Classification: Union Status: Temporary Part Time until March 7, 2027 with possibility of extension
Shift: Every other weekend - Fridays 11:30 p.m. to Saturday 7:30 a.m. and Saturday's 7:30 pm to Sunday 7:30 a.m.
Location: Burlington (may be required to work from Milton Shelter as needed)
Department: Programs & Services
Reports to: Manager, Safe Shelter Services
Anticipated Start Date: As soon as possible
Application Deadline: Open until filled
Agency Overview:
Halton Women’s Place is the only Safe Shelter program in the Halton Region. We provide a safe haven, information, education, and counselling, to support women and children to live a life free from violence. We operate two emergency safe shelters, as well as community outreach and public education program. Our safe shelter facilities operate on a 24/7 basis.
Position Summary
Part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors provide immediate crisis counselling, emotional and practical support and information to empower women at risk of harm from, or escaping, domestic violence. This position provides overnight and weekend staffing and maintain smooth flow of shelter operations and client service. In addition, the Crisis Intervention Counsellors demonstrate our agency values of hope, choice, collaboration, and excellence in everything they do..
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Client Services
- Provide a welcoming and caring first point-of-contact to in-shelter clients and to clients calling Halton Women’s Place’s crisis, information, and support telephone line and webchat service;
- Provide crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, and practical assistance to women in shelter and over the crisis and support telephone line and webchat;
- Conduct client intake interviews to determine eligibility for admission to a safe shelter site, conduct ongoing danger, risk, and needs assessments and provide referrals to other community services as new needs are identified;
- Assess safety concerns on a regular and ongoing basis, develop and update individualized safety plans in collaboration with the client;
- Stay apprised of changing statistics and trends with regards to risk factors uniquely facing survivors of sex trafficking;
- Support clients to complete and submit application packages for subsidized and market rent housing, social assistance, government benefits, the Victim Quick Response Program Plus (VQRP+), and other programs as indicated by the client’s identified needs;
- Work at all times from a feminist, trauma-informed, and anti – oppressive framework, demonstrating a belief at all times that a woman’s story is her truth and that an essential part of supporting her is believing her;
- Operate from a non-judgmental, client-centered, harm reduction approach; incorporate harm reduction principles into client safety plan and offer support and intervention based on the client’s goals for herself;
- Utilize interpretation and translation services as needed to ensure client-centered, accessible provision of service
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date client records, contemporaneously documenting all client contacts (including group programming) in our Client Information System while adhering to agency protocols related to client privacy and confidentiality.
- Ensure the protection and security of clients’ personal and sensitive information by following all agency protocols related to the maintenance, storage, and transportation of client files, and immediately report any breaches in protocol that may have compromised the client’s privacy and confidentiality;
- Complete and keep updated all required safe shelter documents including shift checklists, client welcome handbooks, forms, and documents needed to collect research and/or program evaluation data on behalf of the agency, and any other form or document that is managed and updated by Part-Time Crisis Intervention Counsellors;
- Assist with meal preparation and service, supporting nutritional needs as needed, especially in the absence of the site’s Food & Nutrition Worker;
Shelter Operations, Safety, and Security
- Maintain the safety and security of the safe shelter site at all times by maintaining minimum staffing and following all agency protocols including protocols related to door security/building entry, building security system, unknown vehicles on property, house checks, and emergency evacuations;
- Help maintain general tidiness in all staff and common areas of the shelter, including the CIC office, staff break room, children’s playroom, youth and women’s wellness lounges, group programming spaces, living room, kitchen, dining room, and common bathrooms, especially in the absence of the site’s House Maintenance Worker;
- Conduct ad hoc client room checks if safety hazards or maintenance/repair needs are reported and provide early intervention to prevent hoarding, insect/pest infestation, or unsanitary conditions for women and their children;
- Update site’s physical and electronic “bulletin board” / client notice boards with relevant notices, internal and external programming, community events, statements of affirmation, and other information that may be of use to in-shelter clients;
- Assist with the tidying and cleaning of client rooms after departure if the space is immediately needed for a new client or family, especially in the absence of the site’s House Maintenance Worker;
- Identify and communicate facility maintenance needs to the Facilities & Operations Coordinator in coordination with the Safe Shelter Manager/On Call Supervisor; greet, guide, and support 3rd party contractors who come on-site, especially in the absence of the Facilities & Operations Coordinator and/or the House Maintenance Worker;
- Warmly greet and thank donors who attend onsite to provide monetary or in-kind donations; follow procedures related to building entry and receiving, documenting, and sorting donations received, especially in the absence of Development staff and/or site receptionist.
