to determine client's eligibility for emergency shelter and other shelter and housing related services. Connects with shelter to review listed vacancies and maintains Shelter Navigator files. Reconnecting with clients in the service queue. Determines, develops and recommends courses of action based on legislation, divisional policies and procedures, and the evaluation of clients' functional abilities, degree of urgency, finances, and other relevant criteria Coordinates referrals to supports and services to community agencies, City of Toronto programs, warming centres, and other levels of government to meet client needs. Completes referral barrier forms. Utilizes the principles of case management when conducting assessments and referrals to address client needs Advocate on behalf of clients for services and benefits with internal and external resources and supports, which may include landlords/housing providers, income maintenance programs, and shelters and other service providers Completes third party verification by contacting various sources, including community agencies, housing providers, health care providers, income maintenance systems, child welfare agencies, Public Trustees, and other service providers Responds to crisis situations involving clients by assessing the situation and implementing appropriate solution which promote client safety Maintains thorough case documentation in automated systems, including documenting all intake and case plan information, and entering statistics related to case histories. Updates and revises intake records with each client contact, to ensure case information is current Works independently and as part of a team to identify client needs and assist the client to access appropriate programs and services. Assists with escalated referral cases. Maintains a high level of familiarity with legislation, community services, resources, programs, policies & procedures, and issues affecting or related to the client population Responds to inquiries from the general public and/or other service providers Maintains a high level of confidentiality related to all client matters and information Participates in team meetings and case conferences to discuss program issues, review client needs, expiring client intakes, discuss case plans, homeless prevention/shelter diversion plans, etc.
Reports trends, challenges and issues relating to shelter system to the Shift Leader and/or Supervisor, Social Assistance/Client Services

Key Qualifications:

Your application must describe your qualifications as they relate to:

Degree or diploma in Social Services or related field, or equivalent combination of education and/or experience.

Experience conducting a high volume and frequently complex client intakes/assessments, either in a call-centre or in-person environment within the human services or customer relations sector.

Considerable experience assisting clients in a human service setting, (e.g. providing homelessness services, social supports, crisis intervention or healthcare related services either through client intake/assessments, referrals, individualized service plans or developing case management plans).

Considerableexperience with high volume data entry and maintaining large multi-screen databases, while accurately managing large volumes of complex and sensitive information.

Considerable experience entering and extracting information from various databases or software applications, including MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel).

You must also have:

Working knowledge of applicable legislation such as Ontario Works Act, Ontario Disability Support Program, Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Residential Tenancies Act, Mental Health Act, Child & Family Services Act, etc. Ability to respond appropriately and in a compassionate manner to clients sharing highly sensitive information that often includes details of traumatic events. Ability to exercise good judgement, tact and diplomacy when interacting with members of the public, media, and elected officials. Ability to de-escalate and diffuse challenging situations and successfully resolve customer issues in a diplomatic and professional manner. Excellent assessment and problem-solving skills with the ability to respond to situations based on available information. Excellent knowledge of issues related to homelessness (e.g. psycho/social/physical, educational and/or environmental problems), including the ability to provide appropriate resources for individuals, families and children. Excellent knowledge of resources and services available within the City of Toronto, other levels of government, and community agencies. Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and as a member of a team in a dynamic, complex environment. Ability to follow directions, multi-task, manage and organize time , work well under pressure, and maintain composure during stressful situations, as well as showing attention to detail with the ability to set priorities and meet deadlines. Excellent written communication skills to effectively prepare and document case histories and process and analyze data. Ability to conduct research by extracting and interpreting information from various databases and software applications, including Internet search engines. Must be available to work varied shifts including days, afternoons, evenings, overnights, weekends and statutory/religious holidays. May be assigned to work at alternate work sites.

Shift Information:

Working in a team environment, and reporting to the Shift Leader on duty, the Caseworker Homelessness Services must be available for the following shifts (subject to change based on operational need):

Daytime - 8:00am to 4:00pm

Afternoon - 11:00am to 7:00pm

Evening - 4:00pm to 12:00am

Night - 12:00am to 8:00am

NOTE:

The majority of each shift will be taking in-bound calls from callers seeking homelessness services or information. This position will also include the use of a headset for prolonged periods and working at a computer screen for extended periods of time. There is a substantial administrative component in this position.

A Vulnerable Sector Police Reference Check will be required as a condition of employment.

For more information on Shelter Services, please visit our website at http://www.toronto.ca/housing. A Police Reference Check program brochure is available at http://www.toronto.ca/housing/employment.htm.

NOTE TO INTERNAL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME CITY OF TORONTO EMPLOYEES:

City of Toronto employees must apply to full-time or part-time employment opportunities posted on the City's

Internal

Job Posting Portal.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City's commitment to employment equity.

Accommodation

The City of Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should you require Code-protected accommodation through any stage of the recruitment process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to meet your needs. Disability-related accommodation during the

application process

is available upon request. Learn more about the City's Hiring Policies and Accommodation Process.