RainCity Housing operates on the stolen, unceded, ancestral, traditional homelands of the Xʷməθkwəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ Nations in so-called Vancouver, the q̓íc̓əy̓, qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, qiqéyt, SEMYOME, Stó꞉lō, and sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ Nations in so-called Lower Mainland, and the shíshálh in so-called Sunshine Coast.
About Us – A home for every person
RainCity Housing is an organization that makes a difference in people’s lives. Our mission is to advance social equity by building upon the strengths of our community and of each individual. With a goal of providing a home for everyone, RainCity’s programs sustain relationships, strengthen communities, and make change for people experiencing homelessness, mental health, trauma, and substance use issues.
RainCity Housing has been developing emerging and promising practices for over 40 years in social services and healthcare, providing Housing First, harm reduction and supports for community members who access our services. To learn more, check out our innovations page. You can visit our Indeed page and click on the “Follow” button to be notified of new job openings: ca.indeed.com/cmp/Raincity-Housing-and-Support-Society/about.
You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Benefits:
- 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year
- 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total
- Employee and Family Assistance Program available to ALL employees, including 24-hour helpline, Personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching: https://www.fseap.ca/
- Municipal Pension Plan with guaranteed lifetime monthly pension when you retire: https://mpp.pensionsbc.ca/
- Employer-paid benefits for regular Part-time and Full-time employees:
- Unlimited Physiotherapy and $1,000/year coverage for Massage
- Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropract, Group Life Benefit $50,000, Long Term Disability, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies
Job Summary
Reporting to the Management Team or designate, the Front Desk Support Worker is responsible for the administrative, maintenance, and safety functions of building and provides a range of support services for women and families at the Budzey. The FDSW will be the first point of contact for program participants, guests, service providers, and trades people coming into the building and will enact Budzey policy and procedures related to safety and building access accordingly. The FDSW will collaborate with program participants and staff to provide a range of services, including guest management, planning, day-to-day physical, emotional, and social supports, life skills assistance, information, and resources. The FDSW may supervise work crews and/or provide direction to volunteers. The FDSW may provide daily supports including, building safety, crisis intervention and prevention, and general problem solving. The FDSW also works collaboratively with other direct service staff, families and with external service providers and government ministries involved in the care and support of program participants.
All staff must report concerns about child abuse/neglect in consultation with the management team and in accordance with the law and RainCity Housing and Support Society’s policy regarding reporting suspicions of child abuse and neglect.
Job Competition # job2024.173
Closing Date: Midnight, March 24, 2025
Job: Front Desk Support Worker, the Budzey, Permanent, Part-Time, 0.5 FTE.
Salary Range: $31.56 - $33.28 (BCGEU, Grid 34)
Hours: 37.5 bi-weekly
Schedule: Week 1: Monday - Tuesday, 12:00am – 08:00am. Week 2: Monday - Wednesday, 12:00am – 08:00am. At present, includes a 30-minute unpaid meal break.
Work Site: 220 Princess Avenue
Start Date: As soon as possible
*In addition, you will be paid a shift premium of two dollars $2.50 per hour for the entirety of each night shift worked. “Night shift” means any shift in which the major portion occurs between 12:00 midnight and 8:00 AM.
*Gender is a bona fide occupational requirement: women (trans, cis), gender diverse, and Two-Spirit staff only please.
*A clear British Columbia Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check for working with vulnerable adults and/or children is a condition of employment with RainCity Housing. Applicants must be willing and able to receive a clearance under the Criminal Record Review Act.
Program Summary
The Budzey provides supported housing to women and women-led families. (women – trans and cis, two spirit and gender diverse). There are 147 units in total: 106 studio apartments for singles, and 41 one, two and three bedroom apartments for families. There are around 250 people living in the building. The Budzey is a complex building with complex tenant population.
QUALIFICATIONS
Many forms of education and experience are valued, including volunteering and lived experience of mental illness / addiction/ homelessness; Minimum education and experience includes:
- A Diploma in community social services
- Two years of recent, related work experience, including working with women with an emphasis on mental health, addictions, homelessness and/or social services.
- Or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
- Current First Aid and CPR certification
- Criminal Records Search for working with vulnerable adults and children
Key Skills and Abilities – for supporting people receiving our services
- Ability to apply an analysis and knowledge of women’s issues within a feminist framework, including mental illness, substance use, sexual health, exposure to violence.
- Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with women program participants
- Ability to identify and work to increase program participant strengths
- Ability to work with program participants using hope-inducing strategies
- Ability to implement program participant-centred service plans
- Ability to respond to problematic behaviour using an understanding of the behaviour's context and function
- Ability to support life-skills
- Ability to create, facilitate and assist with peer-based in house programming
- Ability to analyze problems and develop effective solutions
- Ability to administer medications as per The Budzey policies and procedures
- Ability to effectively and safely resolve crisis situations
- Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision
- Ability to collaborate with staff team and external services
- Ability to constructively resolve conflict with co-workers, management and external services
- Ability to communicate effectively both in writing and verbally
- Ability to organise and prioritise duties
- Ability to operate office equipment including computers
- Physically able to carry out the duties of the position
- Sound knowledge of women-centred services.
- Basic sound knowledge of mental health diagnoses, medications, treatment and support resources
- Knowledge of the bio-psychosocial addictions model, including stages of change and harm reduction.
