Be part of our inspiring mission-driven team at Squamish Helping Hands Society.
We are a registered charity operating in the Sea to Sky region, based in Squamish. We believe in being part of a community where everyone matters, and where housing and access to food are human rights.
Ultimately, we want to create “a safe and healthy community for all”. We feel we can only do that by meeting people where they are and helping them to create capacity building plans for themselves leading them to where they want to go. We are a community where we believe that everyone has something to contribute, and that consequences help inform our choices.
This position is open internally to all staff and externally. Hiring will be evaluated in accordance with the Collective Agreement. Qualified internal candidates shall be considered and interviewed prior to external candidates.
Squamish Helping Hands Society is an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting an inclusive workforce that reflects the community we serve. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous applicants, all genders, nationalities, and persons with disabilities.
This position requires membership in the Union.
Interested individuals should apply by providing a resume and cover letter to SHHS HR Team at [email protected] quoting the Posting No. “2026 – 30” and the Position “Participant Support Worker - Casual”. We thank and acknowledge all applicants and will proactively contact those selected for an interview.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under One Roof is a community hub that aims to build a sense of Wellness, Community, and Purpose for people in Squamish. It’s more than just supportive housing, it’s a community food hub, a volunteer hub, a wellness hub and a central access point for supports and services.
Located in downtown Squamish at Third and Main Streets, the 44-unit facility is a collaboration between BC Housing, the District of Squamish and Squamish Helping Hands Society. The first floor is truly a place of connection, containing a full commercial kitchen, dining room, and food market. Designed for food rescue and repurposing, the community hub aims to provide more nutritious food to community members while also reducing waste.
Under One Roof helps to meet the need for truly affordable housing in our community. But it is so much more. The vision is based on a Housing First approach which means that substance use and mental illness are not an impediment to receiving housing. We view housing as a human right. The supportive housing model means that we provide 24-hour onsite staffing and programs and services that are based on individual needs, addressing all aspects of wellness. Housing alone is not always enough to help individuals improve their wellness. Our trauma-informed approach seeks to understand how trauma impacts the brain and a person’s emotions and coping abilities. Understanding the trauma experienced by those we help means we adapt the ways in which we engage and support healing.
Squamish Helping Hands Society is a registered charity providing food, shelter and support services to individuals and families in the Sea to Sky region who are living with or threatened by homelessness. We believe in being part of a community where everyone matters, and no one should have to make a choice between food and shelter.
We take a collaborative approach to building community solutions that assist our clients in their transition from homelessness to housed. Our team members support our values of respect, dignity, equality, diversity, and mutual contribution.
SUMMARY OF POSITION
Participant Support Workers at Squamish Helping Hands Society form the core team that provides support, information, crisis intervention, and ensures the safety of program participants. Participant Support Workers employ best practices to reduce harm associated with substance use and engage with individuals to inform, refer, and support participants. Workers use a non-judgmental trauma-informed approach to enhance the knowledge, skills, resources, and supports for individuals to be safer and healthier.
The Participant Support Worker reports to the Housing Manager or designate, and works in accordance with the mission, values, philosophy, and policies of Squamish Helping Hands Society.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities:
- Participate as a team member, follow employee guidelines, policies and procedures and communicate effectively with clients, volunteers, and staff.
- Attend meetings and required training.
- Perform a variety of cleaning and disinfection duties such as sweeping and mopping floors, cleaning washrooms, dusting, wiping, garbage removal, recycling, doing laundry, and various other tasks.
- Perform a variety of duties related to donations of food, clothing and other materials including accepting, organizing, cleaning, distributing and record keeping.
- Perform intake interviews with clients, deliver guidelines and policies to clients, record daily statistics and update shelter stay lists.
- Observe clients, volunteers, staff and guests to ensure a safe environment by performing duties such as reporting unsafe conditions, incidents and/or behaviours; site monitoring (including regular perimeter walks); dealing with emergencies.
- Support clients with referrals, donated goods, community information, and shelter services.
- Maintain confidentiality of clients, volunteers, and staff.
- Follow specific shift “To-Do-lists”.
- Record shift summary in communication book – highlighting need to know information, events, and incidents.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Skills and Abilities:
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team environment.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
- Demonstrated ability to work and communicate using a computer.
- Demonstrated physical and mental ability to perform the duties of the job.
- Demonstrated experience working with disadvantaged adults who are experiencing homelessness, addiction, mental health or other barriers to independence.
- Demonstrated ability to be open-minded and non-judgmental.
- Demonstrated ability to take direction from others.
- Demonstrated ability to understand and maintain appropriate workplace boundaries.
- Demonstrated ability to work with others effectively.
Qualifications:
- Diploma in related human / social service field.
- One-year recent related experience.
- Current certification in First Aid/CPR.
Working with us you can enjoy:
- An amazing, friendly, and emotionally intelligent team.
- A great community – Squamish is for the adventurous.
- Free meals on site.
- Casual dress policy.
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: From $27.53 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking
Education:
Experience:
- working with homeless and at-risk individuals: 1 year (required)
Language:
Licence/Certification:
Location:
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
