Directions Youth Outreach Worker Competition #52-22
ABOUT FAMILY SERVICES OF GREATER VANCOUVER (FSGV)
We are a community-based, not-for profit organization with approximately 50 social services programs and 420 employees across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. We provide counselling and other essential services to the most vulnerable people in our communities. For over 90 years, we’ve inspired and supported those who need help reaching their full potential. We work to ensure children are nurtured, youth find optimism, adults feel empowered, and parents make choices that build strong families.
We provide a supportive workplace for our staff and professional, effective services for our clients, including counselling, therapy, advocacy, education and community services.
Here’s what we can do together:
Working within the mission, vision, values and person-centered philosophy of the Agency, the Outreach program works to promote safer, healthier alternatives for youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The focus is to promote awareness of and connect youth to appropriate services and resources to reduce the harm in their lives. The program focuses support in the areas of the west end, downtown south and downtown east side areas of Vancouver. This position consists of working with a variety of at risk, homeless and street entrenched youth 24 years and under (prioritizing youth 18 and under) struggling with addiction, intellectual, emotional and social challenges, mental health issues, concurrent issues and sexual exploitation; it actively supports the Agency’s awareness and goals around diversity, inclusion justice and equity.
What you bring:
Education, Training, Experience
Two years’ post-secondary course/diploma in social work or youth care/certificate in related field
Minimum 2 years’ experience working with high-risk youth
Experience with adolescent development and issues involving sexually exploited youth, mental health, drug and alcohol misuse, poverty and concurrent issues
Lived experience is considered an asset
A combination of education/experience can be considered
Professional Certification, License or Registration Requirements:
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training
Valid class 5 BC driver’s licence
Core Competencies
Collaborative Communication, including teamwork & cooperation, interpersonal communication, diversity and cultural agility
Personal Effectiveness, including integrity and ethical behavior, personal resilience, adaptability/flexibility, commitment to learning
Personal Leadership, including influence, initiative, judgment and decision making, creativity and innovation
Commitment to Excellence, including results focus, client-centered service, planning and organizing, professional expertise and technological proficiency
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Knowledge of community, social, and health resources
Knowledge of the systemic issues that affect low income and marginalized people
Knowledge of substance misuse, adolescent development and the problems encountered by chemically dependent individuals; basic understanding of behavioural management
Knowledge and understanding of the intergenerational trauma caused by colonization, integration and assimilation
Knowledge and awareness of issues that may affect sexually exploited youth
Basic knowledge of mental health issues and treatment
Knowledge of and belief in the Harm Reduction model
Ability to observe and recognize change in clients
Ability to maintain professional boundaries with clients
Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients
Ability to deal effectively with conflict situations, manage aggressive behaviour, and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioural management techniques
Ability to establish/maintain satisfactory work relationships with the public and other employees to deal tactfully and effectively with co-workers, public and other agencies and to maintain confidentiality
Basic computer literacy
Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position (carrying a full back pack containing harm reduction supplies, water and snacks while walking for 2-5 hours)
Working conditions:
24-hour crisis response resource centre, and the streets of the City of Vancouver
Ability to work days and evenings
Ability to walk with a back pack full of supplies approximately 20-25 km per day
Proof of Covid-19 vaccination status will be required
Your key contributions:
Provide outreach to youth at all Directions Youth Services sites and areas where high-risk youth congregate in order to initiate contact, establish rapport, and build trusting, supportive, therapeutic relationships with street-involved and homeless Indigenous youth, and link them with culturally appropriate and relevant services and resources
Provide appropriate support, service, and referrals in a relevant and culturally supportive manner
Assist youth in accessing community supports by advocating, referring and escorting clients to outside service referral locations, as appropriate
Establish and build relationships with youth across Directions Youth Services programs and external community agencies, and facilitate connection to cultural teachings and community resources
Identify and assess new street-involved youth in Vancouver and, if appropriate, link them with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and/or other relevant services
Provide crisis intervention support for clients both within Directions Youth Services site and in the community, making safety plans and working towards connecting youth to appropriate services.
Provide support to youth who are hospitalized, through visitation, advocacy and in collaboration with care teams
Respond to overdoses in the community, enacting resuscitation procedures when necessary
Represent the program within the Indigenous community, Indigenous organizations, and community meetings
Identify youth’s individual needs and provide support, encouragement, collaboration and education to youth in matters related to crisis intervention, harm reduction, conflict resolution, community resources, alcohol and drug information, and advocacy with the intention of connecting Indigenous youth to services
Develop and provide culturally relevant Indigenous programming and workshops in collaboration with other community agencies
Work closely and collaboratively with all of Directions Youth Services, other community agencies, and government ministries in the development of youth case management plans, using best practices
Create harm reduction gear packs and distribute appropriately to members of the community
Attend relevant professional development trainings when appropriate, maintaining an up to date awareness of what concerns clients may encounter and operating from a framework of anti-oppression
Work independently in pairs in the community, responding to emerging needs and crises and prioritizing tasks as they arise
Participate in Integrated Case Management meetings as appropriate; respond to youth’s integrated case management plans, other service agencies, and health care professionals in the implementation and revision of client service plans
Ensure the highest professional standards of ethics, confidentiality, all program and agency policies, procedures, and accreditation standards
Maintain daily statistics and provide effective verbal and written reports
What we offer you:
FSGV supports employee growth and development and offers opportunities for you to grow your career with us, when you are ready. We also value and recognize the importance of work-life balance, flexibility and wellness; we know that this work is not easy, and we believe that great teams, great bosses and a great culture is important to supporting resilience. We value inclusion and diversity, and are actively engaged in individual and organizational learning and advocacy in support our justice and equity goals and strategies.
Work Hours: 35 hours a week, 4 day work week, Wednesday – Saturday
Location: 1138 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC
Salary: GS 9 Step 1 $1,844.50 gross bi-weekly
Posting End Date: *or posting will remain open until filled
Benefits:
Starting at three weeks’ vacation for full time staff (pro-rated for part-time) and growing to more +
Possibility of remote work/ hybrid work (ie 2 days in office and 3 days work from home)
Three (3) paid household leave days a year
One paid Wellness Day a year
Paid sick pay
A work culture that values transparency, teamwork, learning, fairness and integrity
Two and a half paid Agency days for full time staff (pro-rated for part-time)
Five paid days for education leave/year (pro-rated for part-time)
One paid Moving Day/year
Subsidized professional association annual dues (if applicable)
Health and Welfare benefits (if applicable):
Generous group health/dental benefits after 3 months.
Three flex options for health/dental coverage depending on the coverage you need
Option of psychological/counselling services (up to $1500/year)
Employee Assistance Plan
Long Term Disability Plan
Group Life Insurance, Travel insurance, ++
Pension:
Pension plan enrollment after 12 months
Only short listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. Thank you for your interest.
We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the communities we so proudly serve, while encompassing the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, people of all gender expressions and sexual orientations including queer, trans, and two-spirit people. In our words and actions, we recognize the challenges for those facing inequalities, while acknowledging our privilege, as we continuously strive to remove bias and reduce barriers that individuals may experience in the hiring and job-seeking process. We invite feedback from all applicants who apply for roles with the Agency.
If you require a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please email your resume and cover letter (indicating the competition number #52-22 in email subject line) outlining your interest and relevant experience to your contact information to [email protected] for follow-up. **if you are an internal candidate, please indicate “Internal Candidate” in the Comments section at the bottom of the online application**
Our programs are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw(Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh), Qayqayt,Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwekwetlem,Semiahmoo,Matsqui,and Tsawwassen First Nations. Huy ch q’u.
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