The Working Centre is a dynamic community-based organization organized under four key hubs

- Work and Livelihood
- St. John’s Kitchen and Outreach
- Housing and Shelter, and
- Community Tools and Enterprise

Projects range from: employment supports and financial problem solving; an integrated response to homelessness and substance use including a community kitchen hub, medical and mental health supports, street and encampment outreach; a growing network of affordable and supportive housing and shelters; community enterprise projects including cafes, a bicycle recycling shop, a computer recycling shop, a housewares and furniture thrift store.

For the past 40+ years, we have been a gathering of people who are working together intentionally and thoughtfully, responding to the work of community building, thinking creatively, involving people in the work, and keeping our work as non-bureaucratic and responsive as we can. As a living systems organization, our practices and approaches have the openness to evolve, depend on cooperation, responsiveness and hospitality, and cultivate the kind of diversity that makes us hold together as a strong web.

JOB SUMMARY

The Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse will work as part of dynamic, multi-disciplinary team to offer clinical services including social support, health care and harm reduction services to people who are experiencing homelessness, mental health concerns and substance use challenges. This role works with the Specialized Outreach Services team and with the St. John’s Clinic.

Specialized Outreach Services: SOS is an integrated team of professionals that offer flexible outreach supports to individuals experiencing homelessness or street-involved individuals with substance use, mental health, or concurrent issues by providing supportive nursing, counselling and support coordination, connections to primary care, and connection to other community services. SOS works from non-judgmental perspective with a commitment to relationship-based work to bring clinical services to the streets, shelters and encampments.

St. John’s Clinic: This Social Medicine clinic at 97 Victoria is linked to both St. John’s Kitchen and the onsite housing.



The Clinic works through relationships formed through outreach, bringing a full spectrum of health care providers to one location, and ensures critical health issues are treated in a timely way.

Our teams are flexible and adaptive and work from the perspective of unconditional positive regard to meet people where they are at. We provide flexible, low-barrier access to medical, mental health and substance use supports. We are committed to a trauma-informed, person-centered and harm reduction approach. We work holistically to address social determinants of health by providing access to medical, mental health and addiction supports.

As a nurse on these teams, this role includes direct patient care (assessment, treatment, consultation with providers, wound care and overdose response), outreach community nursing, system navigation and collaborative care provision.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES

- Provide mobile medical care through a variety of locations (shelter and congregate settings, transitional and supportive housing, St. John’s Kitchen, drop-in locations, motels);
- Provide primary care and mental health nursing support through a relationship and community-based framework;
- Perform nursing skills (wound care, injections, suture/staple removal, overdose response);
- Work collaboratively with the team and other system partners (medical providers, shelters, hospitals, treatment teams) to develop, coordinate and implement care plans;
- Work within the practices and frameworks of mental health, concurrent disorders, treatment modalities, and harm reduction practices;
- Work in outdoor environments, including visiting people in housing, shelter, temporary housing and encampments.

QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS





- Current certification as a Registered Nurse or Registered Practical Nurse in the Province of Ontario required;
- Current certification in CPR required;
- Minimum 3-5 years of nursing experience is preferred;
- Front line experience in outreach an asset;
- Experience in mental health an asset; experience in Emergency Department nursing an asset;
- Demonstrated ability in conflict management and interpersonal relations;
- Robust communication (verbal and written), organization, and time management skills;
- Understanding of anti-oppression principles and ability to work effectively with people of various cultural, age and economic backgrounds;
- Ability to work collaboratively within and across teams, developing and maintaining positive relationships with service providers;
- Ability to work independently and self-directed;
- Ability to use your own car in the work is an asset; mileage is compensated. Ability to travel within the KW area.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

We are looking for someone to join our team full time, working Mondays-Fridays from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Working Centre has always held an equal salary policy across the organization, reducing comparisons and hierarchy. This work is more than a job – it is about committed community work in a collaborative environment.

RPN $33/hour or $64,350 annually.

RN $41/hour or $79,950 annually.

We offer a generous benefits package that starts after 3 months of full-time work.

APPLICATION PROCESS

If you think that this role would make you excited to come to work every day, we’d like to hear from you.

Email your application to [email protected] and include:

- A cover letter explaining your interest in this position, our organization and how your experience and skill would be a good fit.
- Your resume

We thank everyone who applies for this position. We will only reach out to people who we will invite to an interview. We do not use AI in screening applications.

Pay: $33.00-$41.00 per hour

Expected hours: 37.5 per week

Application question(s):

- Have you included a cover letter with your application? If not, please use this box to tell why you are interested in joining our team.

Work Location: In person

📌 Nurse – Specialized Outreach Services and St. John’s Clinic (Kitchener)
🏢 The Working Centre
📍 Kitchener