Cultural Support Worker

Contract • Homeless to Homes

WHO WE ARE

Through the vision to eliminate poverty in our community and guided by a passionate concern for the dignity and well-being of each individual, Bissell Centre’s work is based on building relationships, hope and trust. Our mission is to work with others to empower people to move from poverty to cultural, social, and economic prosperity. We empower people to meet their own basic daily needs, participate in community and have sustainable livelihoods, secure housing, feel hope for the future and make plans for a prosperous life. By joining Bissell Centre, you will become part of a fast-paced and dedicated team that works together to realize our vision.

Are you a culturally informed Professional looking to make an impact in your community? Do you have endless optimism, ready to move and create change in the community? Through the vision to eliminate poverty in our community and guided by a passionate concern for the dignity and well-being of each individual, Bissell Centre’s work is based on building relationships, hope and trust. Our community comes from all walks of life and so do we.

Through our programs we work to empower people from meeting their own basic daily needs to having sustainable livelihoods, secure housing, and feeling hope for the future and make plans for a prosperous life. By joining Bissell Centre, you will become part of a fast-paced and dedicated team that works together to realize our vision.

Currently, Bissell Centre is looking for an individual wanting to join our Housing team. Are you ready to be our Cultural Support Worker, H2H and make an impact in our community?

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Cultural Support Worker (CSW) uses a culturally informed strengths-based model that is rooted in harm reduction by providing an Indigenous lens within our Housing First work and walks alongside participants in their self-identified and self-determined goals for healing, culture, and community integration, while advocating for access and rights as needed. The CSW provides a range of service coordination and case management services for chronically homeless individuals, who are transitioning from homelessness into housing and who have concurrent mental health and substance use diagnoses.

WHAT IS THE ROLE

Duties and Responsibilities

Program Delivery

The CSW performs service coordination duties for a group of approximately 20 Housing First participants, maintaining oversight to ensure that participant’s self-identified goals for recovery and community integration are supported by appropriate services and practices, consistent with the values of self-determination/choice and harm reduction.

Working in collaboration with other members of the Homeless to Homes team, the CSW coordinates the provision of Housing First services for clients served by the team members in their area of specialization. Because Homeless to Homes is a Housing First program, supporting participants through evictions and rehousing is also a core component of the work, ensuring that learnings and skills from each housing are not lost. This work is intensive and highly demanding.

Main Responsibilities

Research/connect individual and group supports for Indigenous participants regarding Indigenous ways of understanding healing and recovery, Indigenous services and resources, and Indigenous culture.
Actively plan, arrange and seek out relationships with Indigenous participants.
Build relationships with Indigenous participants as they connect with community and cultural events and build supports with the participant.
Collaborate with additional cultural support at Homeward Trust and Bent Arrow around ceremony and programming.
Create an effective and supportive connection between the Indigenous/non-Indigenous service providers, community supports and tenants.
Advocate for tenants as needed.
Orientate new participants to the role of the CSW and familiarize them with cultural services.
Support Follow-Up Support Workers in their case planning work.
Coordinate with the Indigenous Engagement Team with integrated support and event planning.
Perform other duties as required.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE

Qualifications & Commitment to Values

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Strong written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, result oriented, good time management, strong organizational and problem-solving skills
Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and ETO programs
Detailed understanding of poverty, oppression, and marginalization, specifically as it relates to individuals experiencing homelessness
Knowledge of the holistic addictions model including stages of change and harm reduction, cultural connection and cultural forms of medicine
Knowledge of legislation and regulations related to Indigenous persons, including residential schools, the 60’s scoop, child intervention system, knowledge of Indigenous cultures, services, ways of healing and recovery.

Education & Experience

Degree or Diploma in Social Science or related discipline
Minimum of one-year related employment experience
Alberta Class 5 License, satisfactory driver’s abstract and a vehicle

Working Conditions

This position is a full-time, 6-month contract.

This position works closely with community participants who are experiencing complex life situations. As such, this position requires a calm and empathetic demeanor with the ability to de-escalate conflict and intense situations with clear and effective communication methods.

Some evening and weekend work required
Operation of personal vehicle
Personal vehicle is required.
Valid driver’s license
proof of $2 million PLPD insurance

Guiding Competencies

The Cultural Support Worker should demonstrate competence in all the following:

Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behaviour and business practices and ensure own behaviour is consistent with these standards and aligns with the mission and core values of Bissell Centre.
Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization.
Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen, and write in a clear, thorough and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques.
Focus on Participant Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of participants and the community to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters.
Foster Teamwork: Foster, sustain and role model productive team management practices, and contribute to a positive team environment. Share expertise and knowledge to support, coach and develop others.
Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency, and risks, and make clear decisions that are timely and in the best interests of the organization.
Organizational Skills: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details/data/information/activities.
Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create, and implement action plans, and evaluate the process and results.
Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate possible solutions, and make recommendations and/or resolve the problem.

Screening Requirements

Criminal Record Check
CWIS Check

Training Requirements

Standard First Aid and CPR
Conflict Into Calm Training
Suicide Prevention
Motivational Interviewing Skills

The above listed training requirements must be completed within the first three months of employment. Other training requirements may be identified during employment and must be completed as directed.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter to: kstoley@bissellcentre.org.

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, Bissell Centre continues to take action to protect person served and staff. Strategies related to Bissell Centre’s response to COVID-19 are driven by the guiding principle of taking all reasonable precautions and measures to protect the health and safety of both persons served and staff. In keeping with this intentional purpose, COVID-19 full vaccination is a condition of employment for new hires, except due to legitimate, established exceptions.

Bissell Centre is an equal opportunity employer who is committed to diversity within our community and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, or disability. Bissell Centre is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees, in accordance with provincially and federally legislated protected grounds.

Application Deadline: May 23rd, 2025

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