Settlement Services Assistant

PROGRAM: Afghan Women & LGBTQ2+ Refugees Integration Services
COMPANY: Skills for Change
LOCATION: 791 St. Clair Ave West, Toronto ON
REPORTS TO: Manager, Programs and Services
CONTRACT TYPE: Contract (Union)
HOURS: 35 hours per week (Monday- Friday with occasional weekends and/or evening hours)
RATE: $20 per hour
START DATE: Immediately
END DATE: 29 weeks from start date
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY:
With 39+ years of operations, Skills for Change is a highly respected non-profit charity with a province wide reputation for pioneering programs that respond to shifting immigration and workplace trends and lead to employment. Skills for Change provides multi-sited employment, job skills, career exploration through mentoring and entrepreneurship, job development, mental health and wellness, language and settlement programs and services throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Areas.

PROGRAM NATURE AND SCOPE:
To assist Newcomer Afghan Women and LGBTQ2+ community to adapt and integrate effectively in Canadian society by providing them with settlement and labour market orientation support. This role will work with the settlement team to support the delivery of settlement and labour
market programming to Afghan LGBTQ2+ newcomers through facilitating information and orientation sessions, group workshops (employment, OHIP, health resources, legal supports, etc.), individual employment and settlement counselling, and referral to suitable services to meet their settlement and employment needs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build relationships with community agencies, individuals, government, and non-governmental organizations to gain referrals from Afghan refugees who are women and those who are members of the LGBTQ2+ to receive settlement services
• Engage clients in intake and assessment process to identify immediate, short, medium- and long-term settlement needs of the LGBTQ2+ Afghan and Women Refugees and devise creating solution focused action plans based on the assessment and client’s needs
• Provide one-on-one case management and counselling to clients requesting information concerning translation & interpretation, community engagement, orientation, referral (internally and to appropriate programs/services within the community) and non- therapeutic counselling regarding services such as health care, housing, employment, training and education, credential recognition, legal aid, finance, social services, etc.
• Provide information about immigration application guidelines and refer to appropriate resources as necessary
• Develop and deliver settlement and employment related workshops in-person or virtual
• Invite guest speakers to conduct information sessions on specific settlement, employment, and cultural adaptation topics based on client needs
• Update settlement and employment resources on an ongoing basis
• Maintain and update client files as required by the funder
• Outreach to other community organizations, for program promotion, client referral and to provide itinerant settlement services
• Maintain client database, produce statistics, and reports as required, e.g., Salesforce, Google docs
• Participate in the distribution, collection, and analysis of participant surveys and other evaluation and tracking procedures
• Assist with organizing support groups, networking sessions and other program initiatives
• Provide reception coverage as needed (lunch breaks, sick leave, vacation leave, etc.)
• Work as part of SfC team to ensure smooth delivery and coordination of services to clients
• Participate in team meetings; staff meetings and committee meetings as required
• Evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery and present solutions to enhance services on an ongoing basis
• Other duties as assigned by Management
• Participate in all meetings as required

SKILLS, EDUCATION & ATTRIBUTES:

• Post-Secondary degree in social work and/or credentials such as Settlement Counselling diploma, Immigrant and Refugee Settlement Worker, Social Worker, Community (Support) Worker, Career Counsellor with newcomer/immigrant focus or other related fields required.
• Minimum of 2 years’ work experience working with women and the LGBTQ+ community members in the settlement and/or community work sectors is mandatory
• Working knowledge of online program development, website maintenance and troubleshooting
• Understanding of, and sensitivity to, issues affecting immigrant and refugee communities
• Through understanding of barriers facing LGBTQ+ newcomers and families
• Must be fluent in English and in either Pashto, Dari, or Persian
• Education, training, and experience working with Women and LGBTQ2+ Refugees and newcomers including services delivery with a gender-based and anti-homophobia lens
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills in-person and virtual, and experience in the settlement sector
• Demonstrated knowledge of issues affecting newcomers
• Team player with initiative, energy, and persistence
• Sensitivity to, and understanding of, issues and barriers to employment faced by women, newcomers, immigrants, youth, and other disadvantaged groups
• Excellent teamwork and positive attitude towards change
• Strong problem-solving skills and organizational skills
• Proficiency in Windows, MS Office, internet use and ability to deliver PowerPoint presentations
• Knowledge of Salesforce is an asset
• A clear, mandatory vulnerable sector check is required
• Position requires travel; car is an asset

PLEASE SEND YOUR APPLICATION TO:hr@skillsforchange.org

Skills for Change provides learning and training opportunities for immigrants, refugees and equity seeking groups to access and fully participate in the workplace and wider community to persons with disabilities to newcomers to Canada (including refugees) to Indigenous peoples to members of a visible minority to children or youth to seniors to the LGBTQ2 community. Skills for Change offers accommodation for applicants with disabilities in each stage of the hiring process. If you are contacted regarding a job opportunity, please advise if you require accommodation. This document is available in alternate format on request.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.