YWCA Toronto - Legal Services Support Worker

YWCA Toronto - Legal Services Support Worker

Posted on Apr 09, 2025

YWCA Toronto

Legal Services Support Worker

YWCA Toronto transforms lives. As the city’s largest multi-service women’s organization, we help women and gender diverse people escape violence, move out of poverty and access safe, affordable housing.

We work tenaciously to break down barriers that hold women and gender diverse people back from achieving equality.

Internal and External Job Posting

YWCA ARISE

JOB ID: ARIS1175

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Work Hours: 35 hours per week

Location: Confidential Address - Downtown Toronto

Internal Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 22, 2025

External Application Deadline: Thursday, April 24, 2025

JOIN OUR TEAM

YWCA Toronto strives to uphold anti-discrimination practices and anti-oppression principles to ensure that the rights of all individuals are respected and protected. We work to promote a climate that is welcoming of all women and individuals who identify as Trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people from all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

As a specialist in the area of legal systems support, the Shelter Support Worker – Legal Services Support Worker operates within a collaborative team to provide meaningful and relevant services within a theoretical feminist framework that includes a working knowledge of the dynamics and effects of trauma and oppression. They act as a resource to staff and clients and is responsible for providing a full range of services which includes general intake duties and support through the various legal systems.

ABOUT YWCA TORONTO – YWCA ARISE

YWCA Arise provides safe and secure emergency shelter for women, gender diverse people and their children who are fleeing violence. The shelter is staffed 24 hours a day and supports 8 families and one single woman. In addition to shelter, families are offered case management support and enriching group and community activities to help them deal with the trauma they have experienced and begin to establish lives that are free of violence.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Applies knowledge of the issues of trauma and the dynamics of woman abuse to develop and implement effective support strategies;
• Participates in case conferences and acts as an advocate on behalf of residents;
• Interviews, conducts preliminary assessments and identifies clients’ needs in the areas of trauma support and woman abuse;
• Uses mediation and counseling skills to maintain a co-operative, supportive and productive house environment;
• Provides information and referrals as required; liaises with professionals and agencies in the community to facilitate the access to services as required by the clients;
• Applies knowledge of legal processes to assist and link clients to relevant legal services in the areas of: immigration and refugee, family, child protection, criminal, Landlord and Tenant law counseling, and acts as a resource to staff and clients;
• Works with the women individually and/or in groups to develop improved social and living skills by assisting them to: set goals, follow through on plans, discuss alternatives and make choices and decisions;
• Develops, implements and evaluates workshops and groups that provide information about legal systems including family court, criminal court and immigration, refugee issues, as well, life skills, and trauma/woman abuse issues, and collaborates with other YWCA programs in these areas;
• Has working knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act;
• Ensures that client, workshop and program notes are accessible on designated shelter software.

QUALIFICATIONS

• In-depth knowledge of an academic discipline normally acquired through completion of a clinically supervised undergraduate degree (e.g. BSW); an analytical framework that identifies clients' relationships to social systems and the demonstrated practical application of this framework (Cases for Equivelancy will be considered);
• Knowledge of legal systems and processes pertaining to newcomers, refugees and individuals who have precarious immigration status, legal Court systems (family, child protection, criminal, immigration and refugee), legal aid assistance and the Landlord and Tenant law;
• 1 to 3 years experience in counseling and group work with clients at risk with demonstrated ability to work under pressure (with a focus on immigration and refugee issues);
• Familiarity with the Immigration and Refugee Law Act;
• Completion of workshops and courses pertaining to newcomers, refugees and individuals who are non-status;
• Knowledge of community resources and supports for marginalized women/families;
• Specialized knowledge on sponsorship and the correlation with Violence Against Women;
• A certificate in trauma response would be an asset;
• In depth knowledge of the dynamics of woman abuse and trauma required;
• Demonstrated experience in the development, delivery and evaluation of workshops and groups;
• Counselling approach that is flexible, de-escalates tension, teaches conflict resolution and is focused on success;
• Ability to deliver culturally sensitive services in a multicultural environment;
• Ability to work with an anti-oppression and feminist framework;
• Knowledge and understanding of mental health issues, advocacy, employment, child development and parenting, children’s programming and/or substance abuse issues would be an asset;
• Ability to handle crisis situations effectively both in person and by telephone;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, e-mail and the Internet;
• Ability to maintain a positive approach and a professional manner at all times;
• Knowledge of a second language an asset.

Please Note: This is a rotating shift position (day, afternoon, evening and weekend shifts).

What we offer:

• Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Coverage;
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Benefit;
• Multi-Sector Pension Plan: Employer’s contribution of 5.75% and Employee Contribution of 3.25%;
• Time off: Starts with 20 Vacation Days, 1.5 Days Per Month Sick Leave, 12 Paid Holidays, Health Promotional Days and 4 Float Days;
• Other Benefits: Child Care Benefits, Maternity/Parental Leave Supplementary Employment Benefits, Educational/Sabbatical Leave, and Financial Assistance for Professional Development.

Vaccination Policy: In accordance with YWCA Toronto’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all YWCA Toronto employees, students and volunteers are strongly encouraged to obtain all COVID-19 vaccinations and booster doses as recommended by Toronto Public Health.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply Here

Please note: A vulnerable sector police reference check is required by the successful candidate prior to hiring. YWCA Toronto is a unionized workplace. Staff are represented by CUPE Local 2189. This position is within the Bargaining Unit. Please indicate on your cover letter if you are an internal candidate. For internal applicants, this position is secondable.

YWCA Toronto promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from women and gender diverse people of all races, ethnic origins, religions, abilities and sexual orientations.

YWCA Toronto provides accommodation during all parts of the hiring process, upon request, to applicants with disabilities. If contacted, please advise us if you require any accommodation. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

YWCA Toronto is a Scent-Sensitive Workplace.