Community Resiliency Worker

This position is part of an innovative model of practice linking settlement to social inclusion. A team has been created to implement this model working with primarily Syrian refugee families and other families from nearby regions with complex post and pre-migration realities. As part of a team, this position will provide holistic support to these families in the following areas:

Responsive Family Support: The Broker will pro-actively build relationships with family members, explore their needs and strengths, and in response, offer support to access services in a number of areas like family wellness, mental health, health, language, finances, employment, education, housing and community programs.

Group Facilitation: The broker will also facilitate mutual support between families in the community, guided by their needs, strengths and aspirations. We hope the work of this team provides all members of refugee families with a settlement process that meets their holistic needs and, in the long-term, enables them to live in Canada with maximum opportunities for a healthy, independent, and prosperous life.

This position reports to the Syrian Family Support Office Program Manager.

As part of the team, the position is primarily situated out of the family support office which is a ‘community hub’. It is a place where families are served by the team to learn together, have joyful gatherings (family and community activities).

What’s the Best Part of this Job?

The best part of this job is being part of a team to co-create a model to support refugee families with complex challenges and focus on their strengths in a human centered way. This work requires the person in this position to be relationship oriented and able to respond in a solution focused way.

What can you expect to do as a Family Support Worker?

• Connect and build trust with community members who have been referred to FSO

• Support the families in identifying and addressing their strength and challenges as newcomers

• Work alongside families to create relevant “pathways” to achieve their full potential

• Assist the families in nurturing strong couple relationships as well as parent child relationships within a bi-cultural and intercultural context.

• Offer specialized navigation and trauma-informed and responsive support services to families involved with complex systems (i.e. health, children’s services, legal needs)

• Advocate for the client with different stakeholders (government, community services, etc.) and in different forums

• Bridge cultural distance and differences along with language gaps between families and other service providers

• Support families to develop and design their own strategies to meet their needs that build upon their strengths

• Attend meetings and training sessions for staff development.

• Report, document, and maintain client records/files as needed and assessing team members’ accuracy of record keeping and supporting their development in this area

• Regular planning, debriefing and follow up with Program Manager and Case Mentor.

Knowledge:

• Direct experience working with refugee families with complex needs and strengths

• Training in or extensive knowledge of holistic family support and casework tied to refugee families with complex pre and post-migration reality

• Deep insight into the lived experience of vulnerable refugee families from Syria or nearby regions

• Degree/diploma in the social sciences, social work or other human services field is an asset or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Knowledge of diverse resources available to families both within the community as well as formal systems like health care, social services or children’s services

• Knowledge of how to facilitate group work in a community development approach, building upon their strengths and taking group members’ direction in programming

• Having training in First-Aid, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or pre-natal support would be an asset but is not required

Skills and Experience:

• Ability to build relationships with families from diverse areas and backgrounds, and use this as a starting point to identify their needs and strengths

• Ability to mentor others and team members in developing their skills and assets

• Refer families appropriately to services and/or supports

• Able to use Microsoft Office and learn new computer programs for tracking work activities

• Strong interpersonal skills and a great team player.

• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills

• Good oral and written English and Arabic skills. A working proficiency of Kurdish will be considered an asset.

Personal Qualities:

• Openness and commitment to shifting one’s practice from “Broker or worker-led” to “family-driven” whereby support to the family is guided by the unique strengths and needs of the families

• Commitment to finding ways to working with others, both within the Family Support Office team and with other colleagues in the community services sector and formal services sectors (i.e. health, education, children’s services)

• A desire to seek to understand others’ perspectives and respond in an appropriate and respectful manner

• Capacity to be aware of and manage one’sown reactions (including emotional triggers) to complex situations of families.

• Thrives with changing and dynamic job duties that change from day to day and in settings outside of the office environment

• Passionate about supporting families new to the Canadian context, with self-directed and creative initiative to helping these families meet their full potential

Other:

• Have a valid driver’s license and a car for work.

• Have the ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends

• Requires a police security check and child welfare check.

Contract length: 12 months

Part-time hours: 30 per week

Application deadline: 2021-05-14

Expected start date: 2021-06-01

Job Types: Part-time, Contract

Salary: $26.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Extended health care
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends

COVID-19 considerations:
This position will work at home primarily during COVID-19.

Work remotely:

• Temporarily due to COVID-19