Housing Mentor - Independent Living with Supports

About The Link: Youth and Family Supports

For more than 90 years, The Link has helped youth and families on a journey to healing, hope, and better lives. The organization is dedicated to walking alongside children, youth, and families as an inclusive community, strengthening and empowering a sense of being, pride, and purpose. With over 15 diverse programs, The Link has a community of caring staff that work together to provide support through a 24-hour crisis line, youth resource centers, emergency shelters, mobile crisis teams, specialized foster care, healing homes, job readiness supports, and Skills4Life. With a strong foundation within the community and a focus on connection, unity, and compassion, the organization provides a vital link for youth and families in the province of Manitoba.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Independent Living with Supports Program (ILS) is designed to address the needs of youth in care who are fast approaching adulthood. The youth are established in their own apartments with programming designed to support their specific goals (as determined by the youth) and supported by the staff.

The Housing Mentor assists the Case Manager with the daily operations and support needs of all the youth on the caseload. The Housing Mentor ensures all responsibilities to the youth and young adults are carried out within a youth-centered, strength-based framework that promotes the cultivation and mobilization of youth strengths, potential and capacity for growth.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Duties and responsibilities of the Housing Mentor include but are not limited to:

• Builds positive relationships and rapport with participants, helping to identify personal strengths to promote a sense of belonging, independence, generosity and mastery
• Empowering participants to gain independent living skills such as;
  • Develop and maintain a budget
  • Access community resources
  • Obtain and maintain housing
  • Participate in education or employment
  • Attend appointments
  • Cooking, cleaning, shopping
• Provides creative and hands-on learning experiences that reflect goals and objectives outlined in the individual care plan;
• Active involvement with youth in applicable cultural programming, in the community, and with their families with a view towards their growth and development and reaching the goals of their placement, as identified in their care plan;
• Assist participants to search for, view, and apply for apartments
• Assist participants with understanding their tenancy rights and responsibilities
• Supports participants with maintaining living areas based on reasonable expectations of participants, and program standards
• Develops relationship with landlords
• Mediate issues between participant and landlords including follow up after complaints and evictions
• Work as part of the team to ensure consistency in supporting the participant in achieving their goals
• Ability to organize time to complete tasks and administration duties in a timely and professional manner
• Ensuring that all receipts for items purchased on program funds are collected and forwarded to the Case Manager
• Completes clear, concise, and accurate documentation including incident reports and contact notes
• Other duties, as required

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with one-on-one mentorship with at-risk youth and demonstrate an understanding of the realities of living independently;
• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Child and Youth Care or;
  
• A combination of education and experience may be considered;
• Willingness to obtain necessary training as per the organization's training policy including Crisis De-escalation, Applied Suicide Intervention, Colonization Awareness, and Child Development;
  
• Ability to navigate crisis and support others through stressful situations;
• Knowledge of strength-based philosophy and knowledge of aboriginal culture and language (preferred);
• Knowledge and experience with diverse cultures and economic backgrounds;
• Knowledge of community resources;
• Emergency First Aid and CPR Level C, or willingness to obtain;
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Search, a clear Child Abuse Registry check with acceptable Prior Contact checks, and a clear Adult Abuse Registry check, all done within the last 3 months;
• Valid drivers license and acceptable drivers abstract (subject to approval).
• Access to a personal vehicle for work is required.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities upon request. If you are contacted by The Link regarding a job opportunity, please know that you are welcome to request an accommodation at any point in the process. All information received regarding accommodations will be kept confidential.

SALARY: $20.05 to $23.86 per hour based upon qualifications

HOURS OF WORK: Full-Time 37.5 hours per week including days , evenings and weekends.

NUMBER OF POSITIONS: One (1) Full time Permanent position

HOW TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and resume (in word or PDF). Applicants must demonstrate in their resume and cover letter how they meet the requirements of the position.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Ongoing until filled.

The Link is an equal opportunity employer, Indigenous people, women, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The Link is committed to developing and retaining a diverse workforce. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. For further information about our other employment and volunteer opportunities please visit https://thelinkmb.easyapply.co/