Security Guard Temp Part-Time

HAMILTON URBAN CORE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE

Strong Core Healthier Lives

Job Type: Temporary Part-Time (0.4 FTE) (18 Month Contract)

Position Type: On-Site

Hiring Range: $19.14 - $22.79 per hour

Position Description

The Safety Support Worker – Substance Use Health, plays a critical role in maintaining a safe, secure, welcoming, and supportive environment for residents, clients, staff, and visitors across the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre Facilities.

The Safety Support Worker is responsible for maintaining a consistent and visible safety presence, monitoring the interior and exterior environment, supporting resident safety and client flow, conducting scheduled perimeter and facility check, responding to safety and security concerns, and promptly identifying and escalating concerns to appropriate clinical, supervisory, or emergency personnel.

The Safety Support Worker works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams and applies trauma-informed, non-violent, harm-reduction-informed, and respectful approaches to conflict prevention, de-escalation, and crisis response. The position contributes to a client-centred, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment while maintaining appropriate safety and security boundaries.

Working within an anti-racism, anti-oppression, and culturally safe framework, the Safety Support Worker recognizes the diverse lived experiences of individuals impacted by substance use, mental health concerns, poverty, homelessness, trauma, and other systemic barriers. The Safety Support Worker is expected to establish respectful rapport with residents and clients, recognize changes in behaviour or presentation that may indicate a safety concern, and seek appropriate support from clinical or supervisory staff when required. The position does not replace or assume the responsibilities of regulated health professionals or clinical staff.

Accountability

The Safety Support Worker reports to the Substance Use Health Manager, with overall accountability to the Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities

Security, Safety and Environmental Monitoring:

• Maintain a consistent, visible, professional, and welcoming safety presence throughout the facility.
• Patrol interior and exterior areas to deter theft, vandalism, unauthorized access, disruptive behaviour, and other safety or security concerns.
• Monitor surveillance systems, alarm panels, access points, and designated areas to maintain awareness of security conditions.
• Conduct regular safety inspections of doors, windows, emergency exits, restricted areas, and other identified safety-sensitive locations.
• Identify and report safety hazards, environmental concerns, equipment failures, suspicious activity, or unusual observations to the appropriate personnel.
• Enforce organizational safety protocols, including emergency preparedness, fire safety, infection prevention and control, smoking restrictions, visitor access, and other applicable procedures.
• Support evacuation drills, lockdowns, emergency response procedures, and other organizational safety initiatives.
• Collaborate with police, EMS, fire services, and other emergency responders when required.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise appropriate discretion when responding to safety, security, or resident-related matters

Outdoor Perimeter Checks:

• Conduct outdoor perimeter checks at 20-minute intervals, or at another frequency directed by the organization based on operational or safety requirements.
• Monitor the exterior perimeter, entrances, exits, parking areas, surrounding grounds, and designated outdoor areas for safety, security, environmental, or client-related concerns.
• Monitor and support appropriate client flow around the facility while maintaining a welcoming and respectful approach.
• Identify and respond to concerns involving unauthorized access, loitering, disruptive behaviour, hazards, prohibited activities, or other conditions that may affect the safety of residents, staff, clients, or visitors.
• Support the maintenance of designated smoke-free areas and report non-compliance in accordance with organizational procedures.
• Identify and report discarded materials, sharps, drug paraphernalia, garbage, bodily fluids, or other environmental hazards in accordance with established safety procedures.
• Where appropriate and within training and organizational protocols, support outdoor clean-up and environmental safety activities.
• Document each 20-minute perimeter check in the designated log, including the time of the check and all relevant observations, concerns, actions taken, and follow-up required.

