Job Description

At Support House, we open doors, minds, and possibilities. We build opportunities, we inspire change, and we transform health care. We believe everyone deserves support.

Support House is directed by our core values. They guide our agency's decisions and actions, unite our staff, define our brand, and inspire our culture. We connect by building meaningful relationships. We put people first by supporting them to direct their own path. We focus on holistic wellness. We foster engagement through designing housing, supports and the system together.

Support House offers supportive housing options, community outreach, peer support and building system capacity.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Support House is committed to leveraging diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of our employees in order to provide services to an equally diverse community and encourages applications from all qualified candidates.

Our Peer Support Services

A Peer Support Worker is someone who has a similar life experience to those our Agency supports (mental health and/or addiction concerns, justice involvement, homelessness). Peer Support Workers have engaged in special training and skill development to utilize the Peer Support values and their lived experience in a meaningful way to enhance their ability to support people in living the life they want to live. Peer Support offers goal-focused, strengths-based connections that provide supportive conversations around wellness tools & strategies, and connection to community resources. Peer Support Services can be offered one-to-one or group-based, within the community or virtually.

The main purpose of this position

The Peer Support Worker, Support House Response Team, will be responsible for providing one-to-one community-based peer support across the Halton region supporting people who are unhoused and who experience mental health and substance use concerns. The team will work within the community meeting people where they are at, including shelters, supportive housing and street level outreach.

This position is a part of an assertive outreach team where communication and team building is paramount to support positive outcomes for the people we support. You will work closely together to respond quickly to community homelessness support needs including crisis and distress.

Areas of focus during Peer Support can include community resource navigation, housing security, employment & education, self-advocacy, wellness tools & strategies, and activities of daily living.

Responsibilities

Internal Role

Connecting with people 16+ within the unhoused population who experience mental health and substance use concerns. Emphasis on building relationships/rapport with individuals using creativity and patience. Attending shelters, community spaces, and any other location where people may be in need of mental health / substance use and housing support. Act as a role model in self-care, self-awareness, and wellness tools Share your common experiences with people as relevant. Working alongside community partners to address immediate support needs including crisis, housing, and/or justice. Focus on preventing, de-escalating, navigating and stabilizing crisis situations including supporting individuals experiencing social and physical harms associated with chronic substance use, ongoing suicidal ideation and other harmful emotional or behavioral situations Providing support and resources for harm reduction and prevention in order to improve people's wellness. Promoting a decrease in justice system participation and possible incarceration through in-depth assessments and collaboratively creating individualized care plans considering justice involvement and ensuring intentional pathways to other relevant justice supports Supporting individuals around their complex housing and tenancy needs, including but not limited to supportive housing placements, rent supplement options and landlord relationship building Facilitate peer-led group-based self-help/wellness programming and back-up as required.
External Role

Work in close collaboration with Halton Housing Help, shelter, and any other relevant organization's staff to ensure wrap around supports for individuals. Represent Support House's values and philosophies. Be knowledgeable around Support House's services and supports. Understand how various social locations or identity factors impact access to, and experiences with, mental health, housing, and substance use supports. Promote every door is the right door and provide warm connections to appropriate partners.
Professional Development

Aligning your practice with your professional discipline code of conduct and ethics as relevant to your role Remain current with trainings and learning opportunities. Participate in regular supervision, annual reviews and debriefs with supervisor and team. Demonstrate a commitment to applying the principles of intersectionality to the work of Support House Participate in relevant Communities of Practice
Personal Development

Regular personal reflection and awareness around how you are showing up to work and recognizing self-awareness strategies to inform your work. Be open and share any work-related needs to the appropriate staff, for the purpose of accommodation, support, and clarity. Participate in regularly scheduled breaks and other wellness activities to maintain your work and practice. Maintaining your personal wellness through ensuring your own supports and balance Understand how your own positionality and identities impact and influence your ability to exert power and privilege, particularly as it relates to individuals who face multiple forms of systemic oppression. Disclose and navigate dual relationships within the organization and with individuals, as needed.

Knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in this role

Strong ability to build genuine connections with people through curiosity and interest in getting to know who they are. Personal lived experience with mental health and/or addictions concerns, justice involvement, homelessness and an understanding of how to navigate services for people who may be living with any/all of these life experiences Peer Support Training required. Relevant Undergraduate Degree is an asset. 5+ years providing peer-led services. Strong understanding of the Housing First philosophy and extensive knowledge of the unhoused population Experience in harm reduction best practices and overdose prevention Trauma-Informed training and experience Confidence and experience in crisis intervention, mediation and de-escalation including non-violent crisis/suicide intervention skills. Risk assessment skills and relevant experience is an asset. Demonstrated complex problem solving in crisis-based work. Able to mediate and negotiate situations. Working knowledge of the justice system Experience with the LOCUS / OCAN / VI-SPDAT assessments is an asset. Must possess a broad knowledge of community resources and the ability to strongly advocate for clients and make professional referrals. Understanding of intersectionality principles and practice, and how it may impact an individual's experience with systemic oppression and support systems. Excellent verbal communication and comfort with one-on-one dialogue Excellent written and documentation skills. Working knowledge of PHIPA is an asset. Able to work independently and co-operatively in a busy multidisciplinary environment. Self-motivated, comfortable working with minimal oversight Proven ability to work on an Electronic Healthcare Record Proven computer proficiency to facilitate the use of automated assessment tools and Microsoft products. A valid driver's license and access to a vehicle Current First Aid & CPR certification, Naloxone and ASIST training is an asset.

Working conditions

The Support House Response Team will be available in the community 7 days a week. The funder, Support House, and the Support House Response Team will work together to determine 7-day coverage. Each member will work 37.5 hours per week. Support House prioritizes flexibility, and work-life balance.
Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 9 months

Pay: From $59,160.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress Company events Dental care Disability insurance Employee assistance program Extended health care Flexible schedule Life insurance Mileage reimbursement On-site parking Paid time off RRSP match Vision care
Schedule:

8 hour shift Day shift Monday to Friday Weekends as needed
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2025-07-01