Job Description

Description

The Outreach Worker will provide services to the homeless and transiently homeless while addressing their mental health and physical needs while building trust and relationships with the clientele. Working with community volunteers and like-minded agencies, the Outreach Worker will work with clients to connect them to agencies to help them secure necessary supports and suitable and sustainable housing. This position requires respect for, and previous experience working with, people who are dealing with homeless, transiently homeless, mental health issues, addictions, social isolation, and of indigenous and diverse backgrounds.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Outreach Activities

• Determine 4-6 places where the homeless and transiently homeless individuals are known to congregate 3-5 times per week.
• Engage with community to build pool of volunteers to help run the program more efficiently.
• Ensure the outreach vehicle is prepared and ready to go out to meet the needs of clients.
• Take the outreach vehicle to pre-determined places to engage with prospective clients.
• Provide individuals with a hot meal and beverage to meet needs of clients.
• Build relationships and trust with the homeless and transiently homeless community.
• Seek to understand clients underlying issues while seeking to develop a plan of action to move them suitable and sustainable housing.
• Maintain an active list of clients engaged and helped.

Engaging Support Agencies

• Build a network of support among helping agencies to provide essential services to clients.
• Once engaged, build trust with clients to understand underlying needs as presented.
• Link clients with supporting agencies within the broader community (Mental health, housing, food banks, etc.) based on identified needs.
• Follow-up with clients to ensure they are following their plan of action in seeking support and engaging with appropriate agencies.
• Encourage and support clients in addressing behaviours that are roadblocks to their path forward.
• Advocate on behalf of clients with helping agencies to ensure proper care is provided.

Administration/Organizational

• Maintain daily logs of statistical information to provide reports in timely manner.
• Communicate and demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries with clients and abide by the organization\'s policies regarding confidentiality, discrimination and the Staff Code of Conduct.
• Other duties as assigned (participate in professional development and training opportunities).
• Provide required reports during the project and the final report at the end of the project; distribute to community partners and funders.

TERM: Six month contract with potential to become full-time permanent depending on funding; 35 hours per week

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Be a post-secondary graduate in a related field of study (preferably social services) or college diploma program or lived experience; equivalencies will be considered using combined training and work experience in community services.
• Experience working with the homeless and transiently homeless community considered an asset.

PREFERRED SKILLS/CAPABILITIES:

• Have the ability to work within a Christian faith-based setting and uphold the mission, vision and values of The Salvation Army
• Be able to work varied hours depending on schedule as work hours will include evening activities and outreach.
• Possess a valid Newfoundland and Labrador Driver\'s License.
• Be able to maintain a high standard of confidentiality.
• Obtain a Criminal Police/Vulnerable Section Check and clearance through The Salvation Army Internal Abuse Registry and be willing to sign the Salvation Army Code of Conduct Receipt and Acknowledgement Form

The Salvation Army