Indigenous Support Coordinator

Description:

Reporting to the Manager, Indigenous Engagement, the Indigenous Support Coordinator is a champion for Indigenous families, providing culturally sensitive support for those accessing The Inn’s programs. Key responsibilities include assessing families' needs, facilitating connections to Indigenous resources and services, integrating traditional knowledge into program practices, and leading cultural activities to strengthen families' connections to their culture and identity.

The Indigenous Support Coordinator plays a vital role in advocating for Indigenous families, fostering community relationships, and contributing to the organization's mission of providing comprehensive supports that honour diverse cultural perspectives and unique life experiences for families.

What You’ll Do

 Indigenous Family Support
Meet with Indigenous families accessing programs at Inn from the Cold to assess their needs and provide culturally sensitive support, including navigation of Indigenous systems and connection to resources.
Collaborate with the Shelter and Housing teams to support the needs of Indigenous families from an Indigenous and culturally sensitive lens.
Actively promote Indigenous resiliency and well-being and integrate traditional knowledge and ways of knowing into daily program practices and service delivery, providing guidance and mentorship to families and staff as needed.
Develop rapport and model healthy professional relationships and boundaries with families and colleagues.
Integrate various roles, including coaching, mentoring, liaising, advocating, providing resources, and facilitating to effectively support Indigenous families
Cultural Support and Program Delivery
Facilitate direct connection to Elders, Knowledge Keepers and ceremonies for Indigenous families.
Coordinate, plan, and facilitate weekly cultural activities to help families strengthen their connection to culture.
Facilitate daily smudge on 3rd floor shelter space for families.
Coordinate and provide all cultural supplies, including tobacco, cloth and traditional medicines to INN families.
Coordinate and prepare honorariums and gifts for Elders and Knowledge Keepers
Connect with Cultural Facilitators to deliver programming and offer workshops to support the engagement of families with programming.
Contribute to the planning of gatherings for families and the community at large.
Facilitate weekly smudge for staff.
Documentation
Complete and maintain accurate documentation regarding families using a variety of systems (HOMES, Program Drive, HMIS).
Ensure all appropriate referral documentation is complete, including relevant tracking sheets.
Collect and maintain data for reporting purposes.
Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
Organizational Commitment
Maintain and build strong interpersonal relationships with coworkers and supervisors to build a team that collaborates to support families.
Be a champion for Indigenous families and services as a team member of Inn from the Cold.
Support team curiosity, learning and engagement with Indigenous culture and ceremony and provide opportunities for staff to develop and enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding of Indigenous cultures and histories.
Participate in organizational activities, including supervision, employee engagement activities, team meetings, town halls, and team building.
Participate in professional development opportunities.
Practice reflective of Inn from the Cold vision, mission and core values.
Participate in development opportunities.

This position description reflects the general duties of the position, but it is not intended to be a detailed description of all duties that may be inherent in the position. The Indigenous Support Coordinator will be asked to perform other duties as required or assigned.

What You Bring to Our Mission

While all qualified candidates will be considered, priority will be given to Indigenous candidates.
A combination of relevant education and experience working with Indigenous families in the human services sector.
Knowledge of, and willingness to engage in Indigenous cultural traditions.
Experience working with Indigenous people, communities and organizations and a strong network of relationships in the Indigenous community.
Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous cultures, histories, and issues.
Current First Aid/ CPR training is an asset
Police check and Child Intervention check required for employment.
Adhere at all times to The Inn’s Policies, Procedures and Code of Conduct.
Complete all required training as assigned, such as Indigenous Awareness, Brain Story, conflict de-escalation, harm reduction, etc.
Flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, or holidays to deliver programming

What We Offer

We provide people with meaningful work and are committed to offering equitable benefits and total compensation to all staff, including:
Competitive salary, where all employees are paid a living wage at minimum
Focus on health and wellbeing, including access to employer paid extended health benefits, dental benefits, annual health spending account and employer matched RRSP contributions
Commitment to your mental wellbeing with free and confidential support through the Employee & Family Assistance Program
Work life balance, including paid vacation starting at three weeks, wellness days, and 12 paid statutory holidays
Supportive and flexible work environment, with ongoing training and development opportunities
Potlucks, celebrations, employee engagement initiatives and plenty of fun
Strong commitment to advancing reconciliation, aligning with the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Recognition that people are a combination of many intersecting identities; we work to cultivate an environment that welcomes the whole person and harnesses the strength in diversity, creating a rich and inclusive workplace