The Homelessness Society of the Bow Valley (HSBV) is seeking community-minded professionals to join us in offering our Emergency Winter Shelter program for individuals in need of a safe place to rest during the coldest months of the year.

Building a skilled, positive rapport with Shelter Guests, community partners, and other HSBV team members through empathy and care will be an essential part of the Shelter Support Worker role.

General Accountabilities:

Shelter Support Workers will welcome Shelter Guests, implement program policies and procedures, maintain a clean, safe environment, and provide Shelter Guests with referrals and information on community resources. HSBV takes a low-barrier approach and ‘meets each individual where they are at.’ Successful candidates must be a strong communicator as well as organized and empathetic.

The Emergency Winter Shelter program operates seven (7) days a week and shifts will be scheduled between the hours of 9:00 PM to 10:00 AM.

- Evening shifts will be scheduled for eight (8) hours per night (9:00 PM MST to 5:00 AM MST)
- Morning shifts will be scheduled for five (5) hours per day (5:00 AM MST to 10:00 AM MST)

Equal Opportunity

HSBV is dedicated to advancing employment equity and building a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve across the Bow Valley. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those from equity-deserving groups, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. We evaluate all candidates based on their skills, qualifications, and suitability for the role. We are committed to providing a recruitment and employment experience that is accessible and low-barrier. If you require accommodations at any stage of the hiring process, please contact Quinn, Program Manager,



via email ([email protected]).

Core Tasks:

- Facilitate Guest Building and Sleep Check-Ins & Check-Outs
- Maintain and update program databases with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Support completion of incident reports, as needed
- Confidently implement and enforce program policies, rules, and procedures
- Attend mandatory team training and meetings
- Support feedback sessions with Shelter Guests, as needed
- Participate in staff feedback sessions and regular 1-on-1s with the Program Manager
- Ensure the Shelter space is clean and maintained in accordance with public health directives
- Check and respond to phone, Facebook, and email inquiries during Shelter hours
- Refer Guests to community services and programs, as required
- Offer pre-made meals and snacks to Shelter Guests in accordance with public health directives
- Uphold HSBV’s mission, vision, and values within program delivery
- Maintain HSBV’s commitment to creating a safe, inclusive and compassionate environment for all Guests, staff, and volunteers
- General administration tasks to support program development, including but not limited to: fund development, communications, and general program development

Abilities and Experience:

- Must be able to work morning, evening, overnight, and weekend hours – Required
- Must be able to work statutory holidays – Required
- Clean criminal reference check and vulnerable sector search – Required




- Able to connect well with diverse groups of people – Required
- Reliable transportation to and from the Shelter in Canmore – Required
- First Aid & CPR – Required
- Previous experience in the social service or related field – Asset
- Knowledge of local resources available in Bow Valley – Asset
- Naloxone training – Asset
- ASIST training – Asset
- Trauma-informed & non-violent intervention training – Asset

Interpersonal Qualities:

- Confident, personable, empathetic, and approachable nature
- Comfortable working independently without direction
- Collaborates with team members
- Follows privacy and confidentiality procedures and exercises discretion and good judgment when handling sensitive information
- Effective problem-solving skills and confidence in conflict resolution
- Confident in crisis intervention and employing de-escalation techniques

What We Offer:

- End of season retention bonus (10% of hourly wage for every hour worked, paid out at the end of the shelter season)
- A lateral approach to team management that values open and honest communication
- Professional development opportunities
- A key role in providing an essential service to the Bow Valley community
- Valuable, hands-on experience in the social services sector
- Opportunity to be creative, take initiative, develop leadership skills, and be part of a growing organization dedicated to serving the community

To apply for this position, please email your cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Pay: $25.50 per hour

Application question(s):

- Do you live in the Bow Valley (Alberta, Canada)?
- Do you have access to reliable transportation to be onsite for scheduled shifts in Canmore, Alberta?

Work Location: In person

📌 Shelter Support Worker (Canada)
🏢 Homelessness Society of the Bow Valley
📍 Canada