FT OVN Shelter Care Support Team Member

Shelter Care & Support Team

Organization: Christian Faith Outreach Centre - Doors of Compassion (CFOC-DOC)

Location: Durham Region, Ontario - onsite

Employment Type: Full-time Overnight, Permanent

Reports To: Team Lead, Shelter Care & Support Team

Salary: $42,640 - $49,920

About CFOC-Doors of Compassion

CFOC-Doors of Compassion is a low-barrier, trauma-informed Christian-based organization supporting people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity. We are an equitable employer, hiring individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and walks of life. CFOC-DOC operates emergency shelters, housing programs, and peer and community support programs. Our work is grounded in compassion, equity, and person-centred care.

CFOC-DOC values are Integrity, Compassion, Agility, Relationships, and Equity. These are not just statements but a way of being. Our Vision is: Transforming Lives, Impacting Communities.

Purpose of the position: To provide care and support to Durham Region’s unsheltered, precariously sheltered and homeless individuals seeking shelter support. CFOC-DOC – Shelter Care Support Team Members administer and implement access to CFOC-DOC shelter programs. We operate three shelter spaces, providing a 92-bed, co-ed, housing-focused emergency shelter to assist patrons experiencing homelessness and/or housing insecurity.

What You'll Do

Daily shelter operations

• Available to work rotating shifts (between 0700 - 2300) for 37.5 hours per week, available for occasional casual shifts to ensure shift coverage

• Ensure all daily data entry is completed by the end of the shift, including HIFIS, medical logs, comm logs, task sheets, incident reports, and any other administrative duties as assigned by the supervisor or team lead.

• Assist patrons with personal hygiene, including changing linens as required, general maintenance of the shelter (may include mopping up messes, cleaning and sanitizing washrooms, unclogging toilets) and encouraging patrons to stay in their

• Participate in daily team shift change debriefing sessions to address challenges and ensure team is working in a unified, patron focused lens.

• Upholding CFOC-DOC’s Code of Conduct using a patron focused, harm reduction and compassionate approach.

• Track inventory and submit monthly supply requests

• Maintain files and other confidential information in accordance with PIPEDA guidelines.

• Work within the policies, procedures and regulations as required by CFOC-DOC and under the Ontario Health & Safety Act and IPAC.

• Ensure all safety guidelines are in compliance with health standards and followed at all times by staff and attendees, proper sterilization and hygiene practices, social distancing and masking where required

• Attend all mandatory team meetings of CFOC-DOC as required

Patron Centred Care

• Ensure all intakes are provided in a non-judgmental, harm-reduction approach to determine immediate and ongoing patron needs, collect and provide information, make appropriate referrals, and resolve conflict situations.

• Support conflict resolution by using non-judgemental, attentive listening skills and non-violent crisis prevention and intervention strategies.

• Oversee the supervision of patron safety and compliance to the Code of Conduct as established by CFOC-DOC.

• Assist patrons with life skills development; housing and employment searches etc.

• Respond to patron inquiries when other resources not available and assign as appropriate to community support workers where needed (HUB, PCOP, MHOP, counselling, housing support, harm reduction etc).

• Provide crisis resolution and de-escalation strategies to support individuals in challenging situations and ensure proper enforcement of Code(s) of Conduct.

• Contact emergency services to support patrons experiencing a medical or mental health crisis (911 emergency, non-emergency, DMHS Crisis)

• Report and record actual or potential patron safety risks or incidents; participate in critical incident reviews as appropriate

Documentation and Data Integrity

• Ensure all data entry is completed by the end of the shift, including HIFIS, program spreadsheets and any additional documentation.

• Complete accurate incident reports

• Effectively communicating with all CFOC-DOC teams and reporting necessary details to programs *appropriately reporting distancing outcomes

What You Bring

Required

• Completion of post-secondary education in a health-related field, such as Social Work/Social Service, Psychology, Nursing, Mental Health, and Addiction, and/or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum of 6 months of experience providing support services for patrons facing complex challenges, including mental illness and substance misuse.

• Above average aptitude to provide essential, patron-centred support and direct assistance focusing on safety, program support and basic needs such as nutrition and hygiene.

• Knowledge, understanding, and experience with trauma-informed care, harm-reduction intervention approaches, and non-violent crisis prevention and intervention strategies.

• Possess excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills to interact effectively with patrons, team members, and community partners.

• Exercises judgment and discretion with confidential patron and organizational information.

• Highly motivated self-starter who takes initiative, is results-oriented and able to prioritize and work well independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.

• Demonstrate basic computer proficiency for documentation in client databases and managing administrative tasks.

• Current CPR/First Aid, Non-Violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention, Food handling certification, Vulnerable Sector Police Check

• Excellent interpersonal and non-judgemental communication skills.

Asset

• Experience in hospitality or front desk reception

• Experience with tracking metrics for program evaluation and writing reports to summarize findings.

• Experience working in a shelter, group home, or community meal program

• Lived experience of homelessness or housing instability

• Familiar with Durham Region’s homelessness prevention initiatives, Coordinated Access System, HIFIS and the By-Name List or other equivalent data collection experience.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Christian Faith Outreach Centre (CFOC) is committed to diversity, equity, anti-oppression and inclusion within its community and organization, and strongly welcomes and encourages applications from people of diverse communities. In accordance with the AODA Act, accommodation will be provided throughout the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities.