Community Services Worker

Permanent Full-time

To Start February 1, 2024

The Ministry of Social Services invests in positive outcomes for people in areas of income support, child and family services, supports for persons with disabilities and affordable housing. We work with citizens as they build better lives for themselves through economic independence, strong families, and strong community organizations.

The Community Living Service Delivery branch of the Ministry of Social Services works with people with intellectual disabilities and helps them access a variety of community-based services. CLSD staff work to ensure that the physical, emotional, and social needs of people with intellectual disabilities are met and that they are able to live as independently as possible within their own communities.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an energetic and empathetic individual devoted to supporting citizens in our community to join our team as a Community Services Worker for the North Service Area in the Nipawin office. In this role you will support and empower the community to assist individuals with intellectual disabilities to live more independently and participate more fully in communities, as well as provide the opportunity to do work that is deeply meaningful and impactful in the lives of individuals and families in need.

In this role, you will:

• Manage a caseload of clients including assessment, individual program planning, counselling of individuals and/or families, referral, and follow-up to residential, day program, or other service systems, and crisis intervention;
• Monitor, review and perform case issue resolution of CBO's and approved private-service homes, as well as consult and educate the community at large;
• Apply appropriate social work methods in the implementation of divisional programs in the region with the primary goal of restoring, maintaining, and enhancing the community inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities; and
• You will monitor the work of new social workers and practicum students as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

As our successful candidate, you will:

• Have knowledge and demonstrate respect and understanding of multi-cultural beliefs, values, and perspectives with a particular emphasis on First Nations and Métis;
• Have knowledge of social issues such as diversity, poverty, systemic and socio-economic issues and how they impact of people;
• Have knowledge of social work principles, practices, theories, and intervention strategies;
• Have the ability to remain calm in conflict or stressful situations and be able to work with clients in a respectful manner;
• Have the ability to plan and conduct interviews with individuals who may display a broad range of abilities to gather and evaluate relevant information, assess risk factors/family dynamics and the need for services; and
• Have the ability to understand, interpret, apply, and adhere to procedures, policy and legislation such as the Saskatchewan Assistance Act, Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability/Saskatchewan Income Support program policy, as well as general knowledge of the Child Care Subsidy, Saskatchewan Employment Supplement, Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement, and others.

The knowledge required for this position may be obtained through both education and/or Human Services related work experience. Typically, education such as an undergraduate degree in Social Work, Indigenous Social Work and related experience.
The work environment will be varied depending on the needs of the client group and the employer. The environment may include working at your computer for extended periods of time, interacting with clients and partner organizations in-person on-site or in a government office, virtually or by phone. Demonstrated experience in communicating and working with individuals and/or families in-person, in a professional and compassionate manner is critical to the success of the position. You must be able to work efficiently and effectively in a workplace environment where time pressures and caseload demands need to be balanced.

This position will be required to travel within or between communities.

What we offer:

• Dynamic, challenging work;
• A competitive salary with increments;
• Comprehensive benefits package including pension;
• A focus on psychological and physical safety;
• Vacation, earned days off (EDO’s) and other types of leave;
• Inclusive work environments;
• Advancement opportunities; and
• Flexible work arrangements.