Community Support Worker
External Applicants Only
This posting is intended for applicants who are not currently employed by SACLA. Current SACLA employees should apply through internal job postings in ADP.
About SACLA
Since 1980, the Southern Alberta Community Living Association has supported adults with developmental disabilities to live meaningful, self-directed lives as valued members of their community.
Our mission, cultivating relationships, connecting communities, creating possibilities, guides our work. We recognize each person’s potential and provide flexible, individualized support that responds to their life, relationships, and community. We support opportunities for continued personal development, lifelong learning, and citizenship.
As a Community Support Worker at SACLA, you’ll build relationships with adults with developmental disabilities and support them to lead their own lives. Your work starts with the person, their strengths, preferences, relationships, and what matters to them. Get to know their interests, explore a new opportunity together, and work alongside them toward a goal they’ve chosen.
Our approach is grounded in doing with, not for. This means respecting each person’s rights, following their lead, and supporting their choices, independence, and meaningful participation in everyday life.
If you bring positive energy ,and a commitment to seeing each person for who they are, we want to hear from you.
What Could Your Day Look Like?
Your day will be shaped by the person you’re working alongside, their plans, interests, routines, and support needs. Together, you might explore a community activity, connect with friends, pursue an interest, or take a step toward a personal goal.
You’ll also provide practical support, which may include personal care and mobility assistance. How you provide that support matters: listening, respecting privacy, inviting participation, and honouring each person’s preferences and choices.
You’ll work with the person, their family members, guardians, and your team to provide support that is consistent, flexible, and responsive as their needs and goals evolve.
What You’ll Do
- Build trusting, respectful relationships that recognize each person’s strengths, experiences, and ways of communicating.
- Work alongside people in their daily routines, providing personal care and practical assistance in ways that respect their dignity and participation.
- Support people to explore possibilities, make decisions, and work toward goals they have chosen at their own pace.
- Create opportunities for community connection, inclusion, contribution, and lifelong learning, guided by the person’s interests.
- Support people to maintain and build relationships with family, friends, and other trusted people in their lives, respecting whom they choose to involve.
- Support wellbeing and belonging by listening, recognizing what matters to the person, and responding thoughtfully to their experiences.
- Maintain professional boundaries, protect confidentiality, and recognize and report concerns about a person’s safety, rights, or wellbeing.
- Participate in ongoing training and reflection, including considering how your own assumptions may influence the support you provide.
- Follow individualized support plans, contribute observations and the person’s feedback, and collaborate with your team as support needs evolve.
- Complete clear, accurate documentation and share relevant information appropriately to support consistent, quality practice.
What You Bring
- Positive energy, and a genuine interest in getting to know people.
- A person-centred, rights-based approach that recognizes each person’s strengths, abilities, preferences, and right to direct their own life.
- A commitment to doing with, not for, encouraging participation in daily living that reflects the person’s choices and needs.
- An appreciation for relationships, community connection, and each person’s sense of belonging.
- Respect for different perspectives, backgrounds, and ways of communicating, along with a willingness to reflect on your own assumptions.
- Reliability and a commitment to following through.
- Strong communication and listening skills, curiosity, and a willingness to learn.
- Sound judgment, respect for confidentiality, and an understanding of appropriate professional boundaries.
- Flexibility when plans change and a collaborative approach to solving problems.
- Proficiency using computers for documentation, timecards, and scheduling.
- The physical capability to safely perform the duties of the role, including lifting and transfers up to 40 lbs (18.14 kg), and mobility assistance where required.
Required Conditions of Employment
- The ability to meet Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check requirements.
- A valid Class 5 driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle.
- Verification of vehicle insurance with a minimum of $2 million in liability coverage.
- A valid Emergency First Aid/CPR certificate.
There’s More Than One Path into This Work
Whether you’re new to community support, completing relevant studies, or bringing years of experience, we welcome your interest.
Education in disability studies, community support, social work, psychology, human services, or a related discipline is an asset, as is experience in disability services or mental health support. Skills developed through volunteering, caregiving, and other work are valuable too.
You may already understand the foundations of community disability practice, or you may be ready to build that understanding. What matters is your commitment to respecting people’s rights, building relationships, working alongside people, and continuing to learn.
Tell us what you bring and what you’re eager to learn. We’re looking for people who connect with our philosophy and want to grow in this work.
What’s in It for You?
Build your skills, form meaningful working relationships, and contribute to a community where people belong and have opportunities to participate. At SACLA, you’ll join a team that values respect, individuality, relationships, and the contributions of each person.
Depending on the position and eligibility, we offer:
- Comprehensive Group Benefits
- RRSP matching
- Wellness program
- Mileage reimbursement
- Casual dress
Can You See Yourself Here?
We’d like to get to know you. Apply with your resume and tell us what draws you to community support work, the strengths you bring, and how you would work alongside people to support the lives they choose.
Work location: In Community or a person's home
