Community Support Liaison - Downtown Kingston B.IA

The Downtown Kingston Welcoming Streets Program plays a vital role in the downtown core, addressing concerns raised by business owners and the public related to individuals experiencing housing instability and those facing mental health and/or substance use challenges. Welcoming Streets is a multi-agency collaboration, including AMHS-KFLA and their Downtown Kingston Street Outreach Representative, which helps ensure coordinated and comprehensive support for vulnerable community members.

The primary objective of the Community Support Liaison is to establish genuine, positive relationships with business owners, residents, and visitors, as well as with community members experiencing vulnerable circumstances. In this role, the Liaison also acts as a link, collaborating with social service partners, bylaw officers, and Kingston Police Services to ensure appropriate and coordinated support.

This position requires the ability to build trusting and meaningful connections with individuals who may be experiencing complex challenges, along with experience supporting those affected by housing instability, substance use, and mental health concerns.

As a bridge to essential services, the Community Support Liaison maintains strong, collaborative relationships with community supports to help ensure individuals can access appropriate services and resources, contributing to improved stability and overall well-being.

Relevant Job Details:

• Hours of Work: 16hrs/week, Monday-Friday 12pm-4pm (With ability to be flexible)
• Job Status: Permanent Part-Time (based on funding)
• Reports to: Welcoming Streets Supervisor

Goals of the Welcoming Streets Program:

• Address downtown concerns: Focus on the downtown Kingston core and respond to concerns related to individuals experiencing housing instability, as identified by businesses and the public.
• Foster relationships and trust: Build positive relationships with businesses, residents, visitors, service providers, and develop trust with vulnerable individuals through consistent, proactive engagement.
• Support businesses: Enhance the capacity of local businesses by responding to concerns with empathy, confidence, and appropriate strategies.
• Provide appropriate, non-emergency response: Respond to situations that do not require police intervention, contributing to a safer and more inclusive community.
• Coordinate care and connections: Collaborate with service providers using a person-centered approach to safely engage individuals and connect them with appropriate supports, including involving emergency services when necessary.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Relevant post-secondary education including a college diploma in a health care or social service discipline
• Minimum two years relevant experience providing services to individuals who use substances, live with a serious mental illness and/or are homeless
• Ability to work flexible hours

Assets:

• Lived experience with addiction and/or serious mental health illness
• Experience of having responded to an overdose, preferred
• Certification in First Aid and CPR
• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI)

Breakdown of Responsibilities:

• Outreach Work (50%) – Conduct on-foot outreach throughout the downtown core, including parks, streets, waterside areas, businesses, libraries, and community agencies. Requires extensive walking and mobility to engage with the community effectively.
• Interaction with Individuals and Businesses (30%) – Engage with community members and local businesses, providing support, guidance, resources and education as needed. Build trust and positive relationships through consistent, person-centered interaction.
• Office Work (20%) – Complete documentation, data entry, and administrative tasks in a shared office setting. The office is accessible via stairs and elevator and provides a well-lit, ventilated workspace.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Community Engagement & Relationship Building: Ability to build and maintain positive, trusting relationships with business owners, residents, visitors, service providers, and individuals experiencing housing instability or facing mental health and/or substance use challenges.
• Outreach & Support Skills: Experience engaging with vulnerable individuals using a person-centered, community-based approach; capable of providing guidance, advocacy, and connecting individuals to appropriate services and supports.
• Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal and face-to-face communication skills, including active listening, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and the ability to navigate challenging conversations with empathy and professionalism.
• Business Support & Collaboration: Ability to inform and support local businesses on best practices, resources, and program objectives; collaborate effectively with community partners, bylaw officers, and emergency services.
• Administration & Documentation: Skilled in documenting outreach contacts, completing incident reports, entering data, and preparing daily reports while maintaining confidentiality and adherence to organizational policies.
• Program Awareness & Contribution: Understanding of the Welcoming Streets program and related services; able to provide input for program improvement, contribute to communication materials, and participate in quality improvement activities.
• Physical & Emotional Resilience: Ability to maintain a high level of physical activity, manage workload effectively, set healthy boundaries, prioritize self-care, and maintain a positive outlook while working in challenging environments
• Training & Professional Development: Commitment to ongoing learning and participation in mandatory and relevant training to stay current with best practices and enhance service delivery.

How to Apply:

Please send your job application to the following email id Welcome@downtownkingston.ca

Personal information and any supporting material provided by applicants will be handled in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). We appreciate all individuals who apply for the position, but please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

The Downtown Kingston BIA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering inclusivity and implementing barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. We will accommodate the needs of applicants in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) at every stage of the recruitment and selection process. If you require any accommodation to ensure your accessibility needs are met during this process, please let us know.