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The Centre for Refugee Children—a partnership project of Christie Refugee Welcome Centre and FCJ Refugee Centre—provides direct settlement services and legal support to unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in Ontario, with a specialized focus on ensuring access to justice for refugee and migrant children who are navigating the refugee claim process or other immigration proceedings. In addition to serving UASCs across the province, accompanied refugee and migrant children who have exceptional legal and settlement needs may also be eligible to access services and support from the Centre.

Through its establishment, the Centre for Refugee Children aims to strengthen connections with community organizations and government divisions to improve immigration, child welfare and settlement outcomes for children, youth and families supported by the Centre. The Centre also engages in public education and advocacy initiatives in response to issues impacting unaccompanied and separated children and youth in Ontario and throughout Canada.

The Centre for Refugee Children has an opportunity for a full-time (37.5 hours per week) Youth Housing Worker to join our team.

This role is currently being offered as an 18-month contract position (July 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024). The duration of the contact may be increased/extended, subject to ongoing project funding.

Reporting directly to the Centre’s Director and working collaboratively with the Centre’s Child & Youth Settlement Workers and other staff, this front-line role will provide direct housing services and wraparound settlement supports to children and youth connected to the Centre for Refugee Children.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):

• Conduct program intakes, housing orientations and needs assessments for newly-arrived
  children and youth who are referred to the Centre for Refugee Children.
• Successfully develop child-centered housing case plans that support children, youth and families holistically and speak to their specific needs and circumstances, in coordination with other services being provided by the Centre and partner organizations.
• Provide direct housing services, follow-up support and referrals for children, youth and families, as well as wraparound support in the areas of social assistance/income security, child welfare, basic needs resources and other areas of settlement.
• Support children, youth and families connected to the Centre with securing emergency
  shelter/short-term housing accommodations, reducing stays in emergency shelters, and securing and maintaining housing accommodations in the Greater Toronto Area and across
  Ontario.
• Coordinate and follow-up on critical housing referrals, especially for newly-arrived children and youth who are arriving in Canada and are in need of emergency shelter, short-term housing and other supports during their initial months in Ontario.
• Complete training for the Centre’s Child Representative Program and act as a designated
  representative for select children who are navigating immigration proceedings in Ontario.
• Communicate and advocate for children, youth and families with various government
  institutions, emergency shelters and housing providers, child welfare agencies, local schools/school boards and medical clinics.
• Support the Centre for Refugee Children’s Director and other staff in the development and distribution/facilitation of public education materials and presentations.
• Keep up-to-date housing, case management and settlement-related documentation and
  statistics as required by the Centre for Refugee Children.
• Amenable to handling a range of miscellaneous tasks when needed by the Centre for Refugee Children’s Director to meet project objectives and enhance the quality of services being provided to children and youth served by the Centre.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Educational requirements will include a degree in social sciences/social work or a 2-year
social/community services diploma. It is preferred that the successful candidate will have 2-3 years of experience in the refugee settlement and/or housing sectors, and possess direct experience working with newcomer children and youth. The successful candidate will possess highly developed relational skills, an ability to effectively problem-solve, knowledge of approaches to de-escalate conflict situations, experience in documentation and report writing, crisis intervention, and strong organizational and time management skills. The successful candidate will have a strong knowledge and understanding of refugee and newcomer issues; engage others in a culturally sensitive manner; and manage conflict situations with skill and diplomacy.

As a partnership project, all Centre for Refugee Children staff will be official employees of Christie Refugee Welcome Centre, and in accordance with CRWC’s’ Child Protection Policy, a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) Police Check clearance is required as a condition of employment.

The Child & Youth Settlement Worker position will work out the Centre for Refugee Children’s main locations at Christie Refugee Welcome Centre (43 Christie Street) and FCJ Refugee Centre (208 Oakwood Avenue) in Toronto, Ontario.

Interested candidates are invited to forward a resume with accompanying cover letter to:
contact@CRCrefugee.ca

Please include ‘Youth Housing Worker’ in the subject line of the email. This posting will be open from June 1st until June 21st, 2023. While we appreciate all expressions of interest, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Please note also that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews may take place during the posting period.

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