Reporting and Escalation of Safety Concerns
- Quickly identify and respond to situations of increased risk while adhering to all agency protocols and procedures;
- Notify Manager, Safe Shelter Services (or On Call Supervisor if after hours) of safety concerns or situations of increased risk and provide timely updates as the safety or risk situation changes;
- Contact Emergency Services as required to attend immediately to urgent or crisis situations;
- Make child protection reports to the Children’s Aid Society, in consultation with the Safe Shelter Manager or On Call Supervisor
- Complete documentation (case notes, Incident Reports) as directed by Shelter Manager or On Call Supervisor
Mentorship, Coaching and Training
- Assist in the training of staff, students, and volunteers by actively participating in the onboarding and on-shift training process.
- Part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors are encouraged to attend internal training and professional development opportunities that align with their professional goals as identified in their annual performance evaluation
Agency and Community Engagement
- Attend staff meetings as required for this position, namely Part-Time & Relief Staff Meetings which occur outside the part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellor’s regular work schedule;
- Represent Halton Women’s Place in a positive and professional manner at all times, and especially when attending community events;
- Attend Halton Women’s Place community engagement and fundraising events in adherence with shelter scheduling and coverage protocols
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors staff our shelter on a rotation of 8-hour and 12-hour shifts and meet immediate client needs, including clients contacting the crisis, information, and support line. The ability to stay focused and multitask amid numerous distractions in a busy shelter environment is essential to the success of this role. Our part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors experience significant and chronic exposure to traumatic narratives and events as well as trauma-rooted behaviour in clients and their children. Personal resiliency and well-developed self-care strategies in combination with using employer-provided mental health supports is essential to being successful in this role.
Part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors work onsite at their designated shelter location. At times, part-time Crisis Intervention Counsellors may be relocated to work at the other safe shelter site to maintain minimum staffing requirements.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Bachelor of Social Work or Social Service Worker Diploma or equivalent academic credential is required.
- A comprehensive combination of education in a related field, combined with significant relatable experience, may be considered.
Experience and Knowledge
- Professional and respectful communication and conflict resolution skills with clients and colleagues;
- A consistently caring, patient, empathetic approach towards women, children, and colleagues that translates both in person and over telephone and email communication;
- Demonstrated track record of effective advocacy and collaboration with community partners;
- A solid understanding of trauma-informed care principles and how to implement them;
- An understanding of the systemic oppression uniquely experienced by Black, Indigenous, and otherwise racialized women, immigrant and refugee women, and 2SLBTQ+ women, and consistently practice from a self-reflective, anti-oppressive framework;
- Ability to communicate in a language other than English is an asset;
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:
- Clear Police Record Check, including Vulnerable Sector, is required to secure and maintain employment.
- A clear reading on a Step one and/or two TB test is required to secure and maintain employment.
As part of the recruitment and selection function, HWP will collect voluntary self-identification data from applicants in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, HWP Hiring Practices Administrative Procedure, HWP’s Employment Equity Policy and Ontario’s Anti Racism Data Standards:
Personal information is collected under the authority of the Anti-Racism Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 15, in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56. In accordance with HWP’s Employment Equity Policy, personal information collected on this form will aim to achieve an inclusive, diverse and representative workforce. It works to intentionally identify and remove barriers for equity-deserving communities at each stage of the hiring process. Encouraging diversity of the workforce is vital because the workforce should be reflective and representative of the community.
Although hiring policies must adhere to the qualification requirements set out in applicable Regulations and any applicable collective agreement provisions, HWP recognizes the importance of the following when developing its selection and evaluation criteria:
valuing applicants’ additional experience, lived experience, skills, backgrounds and perspectives; and granting first consideration, where the skills, ability, and qualifications of the applicants are relatively equal, to applicants who self-identify as members of historically under-represented communities.
We encourage you to respond to our voluntary applicant self-identification questions. This data will inform our understanding of the diversity of our applicant pool as well as the progress of applicants throughout the hiring process. This data will inform our goals, strategies and actions and our progress towards creating and sustaining an inclusive and equitable workforce.
The section includes questions from Ontario’s Anti-Racism Data Standards (Standards, 2017). The Standards were established to help identify and monitor systemic racism and racial disparities within the public sector. The Standards establish consistent, effective practices for producing reliable information to support evidence-based decision-making and public accountability to help eliminate systemic racism and promote racial equity (adapted from Ontario’s Anti-Racism Data Standards, 2017).
Accommodation: Upon request, we will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates who have temporary or permanent disability, or who otherwise require accommodations based on the protected grounds highlighted in the Ontario Human Rights Code in respect to the recruitment and selection process.
Wellness: The HWP is committed to providing a respectful and healthy work environment.
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment
Halton Womens Place does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to screen, assess, or select applicants at any stage of this recruitment process. All applications submitted for this position are reviewed and evaluated by human members of our recruitment/hiring team.
This disclosure is provided in accordance with Ontario's Employment Standards Act, 2000, as amended by the Working for Workers Four Act, 2024.
