CharityVillage

Job title: Housing Access Coordinator

NOC 42201 – Social and community service workers

Reporting relationship: This position reports to the Executive Director 

Hours of work: full-time (5 days/week) generally 9am-5pm and one hour for lunch with some flexibility. Occasional evenings and weekends. 

Contract duration: fixed-term contract October 7 to December 31, 2024, with the possibility of extension 

Job purpose:

Romero House is a community of welcome for newly arrived refugee claimants in Toronto. We are a charitable organisation offering transitional housing and immigration and settlement support in the spirit of good neighbours, valuing dignity, mutuality, and care. We are a diverse community where all are welcome. Romero House is unique in that we are not only a housing and settlement service provider but an intentional community (some of our staff and volunteers live in our housing) very connected to our neighbourhood and each other.  

The Housing Access Coordinator will support refugee claimants in finding permanent housing. This role will be part of an innovative project to provide community-based systems of support for refugees, outside the traditional city shelter system. 

General responsibilities:

• contributes to organisational goals and objectives;

• ensures that areas of responsibility are carried out in compliance with Romero House’s mission, strategic priorities, policies, standards and systems;

• works in close collaboration with members of the staff team, workers, volunteers, including assistance in various settlement processes for residents and walk-ins;

• works in a collaborative fashion and as a member of a variety of cross-functional organisations to achieve organisational goals.

• Responds to arising needs of the organisation and beyond the main responsibilities as identified by the Executive Director

Duties and responsibilities:

• Assist claimants to sort out housing options and develop plans of action while providing necessary support and assistance e.g. assist claimants in creating a budget, identifying housing search criteria, and create a housing search plan

• Refer claimants to other social services or assist claimants in locating and utilising community resources

• Meet with claimants to assess their progress, give support and discuss any difficulties or problems

• Maintain contact with other supporters (including housing providers and settlement workers) involved with claimants to provide information and obtain feedback on claimants’ overall progress

• Maintain relationships with landlords, property managers, realtors and housing agencies 

• Negotiate leases and rental agreements on behalf of refugee claimants, advocating on their behalf 

• Guide claimants in the process of moving out of Romero House

• Support claimants with housing-related paperwork

• Create and maintain accurate records and files for each claimant

• Support claimants with applications for social housing benefits 

• Maintain program statistics 

• Coordinate volunteers to help with apartments searches, viewings, language interpretation, and other tasks 

• Assess and investigate eligibility for social benefits, such as Ontario Works’ Housing Stabilization Fund and the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit. 

• Schedule workshops for claimants on housing searches and housing rights and promote the workshops to interested claimants, as needed 

• Such other responsibilities as may be assigned

Qualifications (Required)

• Proficiency in English 

• Proficiency with computers

• Experience in a social service environment as an employee, placement student, or volunteer OR experience in relevant educational programs such as social work, social service work, immigration and settlement studies, or psychology

• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities independently and as part of a team

Assets (Helpful but not required)

• Proficiency in other languages, especially Spanish

• Experience working in diverse communities 

• Self awareness with respect to power, privilege, and prejudice and tools to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion

• Experience helping people look for housing

• Experience living at Romero House

• Proficiency with Google Workspace, including Google Sheets

• Experience with digital translation tools such as Google Translate 

• Experience with Salesforce or similar client records management software

• Valid Ontario driver’s licence, minimum level G2

Working conditions

• Working indoors

• Working with vulnerable populations including recent migrants, low-income, trauma survivors, non-English speaking

• Communicating with claimants using digital translation tools, volunteer and professional interpreters  

• Hybrid work (combination of office work, offsite work, and work-from-home (if desired)). Office location: 1558 Bloor Street West, Toronto

• Frequent use of email and instant messaging

• Frequent face-to-face meetings and phone calls

• Frequent individual work and regular team work

• Meeting 2-3 times/week as a team for prayer (rooted in a Christian tradition with an openness to a wider spirituality)

• Compliance with COVID policies, as they evolve

• Some travel may be required 

Compensation

• $45,000-$47,000 gross per year, prorated

• Reimbursement for cell phone plan up to $50/month

• Health benefits

• 3 weeks of paid vacation annually, prorated (including paid time off between December 25 and January 1) 

• 10 days paid sick leave annually, prorated

• Professional development opportunities

Equity:

We provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees and do not discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences (pardoned), marital status, family status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by local law.

We particularly encourage applications from minoritized groups, including people with experiences of migration, people of colour, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2+ community, and those with varied areas of expertise and lived experiences.

Accessibility: 

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.