- Basic sound knowledge of diagnoses, treatment and support resources in the areas of substance use, physical health, including HIV and Hepatitis C.
- Knowledge of the housing continuum, including market, subsidized and supported housing systems, including program models for special needs populations
- Demonstrates understanding of oppression and marginalization specifically related to the experience of women, mental health consumers and substance users, the aboriginal community, and other marginalized women
Specific Front Desk Support Worker Duties:
- Performs administrative functions such as operating building communications systems, maintenance of all front desk procedures and systems, related record keeping, and data-basing.
- Maintains safety for the building and the participants by enacting Budzey guest policies and procedures.
- Ensure the building environment is safe and comfortable by: monitoring building access points and security system.
- Working with the Facilities Operations Coordinator provides instructions and direction to work crews, and/or provides direction to volunteers.
- Receives supplies, checks invoices against orders and goods received, stores and distributes supplies.
- Provide Crisis intervention work: Mental health de-compensations (including suicidal crises), or physical health crises (including violence, sexual assaults): ensuring tenant safety while calling relevant emergency services. Non-Violent Crisis Intervention: respond to verbal aggression calmly, patiently, non-judgmentally, and non-personally; creating acceptable options for tenant(s); calling police when unable to de-escalate the situation and the safety of the program participant, children or others is in question. Reporting all crises to the management team.
- Communicate, coordinate and collaborate with other service providers involved in the care and support of the program participants, including other RainCity Housing workers/programs, mental health professionals, substance use services, workers from government ministries, community outreach workers and health care providers.
- Assist in-coming and out-going program participants in all issues associated with a transition of residency, introduction to new community and new support services.
- Clean offices, common areas, and washrooms, including sweeping/mopping, dusting, washing dishes, washing fixtures; clean other areas as needed or directed in the absence of maintenance staff; liaise with maintenance staff; order supplies; put away and assist with food donations
- Actively participate in building a skilled, cohesive, collaborative staff team, including demonstrating commitment to program polices; resolving conflict and negativity as they arise; assisting in orientating, training and mentoring to all staff, including casuals.
- Administer basic first aid and/or CPR.
- Reports concerns about child abuse/neglect in consultation with the management team and in accordance with the law and RainCity Housing and Support Society’s policy regarding reporting suspicions of child abuse and neglect.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Please submit both a cover letter and resume to apply, describing your suitability for this position. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest. As part of the application process, you may be asked a short set of questions to provide further information about your experience and availability. Please note, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
Diversity
RainCity Housing serves a diverse group of people, and we need a staff group that reflects this diversity. People of diverse backgrounds and cultures are encouraged to apply.
As we work towards building a diverse staff team, we are particularly seeking applicants who identify as being Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, applicants with personal lived expertise,and 2SLGBTQ+ identified people.
Inclusion and creating a safer space
We are committed to making our organization a safer place for our staff, with steps taken to create space for learning and unlearning. RainCity’s department of Indigenous Cultural Services was created with the purpose to acknowledge the unique history and service needs of our Indigenous staff and tenants in respect to accessing culturally relevant and culturally sensitive care and support. RainCity’s Black Affinity Group was formed to provide support for Black staff by creating a safe space to support each other, network, debrief, and to heal from the impact of harm endured. Candidates are welcome to self-identifying in their cover letters as Black, First nations, Métis, or Inuit.
All of our employees are expected to develop and exhibit skills to contribute to safety in the workplace, including demonstrating anti-racism knowledge and skills to support racialized communities, including knowledge of Canada’s historical and on-going colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples, and commitment to learn and uphold the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Employees are also expected to demonstrate anti-discrimination knowledge and skills to support equity seeking groups, including the 2SLGBTQA+ community, people who use drugs and alcohol, people living with mental health issues and sex workers.
Inclusivity and support for people with differing abilities
In our efforts to provide a barrier-free workplace, we invite you to let us know of any adjustments or accommodations that might be needed for you to participate in the interview or selection process by sending an email to hr.inbox@raincityhousing.org.
If you're having any difficulty creating an account or submitting your resume: Please email dfrecruitingsupport@raincityhousing.org for assistance.
Do you want to improve your chances of joining RainCity? Be sure to include a cover letter letting us know why the work that we do is important to you, and how your experiences make you a good fit for this role.
Do you need additional support with your application? Connect with our partners for assistance:
- ACCESS Futures provides free employment support for Indigenous people and can assist with career advising, resume and cover letter writing, and funding for training: https://www.accessfutures.com/employment-services
- PRISM Employment Support Service (ESS) provides free strengths-based, trauma-informed employment support program for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, including coaching sessions, workshops, personal counselling sessions, and financial assistance for transit, occupational training, clothing, and childcare: https://qmunity.ca/employment/
- WorkBC provides free employment services to all job seekers, providing with support in resume and cover letter writing, training, and financial support for childcare and transportation costs: https://www.workbc.ca/discover-employment-services/workbc-centres/employment-services
- MOSAIC provides free employment support for refugees, immigrants, and racialized women, with services in career readiness training, mentoring, and peer groups: https://mosaicbc.org/our-services/employment-services/
We are a Union
RainCity Housing is a unionized workplace. Along with the union, we support the principles of the Human Rights Code of BC. We promote a workplace that treats both staff and the people accessing services with dignity and respect.