Internal Facility Checks:

• Conduct scheduled and regular checks throughout the Residential Treatment and Recovery Facility, including resident common areas, hallways, entrances, exits, and other designated areas.
• Monitor the environment for safety concerns, unauthorized access, prohibited substances or items, hazards, damage, unusual activity, or other concerns requiring follow-up.
• Conduct checks in a manner that respects resident dignity, privacy, trauma-informed practice, and established program procedures.
• Complete all required internal facility check documentation, including relevant observations, concerns, actions taken, and notifications made.
• Immediately escalate urgent or significant safety concerns to the appropriate clinical, supervisory, or emergency personnel.
• Ensure identified concerns are appropriately communicated during shift handover and documented for follow-up.

Resident Safety and Support:

• Manage resident sign-in and sign-out procedures in accordance with program guidelines, access requirements, and established curfews.
• Monitor and control access to the Residential Treatment and Recovery Facility, ensuring that only authorized individuals enter the facility.
• Support resident safety through scheduled wellness and security checks.
• Observe residents for changes in behaviour, presentation, or circumstances that may indicate a safety concern and promptly communicate concerns to appropriate clinical or supervisory staff.
• Provide practical, non-clinical safety support to residents and staff within the scope of the position and organizational procedures.
• Support residents and staff during difficult or escalating situations using calm, respectful, trauma-informed, and non-violent approaches.
• Support a welcoming environment by interacting with residents and visitors professionally, respectfully, and without judgment.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and respect resident confidentiality and dignity.

Safety Support Duties:

• Spporting safe and orderly resident and visitor flow throughout the facility.
• Maintaining awareness of activity within and around the facility and identifying emerging safety concerns at an early stage.
• Providing an early response to situations requiring de-escalation and seeking assistance from clinical or supervisory staff when required.
• Supporting staff during behavioural escalations, crises, medical emergencies, and other situations affecting safety.
• Recognizing potential signs of substance-related distress, mental health crisis, trauma response, or other changes in presentation and promptly notifying appropriate clinical staff.
• Supporting staff in maintaining a safe environment during overdose, medical, behavioural, or other emergencies, within the Security Guard's training, certification, and scope of practice.
• Supporting access and movement through designated areas in accordance with program guidelines and individualized access restrictions where applicable.
• Assisting with maintaining safe, clean, and accessible common areas and exterior spaces.
• Supporting the implementation of safety plans, access restrictions, or other organizational safety measures as directed by authorized staff.
• Communicating relevant observations and concerns to the interdisciplinary team to support continuity of care and safety.
• Working collaboratively with clinical, peer, administrative, and operational staff to support a coordinated response to safety concerns.

Crisis Response and De-escalation:

• Respond promptly to security incidents, behavioural escalations, medical emergencies, fire alarms, and other emergency situations.
• Apply de-escalation, conflict resolution, trauma-informed, and non-violent approaches appropriate to the circumstances.
• Attempt to prevent escalation through early identification of concerns, respectful communication, and timely engagement of appropriate staff.
• Support staff during crisis situations while maintaining personal safety and the safety of residents, clients, visitors, and colleagues.
• Administer first aid, CPR, naloxone, oxygen, or other emergency interventions only where appropriately trained, certified, authorized, and within the scope of the position and organizational protocols.
• Contact emergency services when required and provide relevant information to responding personnel.
• Follow established procedures for medical emergencies, overdose response, fire, evacuation, lockdowns, missing residents, unauthorized access, and other critical incidents.

Access, Visitors and Prohibited Items:

• Enforce organizational policies regarding visitor access, smoking, prohibited substances, unauthorized devices, restricted areas, and other facility requirements.
• Monitor and control access to the facility in accordance with established procedures.
• Conduct room, common-area, or other checks for contraband or unauthorized substances only in accordance with organizational policy, resident rights, applicable legislation, and established procedures.
• Respond to suspected possession or use of prohibited substances or items in a respectful, trauma-informed, and policy-aligned manner.
• Escort unauthorized individuals from the premises using respectful, proportionate, and policy-aligned approaches.
• Document significant access violations, prohibited items, behavioural concerns, or restrictions and communicate them to the appropriate staff.

