Staff Members – What We Look For

There are certain traits we look for when hiring staff. These include the ability, and willingness, of a prospective staff member to

• interact with persons-in-care, co-workers and managers  in a friendly and professional manner
• consistently demonstrate appropriate and ethical behaviour
• respect the confidentiality of persons-in-care, co-workers and MirkaCare
• provide a security clearance

Staff Team Members

The primary purpose of Direct Service Workers (DSW) and Home Care Assistants (HCA) is to support and facilitate the development of skills and competencies that will assist the individuals that we support to pursue and fulfill their goals, objectives and aspirations, as defined in the person-centered-plan.  

The role of a DSW and HCA is to provide day-to-day service, either independently or as a member of a team, in the areas of medical care, personal care, developmental supports, and community with employment and social supports.

Integrity: to follow all moral and ethical principles by being honest, fair, and reliable; in short walking your talk.

Servanthood: the desire to do what is most beneficial to others, while looking for nothing in return.

Stewardship: acting in such a way that shows ownership and responsibilities of all duties.

Respect: to show regard or consideration in all personal interactions which occur throughout the day.

Empathy: identification with and understanding of another’s situation, feelings, and motives, while not allowing oneself to become emotionally over-whelmed.

Stress Management: getting work done under great pressure, including dealing with setbacks and/or working in a hectic environment; having a good ‘coping mechanism’.

Communication skills-oral: able to make ideas/opinions and information clear to others using clear language and/or gesture or non-verbal communications; language and phrases are adapted to the receiver.

Communication skills-written: able to make written ideas/opinions and information clear to others.

Organizing and Prioritizing:  effectively determine the time frame, the actions, the priorities, and the resources necessary to achieve set goals.

Quality Mindedness: a focus on providing a high quality of product and services, while continuously looking for areas of improvements

Teachable: being able to process new information and the ability and willingness to change work methods.

Observe and Anticipate:  to actively take notice of the effect that things like the environment have on people and the behavior that is a result. Furthermore being able to make appropriate preparations or changes when considering the potential consequences for an action.

Team Mindedness: Promote teamwork by motivating staff to achieve team goals, and to redirect / influence when staff does not work as a team.

Additional Trainings:

• Medication Assistance
• PDD Abuse Prevention and Response Protocol
• Food Safety
• ACDS Foundations
• Post-secondary certificate/diploma in disabilities studies.
• MANDT
• Positive Behavior Support or similar
• Occupational Health & Safety