Summer Student, Community Development Worker, FT

Employment Type: Full-time (Long-term Contract)
Department: Housing Services
Union: Included (CUPE)
Salary: $17.60 per hour (Level 3)
File #: 26-HS-07
Posting Date: April 21, 2026
Posting Close: May 05, 2026
Reason for vacancy: New position

Position Overview:
Reporting to the Manager or Peer Supervisor, Rooming House Project, the Community Development student will engage and understand needs of rooming house tenants living in Cabbage town area owned by Toronto Community Housing. They will create and support initiatives that strengthen community engagement, harm reduction and promote social inclusion.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Participate in outreach using a harm reduction approach to engage positively with people who use illicit substances, and other stigmatized populations to meet tenants
• Maintain positive and culturally sensitive communications with diverse community members
• Provide supportive and informal lifestyle counselling and crisis management when necessary
• Assist with organization and facilitation of food programming, workshops, events and community consultations
• Create, plan and implement community development programs with an evaluation component
• Prepare promotional materials – newsletter, flyer
• Provide general administrative and client accompaniment support to the RHP team

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a university program (social work, community studies, public health, education, policy or related field preferred) in 3rd or 4th year or in graduate school; or enrolled in last year of a college program
• Strong interpersonal skills and communication skills and able to work with diverse communities
• Understanding of harm reduction principles
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Organizational skills and attention to detail
• Knowledge of Toronto community resources and social issues an asset
• Multilingual proficiency is an asset

Learning Outcomes

• Knowledge and understanding of Toronto Community Housing Rooming Houses operations and policies
• Knowledge and understanding of Dixon Hall Rooming House project operations and policies
• Experience working and supporting complex individuals with chronic illness and who are living with substance use and mental health issues
• Harm reduction principles and application
• Values of peer work at RHP
• Build skills in outreach, facilitation, crisis interventions, motivational counselling, advocacy, research and community engagement
• Professional experience valuable for careers in social work

Impact:
This role is central to Dixon Hall’s mission of helping individuals overcome barriers to employment. By supporting the engagement for employer relationships, clients in their employment retention, and facilitating access to community resources, the Employer Services and Retention Support directly contribute to meaningful employment outcomes and community well-being.

In order to be eligible, participants must:

• Be between 15-30 years of age, at the start of the funded position.
• Be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or someone to whom Refugee Status has been granted/conferred.
• Have a valid SIN
• NOTE: International students, and those who are here in Canada on a work, youth, or visitor visa/permit are not eligible for the program.

Dixon Hall may use Artificial Intelligence-assisted tools during the recruitment process to support efficiency and consistency. Final hiring decisions are made by the Human Resources team.

Dixon Hall is dedicated to fostering an inclusive selection process and work environment, guided by their Race Relations and Employment Equity Policies. If selected for an interview, please inform the hiring manager or the People and Culture team of any accommodations you may require during the interview process.
To achieve their goal of inclusivity and diversity, Dixon Hall actively seeks exceptional candidates from varied backgrounds and with lived experiences. Individuals who self-identify as being from marginalized communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or who have experienced homelessness, are strongly encouraged to apply.