Job Title: Registered Social Worker
Department: Community Development Services
Status and Hours: Regular Full-Time (35h/wk)
Pay scale: $32.462/hr to $38.189/hr
Reports to: Manager, Community Health and Social Services
Deadline: Until Filled
Benefits include:
- 4 weeks vacation plus other leave entitlements
- Extended Group Health benefits
- Flexible Health & Wellness Spending Account
- HOOPP
This position is an existing vacancy.
Who are we?
Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre is an innovative, community-based, multi-service centre. We strive to meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve. We work in partnership with individuals, families, and communities to achieve their full potential, paying particular attention to those who face barriers to care due to race, gender, income and/or ability. PQCHC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in its workforce. If at any stage in the selection process, you require accommodation due to a disability, please let us know the nature of the required accommodation.
Job Summary
The Registered Social Worker is a core member of PQCHC’s System Navigation Team and provides trauma-informed, community-based social work services to individuals experiencing complex mental health, housing, financial, and psychosocial challenges.
Working collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members, healthcare providers, housing services, shelters, and community agencies, the Registered Social Worker provides psychosocial assessment, brief counselling, risk assessment and support, advocacy, and short-term case management support.
The role focuses on supporting individuals requiring enhanced engagement and intensive community-based support to access and maintain connections to health, housing, income, legal, and social services. Services may be delivered in office, community, outreach, shelter, and partner agency settings.
Job Specific Responsibilities
Clinical and Therapeutic Support
- Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments and collaborative care planning based on client strengths, goals, and identified needs.
- Provide trauma-informed, strengths-based, solution-focused, and brief therapeutic interventions to individuals experiencing complex psychosocial challenges.
- Deliver brief supportive counselling, psychoeducation, emotional support, and crisis intervention as required.
- Support clients in developing coping strategies, problem-solving skills, self-advocacy, and emotional regulation.
- Participate in interdisciplinary case conferences and coordinated care planning processes.
Community-Based Support
- Provide intensive support and follow-up to individuals experiencing barriers accessing healthcare, housing, financial assistance, and community services.
- Assist clients in navigating health, legal, social service, and housing systems and accessing services relevant to their goals and needs.
- Support clients with applications, forms, referrals, appointments, and communication with service providers as appropriate.
- Deliver flexible, client-centered services in community settings including shelters, outreach locations, partner agencies, hospitals, and clients’ environments where appropriate.
- Coordinate care with community partners and service providers to support continuity of care and reduce service fragmentation.
- Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with community agencies, healthcare providers, housing services, and other system partners to facilitate access to services, strengthen referral pathways, and support coordinated care.
- Support clients during periods of transition, instability, or crisis to promote engagement, wellbeing, and stability.
- Assist clients in strengthening life skills, community connections, and natural supports that contribute to increased independence and wellness.
- Complete comprehensive psychosocial assessments and intake processes to identify client strengths, needs, risks, and appropriate levels of support and intervention.
Advocacy, Equity, and Community Engagement
- Advocate alongside clients to reduce barriers and improve equitable access to health, housing, financial, and community supports.
- Support clients in understanding available services, processes, and relevant rights related to care and access to supports.
- Apply principles of trauma-informed care, anti-oppression, cultural humility, harm reduction, and health equity in all aspects of service delivery.
- Work respectfully and collaboratively with individuals from diverse cultural, social, and lived experience backgrounds.
- Support clients in accessing and navigating gender-affirming care and related community resources
- Develop and facilitate psychoeducational, therapeutic, and skill-building groups responsive to client and community needs.
Clinical Documentation and Professional Practice
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation in accordance with PQCHC policies and Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW) standards.
- Participate in quality improvement activities, program evaluation, supervision, and professional development initiatives.
- Practice in a manner that promotes the safety and wellbeing of clients, staff, students, and community partners.
- Contribute to team effectiveness through active participation in interdisciplinary collaboration, peer support, knowledge sharing, and the provision of education and consultation to colleagues, students, and community partners.
Qualifications
Education and Professional Registration
- Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) required.
- Registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).
Experience and Knowledge
- Minimum three years of experience in community health, mental health, outreach, housing, or community-based social service settings.
- Experience supporting individuals with complex psychosocial, mental health, housing, and socioeconomic challenges.
- Demonstrated knowledge of trauma-informed practice, crisis intervention, advocacy, and community-based service delivery.
- Understanding of concurrent disorders, 2SLGBTQ+ and transgender health issues, refugee and immigration experiences, settlement and community support services, and evidence-based harm reduction approaches.
- Experience working within interdisciplinary teams and coordinating services across multiple sectors.
- Familiarity with social determinants of health and barriers impacting access to care and services.
Skills and Abilities
- Strong assessment, counselling, advocacy, engagement, and care coordination skills.
- Experience working collaboratively with peer workers, outreach teams, and community-based organizations.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills within an interdisciplinary environment.
- Ability to work effectively in office-based and community-based settings.
- Proficiency with electronic documentation systems, EMR, PS Suites and Microsoft 365.
- Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle required.
- Flexible work hours, including evenings and occasional weekends, may be required.
Additional Assets
- Bilingualism (English/French) preferred. Additional languages such as Mandarin, Somali and Arabic, considered an asset.
- Training in CBT, DBT, motivational interviewing, or trauma-informed approaches considered an asset.
