Employment Counsellor

Lift Community Services focuses on helping all people thrive in the qathet region by reducing social inequities and by providing support and advocacy for anyone who needs it. Our vision is a welcoming, inclusive, and diversity-affirming community that is free of poverty and full of heart. At Lift, we believe a thriving, sustainable community comes from a collaborative, equitable, future-focused approach.

Our programs and services include employment services, supportive housing and homeless outreach, complex care housing, temporary shelter services, literacy programs and outreach, immigrant services, adult and family on-demand support. We also provide community leadership and development in overdose response planning, poverty reduction planning, and other projects that develop a more connected and resilient community. Lift operates many resource centres in our community, including the local WorkBC Centre, the Community Resource Centre, the Family Place, the Dr. Elsie Paul Literacy Centre and the Nook Social Enterprise Cafe both located at the Powell River Public Library.

Lift Community Services is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicant will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.

Opportunity

We are seeking an Employment Counsellor to join our WorkBC Centre team. Reporting to the Client Services Coordinator, the Employment Counsellor is responsible for providing comprehensive employment counselling services to agency clients, related to job search, career planning, employment maintenance, and skills enhancement. As part of this role, counsellors assess client needs, develop client action plans, administer financial supports, make referrals, follow up with clients, and document client activity in the Integrated Case Management System (ICM), following agency guidelines and funder policy. If you love the idea of supporting people along their career journey, this is the role for you!Download the full job description (pdf) here.

Overview

• Hours: 32 hours/week
• Shifts: Monday to Thursday, including rotating Wednesday evenings
• Hourly Wage: $26.60 to start, on a 5-step wage scale
• Job Type: Temporary (15-month contract)
• Benefits: Competitive extended health benefits and an up to 4% matching RSP plan
• Work Site: WorkBC Centre Powell River Employment Services Centre, 4511 Marine Avenue, Powell River
  
• Start Date: ASAP
• Closing Date: March 4, 2024 @ 11pm PT
• Questions? Contact Amber Gould at Amber.Gould@liftcommunityservices.org
• To Apply: Submit a self-designed resume and cover letter

Responsibilities

Client Assessment

• Complete client intake, assessments, and service-needs determination
• Register and/or refer clients for further service, according to established criteria

Employment Counselling

• Develop respectful, collaborative relationships with clients
• Utilize supportive employment-counselling techniques to a variety of client groups while following the agency’s code of ethics
• Facilitate client goal setting and action planning in the areas of job search, career planning, job sustainment, and skills training
• Identify a client’s barriers to employment and understand the job-loss cycle

Client Progress Documentation

• Monitor and record client activity, according to funding contract requirements
• Maintain accurate and timely client records in the Integrated Case Management (ICM) System and appointment calendar, and implement quality-assurance procedures
• Complete job sustainment verification with clients, as required

Workshop Referral and Delivery

• Deliver employment-related information to clients; such as: job search techniques, labour market information; resume and cover-letter development, and interview preparation; in one-on-one or group format
• Plan, update, facilitate, and/or co-facilitates in-house workshops or information sessions, as assigned
• Consult with group workshop facilitator regarding individual client needs, as appropriate
• Make appropriate referrals to workshops and other services

Teamwork

• Share, report, update co-workers on activities impacting the project and/or client services
• Maintain ongoing links with support agencies, funding bodies, and resource services, within the community and further afield, as needed
• Maintain strict confidentiality related to clients, colleagues, and agency

Administration

• Administer financial supports according to WorkBC policy and Centre procedures
• Work flexible days and shifts, as required
• Perform other related duties, as required

Knowledge

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, government services and community services
• Adhere to principles of lifelong learning, and participate in professional development to stay current on employment-related knowledge and best practices

Qualifications

Education and Training

• A post-secondary Certificate, Degree or Diploma in Social Work, Counselling, or relevant field, Certified Career Development Professional (CCDP) preferred; or equivalent combination of education and experience, as defined in the Job Description (pdf)
• CCDP designation an asset

Experience

• Demonstrated experience in: completing and interpreting client needs assessments; providing individual coaching/counselling; delivering individual and/or group life skills workshops
• Preference in employment counselling within the WorkBC Employment Services program

Skills and Abilities

• Well-developed documentation skills and attention to detail
• Effective interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills
• Effective time-management and organizational systems
• Competent use of Word and scheduling software
• Ability to work with computerized client records; experience with ICM a strong asset
• Ability to research and connect with local employers and local labour market
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to contribute effectively to the team

Other

• The incumbent must have access to a reliable mode of transportation to use for occasional off-site job duties
• A satisfactory criminal record check, including a vulnerable sector check, is mandatory at time of job offer

We appreciate all applications, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

As an inclusive employer, we would like to make the recruitment process as accessible as possible. Please contact us to let us know how we can best support you.

We live and work on the homelands and territories of the Tla’amin People. We honour the land, the Tla’amin People, and their treaty and continually seek to strengthen our relationship and responsibilities to them as guests in the territory.