Housing Support Coordinator (0.8 FTE) – 19 month contract

We are seeking an individual who is passionate about promoting health and wellness equity in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) to assist the Kilala Lelum Health Centre in the role of Housing Support Coordinator. Kilala Lelum aims to provide access to decolonized primary care, Allied Health services, and Elder-led cultural care to new and existing members of the Health Centre through an outreach-based, culturally-safe, strength-based, trauma-informed, member-centered, and harm reduction approach.

This position will split their time between the Social Navigation team (⅔) and the Reclaiming Our Spirits program (⅓).

The Social Navigation team is comprised of Social Navigators (our reimagined version of Social Workers) who provide outreach-based, culturally-safe, trauma-informed care to members (patients) and families who are adversely affected by the social determinants of health and who experience health challenges including chronic disease, substance use, and mental illness.

Reclaiming Our Spirits (ROS) is a health promotion program for Indigenous women-identifying people who have experienced intimate partner violence. The program includes nursing support, clinical counselling, Social Navigation, Elder care, and group cultural, spiritual, and wellness-oriented programming. Both the Social Navigation team and the Reclaiming Our Spirits program have recently secured funding to provide housing-focused support and resources (funds available for members) to address houselessness and housing insecurity. The Housing Support Coordinator is a new position to support the implementation of these services.

Job Summary:

The Housing Support Coordinator (0.8 FTE) will work closely with Social Navigators and the ROS team to provide housing support services to members living in the DTES. The Housing Support Coordinator role is integral in that it helps establish therapeutic relationships with folks in the DTES in order to improve access to cultural connections and healthcare services.

The Housing Support Coordinator will co-develop Housing Plans with the Social Navigators and take charge of implementing them, which may include: physically aiding members to move homes; supporting members to set up a new home (ex: acquiring furniture and household items); supporting members to develop housing-related skills (ex: cleaning); and supporting members to prevent loss of housing (ex: pest control, neighbour/landlord relations, reducing belongings, liaising and advocacy with building staff). The Housing Support Coordinator will document their work in OSCAR EMR (Electronic Medical Records), provide verbal reports on observations to the Social Navigation team, and conduct outreach and follow-up check-ins.

Responsibilities:

Track and implement Housing Plans for up to 60 members annually (combination of new placements and housing loss prevention), including managing own schedule and responsibilities.
Physically aid members to move their belongings and acquire furniture and household items (as appropriate, not expected to move heavy furniture).
Support members to set up a new home by sourcing needed items from different resources and organizing their space.
Work with members to develop and enhance housing-related skills such as budgeting, cleaning, reducing belongings, communicating with neighbours and landlords/building managers.
Support members with pest control, storage, and other procedures.
Accompany and/or transport members for housing-related needs (such as to access temporary accommodation during pest control).
Facilitate the use of community services/resources, such as food sources.
Communicate and collaborate with Social Navigators and interprofessional care team at Kilala Lelum.
Manage the KL storage unit for member short-term storage.
Contribute to the process of creating and amending Housing Plans.
Document work in OSCAR EMR.
Manage the budget allocated to this role, maintain receipts and submit spending reports for relevant expenses.
Act as an advocate for members’ health and psychosocial needs.
Establish, maintain, and enhance therapeutic relationships based on respect.

Qualifications & Skills:

Minimum two (2) years of recent relevant work experience, with strong preference for experience working in housing services and/or with: people affected by houselessness and housing insecurity, women-identifying people who’ve experienced intimate partner violence, people who experience health challenges including chronic disease, substance use, and mental illness. Experience working in Vancouver’s DTES is an asset.
Strong organizational skills, with experience coordinating services and/or care as an asset. Demonstrated ability to create a system to manage own schedule, and coordinate service delivery to a caseload of 12-20 members at a time.
Training in de-escalation or non-violent crisis intervention, mental health first aid, and/or a certificate or diploma in a related field (ex: Community Services Worker, Counselling) an asset.
Demonstrated understanding, commitment, and ability to be culturally safe and culturally appropriate with KL members. Experience and knowledge of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous culture would be extremely beneficial. Completion of a cultural competency course or willingness to participate required.
Intermediate computer skills to operate a computerized OSCAR Electronic Medical Records system, communicate via email, manage a budget, and submit spending reports.
Knowledge and experience in trauma-informed and strength-based practice, harm reduction, and recovery-oriented care preferred.
Ability to establish and maintain rapport with members.
Ability to deal effectively with conflict, manage aggressive behaviour, and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioural management techniques.
Ability to work independently and as part of an integrated team.
Ability to: establish/maintain satisfactory work relationships with the public and other employees; deal tactfully and effectively with co-workers, public, and staff from other agencies; maintain confidentiality; and communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Valid BC Driver’s License strongly preferred.

Working Conditions:

Requires physical ability to carry out the duties of the position (walking up to 5km/day, physically moving belongings, cleaning, preparation for pest control).
Homebase will be 606 Powell Street in the Relational Care space; other work will take place offsite, including at partner sites, hotels, SROs, and private apartments following the safety guidelines demonstrated by the Social Navigation team.
This position will likely spend approximately ⅔ of their time offsite doing service delivery.

Supervision Provided:

This position will receive support from members of the Allied Health team, including Social Navigators and Counsellors, as well as the Primary Care Co-Leads, Administrative Co-Leads, and Executive Director.

Additional Information:

Anticipated start date September 2022; contract is for 19 months with the possibility of extension pending continued funding.
Hourly salary between $29.07-$32.52.
Hours of work will be agreed upon to meet requirements of 0.8 FTE (32 hours/week).
Includes robust extended health and dental benefits package.
Kilala Lelum Health Centre is committed to equity and diversity, and we encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or membership or self-identification as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

To Apply:

Please send your resume and cover letter to fleurie.hunter@uihhc.ca. Your cover letter should outline your interest in the role, how your background and experience meet the requirements and make you a good fit for the role. Applications will be assessed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis until the position is filled.