Youth Connector

Why work with us:

The Family Centre is seeking three (3) Youth Connectors with a proven ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with families and stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional problem-solving, organizational, and collaboration skills. We are focused on Trauma-Informed Care for both our communities and staff teams, and provide services based on research and evidence-based practices. We encourage employees to bring their authentic self to work in our diverse and inclusive environment. The organization is committed to Indigenous ceremony and practice and welcomes knowledge of ceremony and lived experience. Our culture is focused on providing a safe and supportive workplace including paid training, excellent benefits, a wellness program, and much more. 

What you will be doing:

The Family Centre is looking for a motivated and highly skilled individual who is interested in challenging frontline social work.  The Youth Connector Service was conceived to support furthering lifelong connections for youth and young adults receiving services from Children’s Services.  Often these youth are disconnected from their families, communities and culture, and may be engaged in high-risk activities including addiction, criminal justice involvement, sexual exploitation and unhealthy intimate-partner relationships. The Youth Connector focuses on developing therapeutic relationships with the youth in order to increase their number of positive experiences, thereby diminishing the negative impacts of trauma.  Youth are supported in developing a support network that enriches relationship, attachment, stability and belonging for themselves and when applicable, their children. Youth who have children, or become pregnant, require additional support as they may not have positive parent-child experiences or healthy attachment. Youth Connectors encourage interdependence and community integration through the development of life skills necessary to pursue education and occupation, manage finances, communicate effectively, resolve conflict, maintain housing, access community resources, recreation and hobbies.

• Expand the youth’s circle of support and reignite pre-existing relationships by being relentless in identifying and pursuing individual and community networks by incorporating Kevin Campbell’s approach to family-finding methods
• Assess on-going risk for youth and safety plan accordingly within the Signs of Safety Framework
• Support Indigenous youth to connect with their culture and follow protocol when participating in ceremony with them
• Use a Trauma-Informed Care approach to support youth in exploring and understanding how their past experiences have impacted them by using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire and Youth Resilience Measure as guides
• Successfully transition youth out of Children’s Services involvement by implementing strategies to achieve goals as outlined in the Transition to Independence Plan

What you will bring to the role:

• Degree in Child & Youth Care, Social Work (or)
• Degree in Human Services (Psychology, Sociology, Education, Human Ecology or Early Childhood Development) with experience in the field (or)
• Diploma in Child & Youth Care or Social Work with related experience (or)
• Certificate in Human Services Sector with extensive experience with Indigenous culture and communities.

Background Check Process & Requirements:

• As a part of the selection process, The Family Centre will conduct reference checks with your most recent employers. 
• Police Information Check- Vulnerable Sector (completed within the last 6 months)
• Child Intervention Records Check (completed within the last 6 months)
• Registration with a professional body, if eligible (such as RSW)
• $2 million Vehicle Liability Insurance 
• Reliable vehicle, available for regular use  and valid driver’s license
• 5-years Driver Abstract 
• Our Children Are Sacred Youth Suicide Prevention Training or ASIST Suicide Intervention Training within 3 months of start date
• Standard First Aid Level C CPR with 3 months of start date.

What you can expect:

Training – comprehensive onboarding/orientation process which includes service specific, leading-edge training, and agency-wide core training

Feedback – a strong reflective supervision model that provides regular formal and informal opportunities for feedback 

Performance Coaching – formal and informal coaching regarding the development of personal and professional growth and development

Reasonable Accommodation – The Family Centre will provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee

Compensation - Our comprehensive compensation package offered to employees reflects a strong commitment to employee wellbeing and is competitive within the marketplace.

• $49,112 to $63,892 annually 
• On-call compensation
• 36.5 hour work week
• Fully paid Group Benefits Plan 
• Wellness Program
• 3 weeks’ vacation 
• RRSP matching
• Ongoing paid training
• Mileage compensation
• Paid sick time
• Agency-wide social events
• First People’s Circle, People of Colour, and LBGTQ2IAS+ Employee Support Groups

Closing Date: Until filled

The Family Centre thanks all applicants in advance. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.