Documentation and Communication:

• Accurately complete daily security logs and all required incident reports.
• Maintain accurate documentation of:
  • 20-minute outdoor perimeter checks;
  • internal facility checks;
  • resident sign-in/sign-out activity;
  • wellness and safety checks;
  • incidents and emergencies;
  • safety hazards;
  • unusual observations;
  • interventions and actions taken;
  • notifications and escalations; and
  • required follow-up.
• Ensure documentation is factual, objective, timely, and consistent with organizational standards.
• Communicate relevant information during shift handovers to support continuity and safety.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure records are handled in accordance with organizational policies and applicable privacy requirements.

Team Collaboration:

• Work collaboratively with clinical, operational, administrative, peer, and other interdisciplinary staff.
• Support staff in managing difficult client, resident, or visitor interactions.
• Attend staff meetings, safety briefings, case or operational meetings where appropriate, and mandatory training sessions.
• Participate in emergency preparedness, safety planning, drills, and continuous quality improvement activities.
• Maintain effective communication with internal teams and external emergency or community partners when required.

Qualifications:

• Valid Ontario Security Guard Licence required.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant security experience; experience in healthcare, residential treatment, shelter, community health, harm reduction, recovery, or other high-risk service environments preferred.
• Valid Use of Force Certification, where required for the position.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification required.
• Current and satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Police Check required.
• Training and/or demonstrated experience in de-escalation, crisis intervention, conflict
• resolution, trauma-informed practice, and non-violent intervention.
• Demonstrated ability to work respectfully with individuals who may be experiencing substance use, mental health challenges, homelessness, trauma, or other complex social circumstances.
• Knowledge and understanding of harm reduction principles and approaches is an asset.
• Experience responding to or supporting overdose prevention and response is an asset.
• Naloxone and/or oxygen administration training is an asset, where applicable to the position.
• Strong observational, interpersonal, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to recognize emerging safety concerns and respond appropriately within the scope of the position.
• Ability to remain calm, professional, respectful, and non-judgmental in high-pressure or unpredictable situations.
• Knowledge of emergency response, fire safety, occupational health and safety, and applicable organizational procedures.
• Ability to work independently while also functioning effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-Black racism, anti-racism, anti-oppression, anti-discrimination, equity, health equity, and culturally grounded approaches.
• Experience working in a community health centre, drop-in, shelter, outreach, residential treatment, recovery, or other community-based setting is an asset.
• Ability to establish respectful and professional rapport with diverse populations.
• Must be available to work flexible shifts, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and overnight shifts as required.
• Must be available to work rotational schedules and extended shifts as required.
• Schedules are subject to change based on operational and service requirements.

Core Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Safety awareness: Maintains continuous awareness of the physical environment, resident needs, and emerging risks.
• Early intervention: Recognizes and responds to concerns before they escalate whenever possible.
• De-escalation: Uses calm, respectful, trauma-informed, and non-violent approaches.
• Client-centred practice: Maintains dignity, respect, and professionalism when interacting with residents, clients, visitors, and staff.
• Harm reduction awareness: Understands the importance of non-judgmental engagement and safety-focused responses to substance use.
• Team collaboration: Works effectively with interdisciplinary teams and seeks clinical or supervisory support when appropriate.
• Documentation: Maintains accurate, timely, objective, and complete records.
• Reliability and accountability: Completes scheduled checks, follows established procedures, and communicates concerns appropriately.
• Professional judgment: Understands the boundaries of the Security Guard role and appropriately escalates matters outside the position's scope of practice.
• Communication: Communicates clearly and respectfully with residents, staff, visitors, emergency responders, and community partners
• Must be available for flexible scheduling, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and overnight shifts as required.

Schedule:

• Day Shift: 6:00 am to 2:00 pm
• Afternoon Shift: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm
• Night Shift: 10:00 pm to 6:00 am

Benefits:

• 4% of Vacation and Benefits
• Company Events
• Company Pension
• On-Site Parking
• Employee Assistance Program

Hamilton Urban Core is committed to equity in employment.

While we appreciate every application only those selected for an interview will be contacted.