Founded in 1956, the Canadian Mental Health Association Kelowna and District (CMHA Kelowna) is part of Canada’s oldest national charity that helps maintain and improve mental health for all Canadians. As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA helps people access the community resources they need to build resilience and support recovery from mental illness.

At CMHA Kelowna, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter how old or how young, we provide support for families and individuals through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery, while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people from thriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. We are seeking individuals who share our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna and are passionate about making a difference in our community by bringing their particular expertise to our organization.

We are seeking a qualified, experienced, and passionate Key Worker for our Gordon Place Supportive Housing program. This is a full-time position that will be on a rotating schedule of two weeks of day shifts and two weeks of evening shifts (7am-3pm/7:30am-3:30pm rotating to 3pm-11pm/3:30pm-11:30pm). Ideal candidates will share our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna and are passionate about making a difference in our community by bringing their particular expertise to our organization.  

Key Workers within our organization provide coordination of services and supports housing program residents.  Key Workers support individuals in creating their own plans for obtaining and/or maintaining housing and contribute to the development of group and generic services.

FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participates in case planning with participants and/or service providers by performing duties such as interviewing participants to identify problems and needs, obtaining required information from a variety of sources such as families and care providers, documenting participant needs and wants, and assisting participants to determine appropriate programs;
• Advocates for participants by problem solving in areas such as financial assistance, accessing community resources, and obtaining volunteer placements;
• Observes participants, identifies and assesses potential emergency situations, and develops short-term strategies to deal with such situations. Reports medical, behavioral, and other problems as required. Provides feedback and input regarding participant needs, performance, and progress;
• Provides supportive counselling, demonstrations, modeling, and behavior management to participants, to assist with the development of physical, social, emotional, and life skills such as maintaining personal hygiene, housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, meeting financial obligations, making and keeping appointments, and interpersonal skills;
• Monitors medication to participants and provides medication reminders, in accordance with established policy;
• Identifies available social, economic, recreational, and educational services and resources in the community that will meet participants’ needs. Provides participants with related information;
• Facilitates participants’ physical, recreational, educational, and employment needs by performing duties such as arranging for participants to be transported to programs/services, assisting participants to attend appointments, and implementing programs;
• Carries out administrative transactions such as petty cash, client accounts, collecting rents and money from clients for personal items, and making deposits and withdrawals;
• Completes and maintains related records and documentation such as care plans, progress reports, statistics, and daily logs;
• Receives participant feedback, and inquiries and complaints, and responds as required;
• Provides direction to volunteers/practicum students as required;
• Assists participants with activities of daily living;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.                                                            

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Degree or Diploma in Community Social Services or related field;
• Experience working with marginalized populations;
• Experience working in Residential an asset;
• Class V BC Driver’s License;
• Certificates in CPR, First Aid, and Food Safe;
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position;
• Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others;
• Ability to operate related equipment;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to organize and prioritize;
• Ability to observe and recognize changes in participants;
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with participants;
• Ability to instruct;
• Ability to analyze and resolve problems;
• Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills;
• Advocacy skills.

To apply for this exciting new position, please forward a cover letter and resume by February 11^th, 2019 to John West, Human Resources Coordinator @ john.west@cmha.bc.ca

CMHA is an equity employer and encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, people of all sexual orientation and genders, and others who may contribute to our further diversification. 

We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.