Purpose of the Position

This position is a key member of the Street Outreach Program – a safe ride partnership between the Yellowknife Women’s Society and the City of Yellowknife.  The Yellowknife Women’s Society is a non-profit organization mandated to support the social, cultural and economic autonomy of northern women and their families.

Street Outreach Workers provide comprehensive services to persons experiencing homelessness.  Services include crisis intervention, provision of basic needs, access to emergency shelter, transportation, client advocacy, service linkage, and much more. This work requires varying shifts in the afternoons, evenings, and weekends.

The Street Outreach Worker is responsible for outreach efforts including, but not limited to:

• reaching out to, engaging, and building trust with individuals who are homeless to accept care for their health and safety
• performing well-being checks of individuals who are homeless with a focus on their health and safety needs
• building rapport and maintaining trust with individuals by offering snacks, beverages, basic first aid/wound management, or a ride to a shelter
• providing outreach to people sleeping outside (or sleeping “rough”) or those identified as frequent users of police time and emergency services and assist them with getting connected with services
• understanding that engagement is non-threatening, flexible, and persistent
• making referrals to collateral agencies for a variety of services
• educating the members of the public on the issues of homelessness while targeting identified areas of Yellowknife and individuals living with mental and chemical health concerns who are frequent users of police time
• providing program materials to community partners around shelter services (outreach to motels, churches, downtown merchants, etc
• providing street outreach in targeted areas to respond to public issues of homelessness as it relates to inappropriate conduct or conduct that may make others within the community feel uncomfortable
• liaising with staff in the sheltering programs and other service providers to help men, women, and youth who are homeless or at risk in Yellowknife
• building and maintaining strong relationships with members of the RCMP, emergency staff at Stanton Hospital, workers in all sheltering agencies in Yellowknife, the City of Yellowknife (specifically the paramedics and Municipal Enforcement Officers, as well as the staff in the Library)
• providing mobile case management from a harm-reduction, strengths-based and trauma-informed model
• completing case notes, data collection, and monthly reporting for assigned clients

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education or related experience in human/social services with a focus on homelessness, corrections, mental health, substance misuse, psychology, etc
• Effective assessment, observation, and recording skills
• Ability to maintain information confidentiality
• Experience and skill in working and communicating with Indigenous cultures, and a commitment to working with a diversity of age, race, gender, class, religion and sexual identity
• Knowledge of underlying causes of homelessness including substance misuse and addictions, mental health and trauma, poverty and other social issues
• Ability to respond appropriately, decisively, and effectively in crisis situations and in stressful environments
• Effective interpersonal communication and interactive skills together with a non-judgmental attitude with individuals experiencing chronic (or acute) mental health issues, intoxication and other behavioural issues
• Ability to work within a teamwork structure and with minimal supervision
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Competence in Microsoft Word and Internet is required (knowledge of Excel is a plus)
• Criminal Record Check for the vulnerable sector (to be provided)
• Valid Driver’s License (driver’s abstract to be provided)
• First Aid training (up-to-date)
• Immunizations (up-to-date)
• Conflict Resolution, Mental Health First Aid, Verbal Judo, suicide intervention

Physical Requirements

• Primarily working outside of the office on the streets and/or in a vehicle, work schedules cover a variety of shifts between 12:00 pm and 12:00 am daily.  Incumbent must be able to:
  • write, type, read a computer screen and printed documents and use a cell phone
  • communicate well with co-workers and engage clients in the street, in the hospital, in various shelters and other outreach locations
  • walk and to be and to be mobile on streets and back lanes 2-3 hours per day and to work outdoors daily including weekend and evening hours
  • lift 50 pounds occasionally and up to 20 pounds often and assist with vehicle maintenance, ensuring it is washed weekly and maintained daily to ensure it is sanitary for clients and staff.