Are you considering a career in Human Services? Here is your challenge: Are you able to support individuals to reach their full potential? Are you able to set boundaries and provide structure in the lives of our residents? Can you provide Christian leadership and counsel? Are you able to develop support plans and create good relationships with parents and relatives? Do you see yourself serving as a Christian in this calling?
In our establishments, we aim to have a home-like atmosphere. It is important to remember that it is the residents’ home, and the staff is there to support them. Staff assists them in tasks such as cooking and cleaning, with their abilities constantly in mind. Staff shares mealtimes and coffee breaks with the residents and joins them when attending church. Staff is a role model, not a parent or friend. They need to be caring, supportive and loving. Residents may have behavioural outbursts, and staff will need to stay calm, understand their needs, show respect and be professional.
In our homes we acknowledge that staff and residents alike are brothers and sisters in the Lord and are guided by the Word of God in all their actions.
In practical terms, our homes aim for a staff ratio of 1:4. Our larger homes have two day staff and two night staff. The day shift is 10 hours long and the night shift is 14 hours, the latter including a good portion of sleep.
We appreciate staff who are able to keep the residents occupied with meaningful activites. Some of the residents cannot find employment and prolonged staring at a television or computer screen is not something we promote.
As a small organization the staffing opportunities are limited to Support Worker, Team Leader, Home Manager and Executive Director.
Qualifications
Anchor Christian Homes (Anchor) is committed to hire and maintain qualified staff. Staff must be a communicant member of a Canadian Reformed Church, United Reformed Church, or sister church. A prerequisite for the position is a profound interest in and desire to work with persons who have a disability.
Furthermore staff must:
- Have attained the minimum age of 18
- Have done profession of faith in a Reformed Christian Church
- Have valid CPR and First Aid certification
- Have a valid driver’s license and drivers abstract
- Have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check
- Be physically and mentally fit
- Be willing to abide by all personnel policies
Acceptable Field of Study
- Personal Support Worker
- Developmental Service Worker
- Educational Assistant
- Social Service Worker
Anchor is dedicated to assist applicants and current employees with reasonable accommodations as required to compensate for temporary or permanent disabilities. These accommodations must not interfere with the regular duties of employment as set out in the Employee Handbook.
Regular duties in a group home will involve physical and mental demands on a daily basis and include:
- Frequent bending, stooping, lifting and reaching
- Performing general housekeeping duties
- Providing supervision of residents who have developmental and physical disabilities, at times resulting in outbursts and aggressive behaviour
Accommodation will be provided upon request, and a tailored plan can be drawn up in cooperation with, the successful candidate. The need for accommodation can be provided on our Application Form or can be discussed in person during a job interview. Where needed, workplace information will be provided in accessible format upon request.
On occasion we accept applicants who have not completed their studies but are willing to upgrade while employed by the association. As minimum requirement a grade 12 diploma is required. Persons with experience and/or demonstrated ability to work with individuals who have a disability will be considered for a position even though they have not attained the desired educational standards.
Other experience and educational qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We value programs which include courses in counseling, developmental disabilities, aging, employment, behaviour intervention, leisure time, program planning and the like. These programs are very helpful to us as we interact mostly with individuals who need support in daily living skills.
Our pay grid is based on years of experience and training.
Please send a resume to Head Office at executivedirector@anchorchristianhomes.ca and ask for our Application Form, which can be mailed or emailed to you.