Job Posting: Outreach & Education Advisor
Contract type: Full-time
Start date: February 2025
Location: York Region and the Greater Toronto Area. This is a hybrid role with staff splitting their time working remotely from home, and on-site in neighbourhoods and partner organization sites across York Region.
Closing date: January 13, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Hours of work: Flexible. Some evening and weekend hours will be required.
Salary: $60,000 – $65,000
Benefits: A generous benefits package will be made available following the end of the three-month probationary period, which includes health and dental benefits, AD&D, long-term disability and life insurance. Group and individual professional development opportunities are also provided to staff.
Paid time off: Four weeks (20 days) of paid vacation and 10 paid sick days per year. CCHR also typically closes between Christmas and New Year’s Day, providing additional paid days off.
About CCHR
CCHR is one of Canada’s oldest charities working to advance the right to adequate housing. Founded in 1987, CCHR has worked tirelessly for over 37 years at the intersection of human rights and housing and is one of Canada’s leading NGOs working in the area of social and economic rights. CCHR works to advance the right to adequate housing by:
- Serving clients to help them stay housed: CCHR provides free services to tenants facing eviction and human rights violations in their housing, and we are experts in these fields. Each year we provide services to over a thousand tenants and we are highly effective in ensuring that some of the most vulnerable Ontario renters remain in their homes.
- Providing education and training about housing rights: CCHR provides public education and training on housing rights and human rights in housing to diverse groups across Ontario, reaching approximately 4,000 people annually. We work with community partners to train individuals and communities about their housing rights and how to assert them, and we engage with landlords to educate them about their obligations as housing providers.
- Advancing rights-based housing solutions: CCHR advances rights-based housing solutions through research, policy development, advocacy and law reform. Notable achievements include setting a legal precedent preventing landlords from discriminating against renters who receive social assistance, launching a constitutional challenge against the federal government for failing to take action against homelessness, and coordinating the Right to Housing Toronto Network (R2HTO).
Working at CCHR
CCHR is a collaborative and cross-functional team of about 30 motivated professionals working across Canada, linked by our commitment to advancing the right to housing.
Over the past three years the organization has grown fivefold, expanded our work nationally, and developed innovative ways to engage communities, individuals and organizations to support rights-based housing solutions. CCHR launched our 2024-27 Strategic Plan in October, with a goal of tackling Canada’s housing affordability crisis through initiatives that promote affordability, equality and security of tenure across the country. CCHR’s five functional teams (Services; Education; Policy and Law Reform; Research; Communications) work collaboratively in service of advancing our mission.
CCHR’s head office is located at the Centre for Social Innovation (Spadina location), an exciting, shared workspace that houses 250 non-profits and social innovators in downtown Toronto. It is accessible by transit and offers substantial opportunities to network with like-minded people and participate in a mission-driven, innovative community through various events both in person and virtually. CCHR’s team works primarily remotely, and our office offers several workstations which are available to staff who would like to work from the office on a part-time or occasional basis or who are visiting Toronto from their home region.
About the role
We are seeking a motivated and committed professional with experience in community outreach public education, and experience in advancing the human right to housing. In this role, you will contribute to an innovative program in York Region, which aims to bring legal education and services into communities through direct neighbourhood outreach.
The ideal candidate has experience providing public legal education, community outreach and engagement, working directly with low-income and equity deserving communities, and experience working in a housing-related role. The ability to juggle multiple responsibilities under tight timelines is essential. If you are a self-starter with demonstrated experience in successfully navigating multi-stakeholder environments, using a client-centred, trauma-informed approach to working with community members, and cultivating respectful relationships with stakeholders, this could be the right role for you.
Responsibilities include:
- Travel to various locations across York Region to deliver educational and capacity-building trainings to a variety of audiences, focused on promoting understanding of housing law, renters’ rights, human rights and the right to housing.
- Support the development and delivery of innovative educational materials and programming with the objective of ensuring renters understand and can assert their housing rights, service providers and peer supporters can support them in doing so, and housing providers can understand and promote rights-based housing.
- Support the development of responsive and accessible materials for renters through reference to relevant laws, regulations, best practices and needs of the partners.
- Conduct door-to-door in-person outreach in priority neighbourhoods throughout York Region to share information about housing rights and community and social services and programs available to renters facing eviction and housing issues.
- Provide legal information related to the eviction process, eviction prevention, housing and human rights law, and system navigation in-person at sites and events across York Region, over the phone and via online channels.
- Identify gaps in the broader services system across the GTA, York Region and Ontario, highlighting issue patterns and sharing feedback about the challenges experienced by program participants with CCHR’s research and advocacy team.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with renter groups and other community groups, regularly consulting with them.
- Support the development, planning, delivery, implementation and evaluation of the program.
- Undertake other activities in support of the program, department, and organization as a whole.
Qualifications
- At least 3 years' experience in public education and outreach, preferably working on housing related initiatives and/or providing services to low-income and equity deserving communities in Ontario.
- Strong understanding of the housing and social services sectors in York Region and Ontario and the barriers facing equity-seeking groups in housing.
- Demonstrated ability to problem solve, facilitate resolutions and mediate conflict.
- Experience preparing and facilitating workshops, education sessions and/or presentations.
- Experience keeping accurate records and files and working with a data management system.
- Strong time management including experience managing multiple competing priorities under tight timelines.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and familiarity with legal case management software such as Practice Panther.
- Ability to serve clients in languages other than English is an asset.
- Experience delivering public legal education on housing and working with the Residential Tenancies Act is an asset.
- A valid Ontario driver’s licence and access to a vehicle is necessary to facilitate travel throughout York Region
Skills and attributes
- Enthusiasm for working directly with communities to drive positive change and better housing outcomes.
- Ability to multi-task, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and adapt quickly to change.
- Ability to work accurately under pressure with attention to detail and deadlines, and with minimal supervision.
- Sensitivity to the lived experiences of communities, groups and individuals that are facing housing insecurity.
- Flexibility to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple and sometimes shifting priorities.
- Strong strategic thinking skills, diplomacy, discretion, tact and good judgement.
We recognize and value the unique perspective that people with lived experience of poverty and/or precarious housing bring in addition to the qualifications listed above.
To apply for this job
Applications should include a resume and cover letter in one PDF document submitted by email to opportunities@housingrightscanada.com with the subject line: Application – Outreach & Education Advisor.
At CCHR, we believe that a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve strengthens our ability to achieve our mission. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, and with a range of life experiences to apply.
We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility For Ontarians With Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We will provide accommodation during the hiring process upon request and information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.
We thank all applicants for their interest.
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone enquiries please.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $60,000.00-$65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care
- Work from home
Flexible language requirement:
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed
Application question(s):
- Do you have at least 3 years' experience in public education and outreach, preferably working on housing related initiatives and/or providing services to low-income and equity deserving communities in Ontario?
- Do you have a valid Ontario driver’s license and access to a vehicle ?
- Do you have experience preparing and facilitating workshops, education sessions and/or presentations?
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Toronto, ON M5T 2C2
Application deadline: 2025-01-13
Expected start date: 2025-02-24
