Outreach Worker

St. Catharines Mainstream

Outreach Worker

Wage: $25.59-$29.03 per hour

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week

Job Summary:

The Outreach Worker will establish presence and build rapport with clients who are chronically homeless or experiencing unsheltered homelessness (street or in an encampment) in the Niagara Region. Working in partnership with the Niagara Assertive Outreach Team, they will provide outreach case management which increases the effectiveness of a street-based response to facilitate engagement with individuals when and where they are most likely engaged; truly meeting the client where they are at.

Requirements:

• Community College Diploma or a University Degree in social services (Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Social Service Worker Diploma, Police Foundations, Mental Health and Addiction Worker Diploma)
• College Diploma in a related field with 10 years’ experience working in social services related to homelessness programs
• One-year experience working with people experiencing homelessness
• One-year experience in the community mental health field and/or addictions
• One-year experience working with dual diagnosis
• A valid G drivers’ license with a reliable vehicle and permission to carry rider attached with 2-million-dollar liability
• Valid CPR Certificate/First Aid and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training
• Availability to work some evening shifts
• Knowledge of homelessness service system and outreach community resources
• Good organizational, problem solving, time management and prioritizing skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent interpersonal skills with good oral and written skills
• A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and people management skills
• Computer literacy, including effective working skills of HIFIS, MS Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, and Outlook Calendar
• Understand and work within a person-centered approach, maintaining political and cultural sensitivity
• Strong morals and ethics, along with a commitment to staff and client privacy
• Demonstrated ability to function within and contribute to a fast-paced team environment
• Demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional education
• Ability to monitor financial accountabilities
• Physically able to perform all assigned tasks
• Ability to work under minimal supervision

Police Clearance and Vulnerable Sector Check Requirements:

• To ensure the safety of the individuals we serve, all successful candidates for this position will be required to provide a Police Clearance and Vulnerable Sector Check from their local police service. A clear Vulnerable Sector Check is a condition of employment. Any prior convictions or offenses (outside the scope of the Vulnerable Sector Check) will be assessed in accordance with applicable privacy and human rights legislation. A criminal record may be considered in the hiring decision, in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code. Applicants will have the opportunity to discuss any relevant information once the check is requested.

Responsibilities:

• Street-based assertive outreach services, engaging people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in locations they frequent
• Creative; meaningful engagement with people experiencing primary homelessness
• Assessment (including risk, needs, goals, and strengths)
• Case planning, implementation, evaluation, and review (to include relapse prevention, crisis resolution/contingency planning)
• Referrals to appropriate accommodation resources and housing providers
• Facilitating access to physical and mental health support services
• Consideration for cultural and spiritual well-being
• Collaboration with substance-use harm reduction services and healthcare providers
• Collaboration with criminal justice system
• Collaboration towards social inclusion
• Person centered advocacy
• Reconnecting people with family, friends, and social support
• Ensuring the client is informed of the Housing First principles
• Work in collaboration with the Niagara Assertive Outreach Team
• Provide coordinated case management to clients
• Attend and participate in all team/staff meetings or training as required

This position description reflects the general duties of the position, but it is not intended to be a detailed description of all duties that may be inherent in the position. Street Outreach Workers may also be asked to perform other duties as required or assigned.

In addition to the above job duties, the NASO team will have two program focuses. Responders and housing focus workers.

Responder / Dispatcher:

• Address all incoming concerns around homelessness in Niagara
• Diversion
• Documentation and HIFIS readiness
• Referrals to the housing focus team
• Community connections and engagement
• Documentation and HIFIS updated
• Encampment engagement
• Regionally based support
• On-call support during off hours

Housing Focus:

• 1:20 caseloads
• Housing-focused approach to engage for long-term housing placements
• Documentation readiness
• Move in / Outs
• Post-support engagement for 30-60 days post move in
• Assessment and guidance of referrals to appropriate supports to stay housed
• Attend viewings and support move-ins
• Work in partnership with the responder teams for referrals

To Apply:

• If you are interested in applying for the above position, please forward your resume to hr@gatewayofniagara.ca by Oct 17, 2025.

Bill 149: Disclosure of AI use in hiring process:

• No, AI is not being used in the hiring process