The Agency

The Calgary John Howard Society (CJHS) is a charity that reduces crime and makes Calgary communities safer by helping youth and adults make positive changes and move away from criminal behaviour. We do this by addressing the root causes of crime through housing, education, employment programs and support so that individuals have alternatives to breaking the law. CJHS is committed to restorative justice and an organizational environment that recognizes the dignity and worth of each person. CJHS values diversity and inclusion and welcomes qualified applicants from all walks of life.

The Program

The Housing Support Caseworker will work with either the Roofs for Youth (R4Y) program or the Adult Housing Reintegration Program (AHRP). Both of these programs are Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) funded programs that operates within the Calgary Homeless Serving System of Care (CHSSC) to provide support for homeless youth and adults or youth and adults at risk of homelessness; helping them successfully develop their living skills and meet their self-defined goals for independence. Participants are either justice system involved or at risk of justice system involvement, lack stable housing, and have identified the need for intensive case-management support. The Housing program operates within the CJHS Natural Supports, Harm Reduction, Trauma-Informed, Diversity, and Restorative practice framework. Participants receive a continuum of services including discharge planning, housing assistance, justice system navigation, job placement and skills training, educational opportunities, connections to natural supports, basic needs, life skills, and intensive case management.

The Position

The Housing Support Caseworker will work in an integrated and collaborative way within the AHRP and R4Y Teams, wider CJHS Team and the community to ensure clients on their caseload obtain housing, remain housed and successfully reintegrate into the community. The successful candidate will demonstrate a meaningful understanding of Natural Supports, Trauma-Informed, Housing First and Harm Reduction Practices.

The primary focus and areas of responsibility include:

• Supporting individuals maintain independence by creating opportunities to support individualized goal setting in the following areas: housing stability, recreation and daily living skills, connection to educational and employment opportunities, safer substance use, and navigating the various systems
• Develop plans that support an increased knowledge of independent living skills through teachable moments and skill building.
• Work collaboratively with the Housing teams.
• Navigating routine and crisis situations with a restorative and trauma-informed care approach.
• Creating opportunities for participants to engage in programming, including but not limited to recreational, educational, and community involvement.
• Completing all documentation including referrals, assessments, crisis plans/risk assessments, case notes, and letters of support.

• Network with potential landlords;
• Locate appropriate housing for client placements
• Maintaining the clients in the most appropriate housing;
• Maintain strong, positive working relationships with landlords and other housing providers;
• Coordinate housing unit repair work that needs to be carried out;
• Coordinate move in logistics (furniture, delivery of move in essentials etc.);

• Act as a liaison between landlords and clients
• Attend to team responsibilities in terms of participation, communication, and demonstrating a positive attitude.

This role works in a hybrid fashion that combines onsite and mobile work to meet the needs of the program and support the staff and program participants at various locations throughout Calgary. As such, this position requires a valid license and vehicle.

The scope of employment may include:

• Sitting at a desk for multiple consecutive hours.
• Transporting clients to housing related appointments and performing other duties in your personal vehicle - with compensation for mileage.
• Arranging and/or assisting with moves and apartment maintenance which may require lifting up to 50lbs.(23kg)

• Handling challenging and traumatic situations, including those affected by client loss, by applying crisis intervention techniques to de-escalate potentially violent or high-risk scenarios

• Situations where you need to manage potential exposure to biohazardous materials.

Experience and Education:

The successful Housing Support Caseworker will have a post-secondary education in a relevant discipline (i.e., human services, social work, etc.) and will have experience working with the target population, preferably with 2 years of experience in Housing First Case Management. Knowledge and experience of corrections is an asset. Knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) is an asset.

Brain Story Certification considered an asset.

Your past does not define your future. A criminal record will not disqualify you from employment with us; we evaluate each application individually.

The Calgary John Howard Society thanks all applicants; however, only those considered for an interview will be contacted.