Outreach and Housing Assistance Worker (Outreach)

The City of Kawartha Lakes invites applications to join our team as an Outreach and Housing Assistance Worker.

When you come to work for the City of Kawartha Lakes, you are joining a community of municipal workers who take pride in knowing that every day you are having a positive impact in the community.Our mission is to deliver the highest standards of municipal services while creating a healthy and sustainable future for all Kawartha Lakes residents and businesses. We work to our values of Accountability, Respect and Teamwork and we want you to Jump In with us!!

We are an equal opportunity employer which values equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace. We foster a safe and creative work environment, where training and skill development are prioritized, with opportunities and support for career advancement. As a team member at the City of Kawartha Lakes, you may be entitled to the following : OMERS pension (defined benefit), employer paid benefits package including short and long term disability income replacement, education reimbursement and other programs that foster innovation, leadership, and career advancement.

Job Title : Outreach and Housing Assistance Worker

Wage : $37.44 hourly (2025)

Reports to : Program Supervisor (Homelessness)

Location : Haliburton, ON. Combination of approximately 70% in field locations throughout the municipality where people experiencing homelessness may be staying, and 30% general office environment

Hours of Work : Normal working hours are 35 hours per week, seven (7) hours per day with core working hours between 8 : 00 a.m. and 5 : 00 p.m.; may require work outside of regular business hours and shift work, including weekends. Working hours could be expanded to include regular rotating shifts that include evening and weekend hours. May attend meetings, conferences and departmental emergency situations, which may be outside of normal business hours

Other : Regular exposure to secondary traumatic stress (STS), which may contribute to the experience of compassion fatigue. Ability to exert up to 13.6 kg (30 lbs) of force occasionally and / or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Involves walking or standing most of the time

Summary :

Under the direction of the Program Supervisor (Homelessness), the Outreach and Housing Assistance Worker (OHAW) will provide community outreach and other stabilization supports to those experiencing homelessness. Outreach may be at non-profit housing provider locations, at the park, down the trail or anywhere where people experiencing homelessness may be staying. The OHAW will also provide short-term case management support for individuals and families transitioning from homelessness to housing.

Essential Duties

Specific to this role :

• Engage with unsheltered individuals as the homelessness street outreach lead in sometimes challenging environments, conducting field-based assessments to determine the individuals vulnerability and risk factors; following the assessment, intervene with appropriate responses with a trauma and violence informed approach using de-escalation techniques, if necessary
• Provide stabilization supports for identified individuals and families, including service referrals and advocacy to connect people experiencing homelessness in areas such as income assistance, housing, health services such as mental health and substance use support, counselling and education that can support them on their path to housing and life stability.
• Implement various housing-based case management tools and practices, when supporting individuals transitioning from homelessness to housing
• Update and maintain all files, documentation and databases including, but not limited to : Homelessness By-Name List (BNL), community housing waiting list applications, Canada Ontario Housing Benefit (COHB) applications
• Provide training, such as RentSmart, to those in the community that could benefit from additional knowledge around how to make their housing journey successful
• Build and maintain positive collaborative working relationships with other service agencies to help support improved outcomes for people experiencing homelessness
• Connect with non-profit housing providers and offer support to both landlords and tenants
• Co-lead and help facilitate community outreach initiative services that bring service agencies together to support those experiencing homelessness or who may require additional support
• Support occasional coverage to administer life stabilization support benefits to people who are eligible for funding to help stabilize their housing

As a member of the professional team :

Qualifications