Relief Shelter Support Worker (Overnight) ( 5 positions), DAV1399
- Toronto, ON, Canada
Employment Type: Relief Position Status: Vacant Work Hours: Varied as needed (Overnight shifts) Salary: $30.15 per hour (L5) Location: 348 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6Application Deadline: Monday, November 23, 2026 · Temporary
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Job details
- Pay
- Employment Type: Relief Position Status: Vacant Work Hours: Varied as needed (Overnight shifts) Salary: $30.15 per hour (L5) Location: 348 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6Application Deadline: Monday, November 23, 2026
- Job type
- Temporary
- Apply by
- Experience
- 1 to 3 years’ experience in counselling and group work focused on clients at risk and/or homeless women
- Posting language
- English
- Posted
Original job description
Employment Type: Relief
Position Status: Vacant
Work Hours: Varied as needed (Overnight shifts)
Salary: $30.15 per hour (L5)
Location: 348 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6Application Deadline: Monday, November 23, 2026
JOIN OUR TEAM
Join YWCA Toronto, where intersectional feminism, community voices, and social justice drive lasting change. We welcome women and gender diverse people of all identities into a workplace rooted in equity, collaboration, and inclusion
The Relief Shelter Support Worker at YWCA Davenport will support the permanent team and contribute to providing meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. The worker acts as a resource to staff and clients and supports the provision of services which includes crisis management and de-escalation, conducting intakes, supporting daily operations and ensuring the safety of the shelter and participants living on-site.
ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – YWCA DAVENPORT
YWCA Davenport provides up to 80 emergency shelter beds to young women and gender-diverse people (16 – 24 years of age) and adult women and gender-diverse people (25 and older) and is staffed 24 hours a day. This pet friendly shelter is funded by the City of Toronto and adheres to Toronto Shelter Standards.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Posting Date: November 11, 2026
Position Status: Vacant
Work Hours: Varied as needed (Overnight shifts)
Salary: $30.15 per hour (L5)
Location: 348 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1K6Application Deadline: Monday, November 23, 2026
JOIN OUR TEAM
Join YWCA Toronto, where intersectional feminism, community voices, and social justice drive lasting change. We welcome women and gender diverse people of all identities into a workplace rooted in equity, collaboration, and inclusion
The Relief Shelter Support Worker at YWCA Davenport will support the permanent team and contribute to providing meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. The worker acts as a resource to staff and clients and supports the provision of services which includes crisis management and de-escalation, conducting intakes, supporting daily operations and ensuring the safety of the shelter and participants living on-site.
ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – YWCA DAVENPORT
YWCA Davenport provides up to 80 emergency shelter beds to young women and gender-diverse people (16 – 24 years of age) and adult women and gender-diverse people (25 and older) and is staffed 24 hours a day. This pet friendly shelter is funded by the City of Toronto and adheres to Toronto Shelter Standards.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Applies knowledge of the issues of trauma and the dynamics of abuse and homelessness to develop and implement effective support strategies
- Uses mediation and counselling skills to maintain a co-operative, supportive and productive shelter environment
- Negotiates supportive and flexible strategies to assist residents with mental health issues to access the support within the shelter and in the community and uses a harm reduction lens and supports participants to incorporate safe use strategies.
- Provides informal support to residents and assists in problem solving when necessary
- Provides supportive information to clients regarding their housing options
- Advocates with landlords and housing providers on behalf of client
- Any other duties as required
- In-depth knowledge of an academic discipline normally acquired through completion of a supervised undergraduate degree (e.g. BSW) (Cases for Equivalency will be considered)
- An analytical framework that identifies clients' relation to social systems and the demonstrated practical application of this framework
- Completion of workshops and courses pertaining to mental illness, trauma, harm reduction, crisis de-escalation and anti-oppressive practice
- 1 to 3 years’ experience in counselling and group work focused on clients at risk and/or homeless women
- Completion of Toronto Hostel’s Training Certificate (T.H.T.C.) or equivalent
- Demonstrated knowledge of harm reduction principles and practice
- Demonstrated knowledge of community resources and supports focused on mental health and group support
- In-depth knowledge of the dynamics of woman abuse and trauma within an anti-oppression framework
- Demonstrated experience in the development, delivery and evaluation of workshops and groups
- Experience delivering culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, e-mail and the Internet
- Knowledge and understanding of mental health, substance use/addictions, advocacy, refugee and Immigration issues and homelessness
- Life Skills Certificate an asset
- Knowledge of a second language and/or culture would be an asset
Posting Date: November 11, 2026
More about this job
Responsibilities
Support shelter residents and the permanent team by conducting intakes, managing crises, de-escalating conflict, and helping maintain a safe and supportive shelter environment. Provide trauma-informed and harm-reduction support, assist residents with problem-solving and housing options, and advocate with landlords and community providers.
Requirements
Requires an undergraduate degree such as a BSW or an accepted equivalent, relevant training in mental illness, trauma, harm reduction, crisis de-escalation, and anti-oppressive practice, and 1–3 years of counselling or group-work experience with at-risk or homeless women. Candidates must have relevant shelter training or equivalent, knowledge of community resources and woman abuse, strong communication skills, and proficiency with Microsoft Word, email, and the Internet.
Skills
- Crisis Management
- De-escalation
- Counselling
- Mediation
- Trauma-Informed Support
- Harm Reduction
- Intake Assessment
- Advocacy
- Housing Support
- Mental Health Support
- Group Work
- Workshop Development
- Culturally Sensitive Service Delivery
- Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Microsoft Word
- Communication
Visa sponsorship
Not detected in the job text
Categories
- Social Services
- Healthcare
- Customer Service & Support
- Security & Safety
Keywords
- Emergency Shelter
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Woman Abuse
- Homelessness
- Mental Health
- Substance Use
- Addictions
- Harm Reduction
- Crisis De-escalation
- Anti-Oppressive Practice
- Counselling
- Group Work
- Intake
- Mediation
- Advocacy
- Housing Options
- Community Resources
- Toronto Hostel Training Certificate
- Life Skills Certificate
- Microsoft Word
- Internet
- Culturally Sensitive Services
- Refugee and Immigration Issues
- Shelter Safety