Position Description

• Placement: House Mentor (Volunteer/Live-In)
• Term: 4,6 or 11 months
• Role: Volunteer (honorarium +food and events budget)

What is  a House Mentor?

A House Mentor is someone who chooses to live communally with refugee residents in our homes for a placement term. The goal is to foster social connection, nurture a safe and healthy home and provide mentorship.   

House mentors are responsible for maintaining the community atmosphere of the houses. They are also responsible for assisting residents in maintaining the cleanliness of the house, as well as the security of the residents. They should be present in the common spaces of the house as often as possible, recognizing everyone’s schedule varies, and facilitate regular house meetings.

The House Mentor must be comfortable living in a communal setting where only their bedroom is private (some spaces have a private washroom as well). All other spaces such as the kitchen, living rooms, and bathrooms are shared. The House Mentor assists refugees and refugee claimants in adjusting to their new life in Canada, while paid staff assist with documentation, referrals for services and settlement processes. 

House mentors do not pay for accommodation at Matthew House: Certain staples and house supplies will also be provided for the common benefit of the house mentor and refugee residents. House mentors are not employees.

House mentors sign on for a maximum term of 11 months, which is renewable after a respite period. 

Some House Mentors live 100% of the time in the home and then take a month respite break, others manage a 50/50 or 2/3 time in-home.

All House mentors undergo annual training and a Vulnerable Person’s Screening Check.

This position is not open to parents with minor children.

Our Ideal Candidate Has: 

• Experience living communally
• Experience working with youth 
• Enjoys co-organizing social gatherings
• Property maintenance experience/Experience running own household
• *Community networks with local churches, cultural  or linguistic associations or service clubs is very helpful to have, as is second language fluency.

*For newcomers to Canada, it is helpful to have been in Canada at least five years.

About Matthew House Toronto:

OUR VISION

A WELCOME HOME FOR REFUGEES ON THE ROAD TO A NEW, PROSPEROUS LIFE.

OUR MISSION

Fueled by God’s love, we inspire hope, uphold dignity, champion independence and build resilient communities for refugees.

Faith Life at Matthew House Toronto: 

We are a Christian charity, focused on service. All faiths and no faiths are welcome at Matthew House Toronto. To find out more about what our Faith Life at Matthew House entails or about this role specifically, send an email to gama@matthewhouse.ca