Support Worker

Job Posting: Lisgar Women’s Residence

TITLE: Residential Support Worker *female designated position*
LOCATION(S): 494 Lisgar Street, Ottawa, Ontario
SALARY: $23.62 – 26.64 Hourly ** based on experience
HOURS: Casual – including weekends, overnights, and holidays
EMPLOYER: John Howard Society of Ottawa
CLOSING DATE: October 31, 2025
*Indigenous applicants are encouraged to self-identify*

About the environment: Employees at JHS Ottawa say the organizational culture is supportive, innovative, and focused on creating a caring environment for both clients, and staff. At JHS Ottawa, you will find an employer that celebrates the uniqueness of each of its staff members and is committed to promoting an engaging working culture where all employees are encouraged to live their strengths and realize their potential. JHS Ottawa will provide permanent new employees access to a benefit plan, four weeks vacation annually, a Defined Contribution Pension Plan after eligibility waiting period, and opportunities for continual learning and development.

About who we support: Our employees are supporting a diverse client group including youth and adults, all genders, from a wide cross section of social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds who are representative of our broader community. We are accountable to the people we serve by providing the highest quality of service with integrity through the delivery of responsive, innovative and evidence-informed approaches.

About diversity at JHS Ottawa: The John Howard Society of Ottawa is committed to reflecting and responding to the diversity of the people and communities we serve and is seeking that diversity in applicants for this position. We welcome candidates from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous People, women, persons with disabilities, persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, and all candidates who contribute to furthering the diversity of ideas. We also recognize that people from diverse groups have different needs and require different solutions to gain equal opportunity for success in the hiring process. If you require any accommodation during the interview process, please let us know.

About the Support Worker role: In partnership with Minwaashin Lodge, the women’s residence is a supportive housing program in the heart of Centretown designated for adult women who have exited chronic homelessness, with a primary focus on supporting Indigenous women. As a Housing First and Harm Reduction program, we provide permanent homes and wrap around care that is rooted in connection. We empower the women to lead independent lives as they navigate varying complexities related to cultural care, medical support, food insecurity, relationships, poverty, trauma, active addiction, and mental health. Our team strives to create a community where everyone feels at home. All the small comforts that most people receive at home are the same that we want to provide here. Through the guidance of our partnership with Minwaashin Lodge cultural care is offered in-house, and all staff and residents are encouraged to participate in this programming.

The Support Worker position ensures the daily routines are maintained by supporting clients’ basic needs – connection, belonging, safety, food, shelter, rest - while working collaboratively with their colleagues to create a safe and supportive home environment.

Successful applicants will understand the importance of cultural humility and providing a deeply non-judgemental and inclusive standard of care. Important tasks include distribution of harm reduction supplies; distributing client medications including safe supply; conducting safety checks; responding to emergencies and providing emotional and practical support as needed. When working within a housing program our role also includes modeling healthy home behavior such as celebrating holidays, spending time together, helping care for their apartments, and light meal preparation.

Casual roles are best suited for individuals with flexible availability. As a 24-hour program, and with Christmas holidays coming up, we are seeking candidates with availability for evenings, overnights, weekends, and holiday coverage. This could be your chance to champion exceptional care and acceptance for an incredible community of resilient women. We look forward to meeting you, please apply today.

Support Worker Responsibilities:
• Maintain a safe and supportive environment
• Promote Indigenous values – practice cultural humility
• Engage in regular conversation and care with the women
• Distribution of daily medications
• Facilitate activities and meaningful daily activities.
• Taking initiative where needed to care for the building
• Food preparation and distribution
• Following resident care plans/healing plans
• Support life skill development and unit care with residents in their apartments
• Participate in professional development through training, supervision and career development plans
• Understand individuals who struggle with active addiction, physical and mental health limitations, aggression, and gender specific challenges through a trauma-informed lens.

Program/Building Responsibilities
• Intervene and provide support to client crises and basic needs
• Support the residents to follow rules and expectations of building and program
• Participate in resident case conferences and team meetings
• Assist in maintaining a positive & collaborative environment for residents and colleagues
• Complete daily housekeeping and report any building deficiencies
• Ensure a comprehensive understanding of the Lisgar Supportive Housing Operations Manual and adhere to all protocols associated with that manual
• Ensure a comprehensive understanding of the policies and procedures manual for the John Howard Society of Ottawa and adhere to all protocols associated with P&P
• Adhere to all additional security and safety protocols associated with Lisgar Supportive Housing.
• Actively participate in program evaluation by completing necessary processes and documentation
• Perform other duties, including shift coverage, as may be occasionally requested.

Report Writing/ Administrative
• Maintain daily log notes on SharePoint
• Produce additional written reports and records as required – Serious Occurrence reports, Aggressive Incident Tracking
• Submit necessary statistical information as required

As the successful candidate, you will have the following qualifications:

Education:
• University Degree/College Diploma in a Social Services program or related field
• Working towards completion of a diploma/degree
• A combination of relevant experience and training will be considered.

Preferred Experience:
• Experience working with homelessness, addictions, and mental health related issues
• Experience, personal or professional, with Indigenous communities and cultures
• Experience in supportive housing/residential programs or a community shelters
• Experience working in a Harm Reduction environment and responding to crisis

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:
• Knowledge of the unique experiences of urban Indigenous homelessness
• Knowledge of the unique challenges & needs of women experiencing homelessness
• Competent in the history, culture, and intergenerational trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples
• Competency engaging with clients experiencing mental health and substance use issues.
• Competent using crisis management skills and effective boundary setting skills.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation (Residential Tenancies Act and Mental Health Act)
• Basic counselling skills to support client interactions and tasks as directed
• Strong time management skills to support completion of various maintenance, program and administrative tasks while on shift
• Competency in written skills to support log entries, report summaries.
• Bilingualism in languages other that English are considered an asset

Successful Candidates will:
• Provide a recent Criminal Record Check for Vulnerable populations
• Have valid CPR Certification
• Possess strong time management, interpersonal, and boundary setting skills
• Have excellent people skills to facilitate relationships with clients, colleagues, supervisors, community members, and our immediate neighbors in the Centretowne area.
• Be open-minded, flexible, adaptable, and open to learning about Indigenous culture, gender specific health, addiction, harm reduction, and mental health
• Enjoys being challenged to try new things, and increase professional development
• Seeking a rewarding, fun, meaningful, and challenging new career journey

You’re a fit with our organizational culture, if you mirror our values in the way you work:
• You are committed to providing the highest quality of care for your clients, though responsive, innovative, and evidence informed approaches.
• Driven by curiosity, you adapt to achieve the best results for clients/communities you serve.
• Celebrating the uniqueness and lived experience of every person is part of your nature, and this conviction creates a sense of belonging, safety, and better outcomes for all.
• As a leader, you lead in a way that helps employees live their strengths and reach their potential.
• Lead with compassion and care for others, and help JHS build a culture of listening, mutual support, and meaningful connections.

You’re a fit with our organizational culture, if you believe:
• In building meaningful connections across our programs, partners, and neighbourhoods fosters
• inclusion and empowerment.
• In a person-centred approach, recognizing the value, expertise, and capacity of each individual to make choices that lead to their best self.
• That systemic inequalities exist, and that all people have the right to be treated with dignity, to live free from discrimination, to have a home, and to access employment, education, health promotion and other supports.
• In reducing harm to individuals and communities through a non-judgmental approach that builds resiliency and accountability.
• In the capacity of individuals and communities to adapt, change, and grow while promoting the conditions to inspire positive transformation.

We sincerely thank all applicants who express interest in JHS and this position- only those selected for an interview will be contacted.