Intensive Youth Support Worker

Job Summary

The Intensive Youth Support Worker delivers quality Youth Support services that are focused on the best interests and needs of Indigenous youth in the Secwepemc Territory. The Intensive Youth Safety Worker is responsible for the care, safety and well being of youth from ages 12 to 19 who require intensive supports due to involvement in a variety of high-risk activities and behaviours. Youth services and programs will be developed and delivered with family, community, and cultural values in mind.

The Intensive Youth Support Worker‘s goals are to safeguard the youth’s well-being, to develop safe environments for their growth and development, to provide opportunities for youth to reach their full potential, and to assist youth in securing the supports they need to facilitate a healthy, successful transition into young adulthood.

The Intensive Youth Support Worker develops and supervises a comprehensive plan of care that formally supports the safety and well being of youth, incorporates cultural and traditional experiences and learning, and plans for their transition to adulthood, in compliance with all applicable policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

• In this role, support will be provided to youth in care, as well as to youth who are not in care. Additionally, support will be offered and provided to the youth and their caregivers.

• Ensures the rights of the youth are met according to Aboriginal Operations and Practices Standards and Indicators (AOPSI) standards and legislated requirements;

• Develops a plan for the youth’s transition out of care, ensuring that assessments, life, and other skills are developed to their full capacity;

• Must be prepared to offer outreach support to youth outside of regular business hours.

• Works in close collaboration with community and professional support networks;

• Discusses goals and objectives with the youth as related to safety and well-being;

• Participates in outreach work in conjunction with other community partners, and builds relationships with high risk youth who have multiple barriers in accessing services;

• Supports youth to access harm reduction supports as required;

• Implements a plan of action with involvement of family members and the youth’s support Team (ie. Social workers, school counsellor, family members, First Nations communities, and Elders);

• Works collaboratively with the social work team, member bands, support professionals, and community youth programs as needed;

• Advocates on behalf of youth with other agencies or institutions, such as schools, band social development, youth programs, and court;

• Maintains and cultivates connections between youth, their families, communities, culture and traditions;

• Monitors youth’s progress and well-being and assists youth to evaluate the effectiveness of supports;

• Assists youth to identify communication issues and take remedial action;

• Helps families and youth learn and apply conflict resolution skills;

• Provides crisis support, behaviour management, and life skills training for the family unit and youth in care;

• Supports the youth’s cultural identity being preserved and strengthened by involving their band and family members in planning and delivery of services, while supporting youth in accessing cultural and traditional activities and teachings;

• Develops a plan for independence collaboratively with youth including accessing transitional supports from youth to adult services;

• Assists youth with referrals to social, economic, recreational, and educational services in the community that meet the youth’s needs;

• Provides emotional support and feedback to youth;

• Carries out activities to relieve stress and strain within the family unit (natural or otherwise) and to provide support to the youth in collaboration with other family supports;

• Acts as a positive role model for youth, their families, and their communities;

• Facilitates recreational, social, and educational activities;

• Maintains accurate and confidential youth files; documents the youth’s progress in attaining goals; ensures all required forms are set up in files (electronic and hard copy);

• Attends community meetings and events to build rapport and relationships;

• Support and facilitate cultural programming and services;

• Other duties as assigned or required.

The duties listed are provided as examples of area of responsibility and are not intended to create limits to responsibility but to help understand the scope of the position. All staff are expected to be team oriented and maintain confidentiality of all information gained while working with the organization.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work or similar field is preferred;

• Preference given to those with a Child Welfare Specialization, C-6 letter of delegation, or previous C-6 letter of delegation.

• Willingness to attend training to obtain delegation.

Skills, Abilities, and Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years social work experience, preferably with First Nations families, children, and youth;

• Ability to interpret and apply Federal and Provincial legislation and standards of practice;

• Ability to participate fully in outreach activities either individually or with community partners;

• Must be willing to travel by foot within local urban areas that are frequented by high-risk youth;

• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability;

• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently, show initiative, proven ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and to use integrated case management;

• Ability to handle crisis and participate in crisis intervention assistance;

• Ability to manage unpleasant and emotionally charged situations;

• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment;

• Strong understanding of social, economic, political, and historical concerns in Aboriginal communities;

• Ability to effectively use standard computer applications;

• Must be able to pass a criminal record check and a Criminal Records Review;

• Excellent interviewing and needs assessment skills;

• Good oral and written, interpersonal and communication skills;

• Knowledge of all areas of child development, traditional Aboriginal family processes, family dysfunction, the origin and effects of child abuse and neglect in the Aboriginal community;

• Recognizes and respects all cultural diversity and has knowledge of Aboriginal culture;

• Facilitation skills;

Working Conditions:

• Travel in this position is required (To: youths’ residences, court, communities, foster care homes and other locations as necessary);

• Potential for violence in the workplace;

• Ability to perform the physical requirements of the job which could include walking within the city to perform outreach activities and occasional physical tasks;

• This position will require a commitment to working outside of regular business hours on a rotational basis. For example, 3 weeks of Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, 1 week of Monday to Friday 7pm-3am. Hours of work may be subject to change.

• Supervision received – frequent consultation with direct supervisor and regular review of the work performed.

Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to provide a clear CPIC, and Vulnerable Persons check Criminal Records Review Application prior to employment and submit such checks as required by Human Resource Policy;

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid BC Driver’s License;

• Access to a company vehicle is provided and requires a valid driver’s license;

• Must sign an Oath of Confidentiality.

• We offer a modified work week schedule, time off at Christmas, wellness and team days, cultural training,
• elder support and a great team to belong to!

Directly Supervises:

• None

An Eligibility list may be created.

Job Types: Permanent, Full-time

Salary: $32.25-$36.50 per hour

Ability to Relocate:

• Kamloops, BC: Relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 2024-01-26