Youth Worker, Young Men's Shelter and Transitional Housing

Location: Ottawa, Ontario

Reports to: Coordinator, Young Men’s Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing

Employment Status: Regular Part time

Bargaining Unit Status: Included, Youth Worker

Hourly Wage: $29.73 - $37.31

Language requirements: English is essential, French is essential

Bona fide occupational requirement (BFOR): N/A

Schedule: Saturday 7am-5pm; Sunday 1pm-11pm

Competition Number: 26-107

Closing Date: November 30th, 2026

Vacancy: Yes

Posting stage: Internal and external

About us:

Founded in 1960, the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) is one of the largest and most comprehensive non-profit agencies in Ottawa and a registered charity. It provides mental health services, employment programs, emergency shelter, community, health and housing services, and justice programs to youth in the Ottawa area, serving between 2,500 and 3,000 at‑risk individuals aged 12+ and their families every month. YSB employs 400 caring professionals in a unionized environment in over 26 locations across Ottawa.

Under the general direction of the Director of Community Services and the immediate supervision of the Coordinator of the Shelter, the Shelter and Transitional Housing Worker will provide low barrier and immediate access to safe shelter. Additionally, they will provide crisis and general support services while contributing to stable housing for youth in accordance with policies and directives established within YSB.

What you will do:

• Assess requests for emergency shelter and transitional housing support services according to YSB policies and procedures. Ensure alternatives referrals are provided if YSB services are not appropriate.
• Conduct intake and discharge documentation for youth accessing service.
• Work with young people to complete documents required to access affordable and or supportive housing. Documents include but are not limited to SPDAT’s, Social Housing Registry applications, Social Assistance applications, obtaining identification etc.
• Provide young people with up-to-date knowledge on housing programs and processes for accessing various types of housing. Including support in accessing these services based on individual client need.
• Provide crisis intervention and risk assessments, developing safety plans as required.
• Support young people in accessing services within and beyond YSB, providing referrals when necessary.
• Consult with the young persons and their support system involved in their care as needed or as directed. Support systems include internal or external professionals, family members or other natural supports.
• Be responsive to the young persons immediate need(s) on demand. Including but not limited to accessing their medication(s), clothing, food, transportation needs or other items as required.
• Responsible for facilitation of life skill or pro social activities or events as required or directed.
• Assist young people in creating a respectful community and providing conflict mediation or support in resolving disagreements between clients as required or directed.
• Ensure effective daily operation of the program and maintain general cleanliness of the property. General cleanliness duties include but are not limited to assisting clients clean their room or cleaning vacated rooms, packing up and storing client items left behind, emptying garbage’s etc.
• Ensure both electronic and physical client files are maintained according to YSB policies and procedures.
• Participate in all required trainings. Voluntary participation in additional trainings for continuous skill development.
• Contribute to program and service development and evaluation.
• Attend and participate in supervision and staff meetings.
• May be required to supervise students and volunteers as required.
• Act in accordance with applicable legislation. YSB’s policies and procedures as well as the collective bargaining agreement.
• Follows safe work practices as established by YSB and the program.

This opportunity may be right for you if you have:

(The qualifications are appended to the job description and are not intended to be part of the job description)

• Diploma or degree in social work or relevant field
• Two years’ experience working with youth, preferably in a residential setting
• Ability to work rotational shifts, including weekends and overnights
• Gender designation: Female at YWES and % Male at Young Men’s Shelter
• Oral & written fluency in English is essential

Additional Qualifications:

• Successful applicants will be required to provide a clear Vulnerable Sector Check obtained within the past six (6) months, as a condition of employment with YSB.
• To confirm language proficiency required for this position, successful candidates may be requested to undergo an oral and written assessment conducted by a third-party provider, arranged by YSB. Candidates must meet the minimum required linguistic profile before their employment start date.

Disclaimer:

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required.

What we offer:

• An opportunity to join a vibrant team and be part of truly meaningful and rewarding work;
• Comprehensive group health benefits for eligible employees;
• Optional pension plan from Day 1
• A team where you get to be yourself everyday and where you have the freedom to innovate;
• Overnight premium of $0.50 per hour for eligible staff working between the hours of 11:00pm-7:00am;
• Holiday pay, as determined by YSB polices and the Collective Agreement in place

Additional compensation:

• This position may qualify for overtime at 1.5 rate after 40 hours worked per week, as determined by YSB polices and the Collective Agreement in place;
• This position may qualify for on call compensation, as determined by YSB polices and the Collective Agreement in place;
• This position may qualify for emergency shift compensation at 1.5 rate, as determined by YSB polices and the Collective Agreement in place.

Please be advised that the number of overtime, on-call and emergency shift hours is not guaranteed, varies by position and is determined based on each program’s operational needs, YSB policies and Collective Agreement in place.

Join us!

If you think this vacancy is a good fit, we would love to hear from you. Please visit the career section of our website to submit your resume and one-page cover letter. Don’t just tell us what we want to hear, tell us your story and why you would make a great addition to our team.

We know applying to a job takes time and thank all candidates for their interest. While we are not able to get back to every candidate, we will ensure shortlisted applicants are aware of their status and will do our best to provide feedback if that can be helpful. Please be advised that although ADP has embedded AI functions YSB does not use this AI function to make hiring decisions. All recruitment decisions including the screening of applications are made by our hiring team, who review each application with care and consideration. We value the individuality and potential of each applicant and strive to create an inclusive hiring experience. If you have any questions about our recruitment practices, we encourage you to reach out to our Talent Acquisition Coordinator.

At YSB, we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from the LGBTQ community and/or people with intersectional identities. Accommodation will be made available for applicants with a disability throughout the hiring process, kindly make your needs known in advance.

All interested candidates are encouraged to apply. In the event a qualified candidate is not found, candidates that do not meet the qualifications indicated on the posting may be considered. Qualified candidates may be contacted at any time throughout the application window, upon the closing date.