Youth Services Counsellor

arc programs exists to create thriving communities, free of systemic barriers and full of belonging, equity, and hope. We have a bold vision to ensure everyone in our communities feels connected and cared for, and we are excited to be expanding our team to help us accelerate our impact!

We are currently accepting applications for a Youth Services Counsellor to temporarily join our team at our Kelowna location. This temporary appointment is anticipated to be approximately six months in duration.

The Youth Service Counsellor will provide individual support and counselling services for high-risk youth who are disenfranchised from family and community supports.

The Counsellor will provide individual support to youth who are assessed as eligible for a Youth Agreement with the Ministry for Children and Family Development to live independently. The counselor may provide individual support and case management/service coordination services for sexually exploited

• Full-Time, Temporary
• 38-hours per-week

The specific responsibilities of the position include:

• Providing screening/comprehensive assessment / service planning interviews with referred youth, and their families.
• Providing screening/comprehensive assessment / service planning interviews with referred youth, and their families.
• Working collaboratively with MCFD Youth Services staff to assess the eligibility of referred youth to enter into a Youth Agreement.
• Assisting eligible youth and MCFD staff to develop a Youth Agreement; and cooperate to develop and implement an integrated service plan which will address the youth’s barriers to achieving independence.
• Assisting youth to secure and maintain safe, affordable, and appropriate housing.
• Monitoring the youth’s compliance with the residency expectations of their Youth Agreement.
• Providing individual support and counseling services to sexually exploited youth, to assist them in addressing barriers to exiting the sex trade or reducing the harm associated with sexual exploitation.
• Providing support, orientation, and encouragement to youth to engage in needed community services, as per the Youth Agreement and ISP.
• Providing interim support services to youth awaiting a needed community service, or services which the youth need but does not meet the criteria to access.
• Providing hands-on independent living and life skills training and support to youth, on an individual or group basis.
• Providing parent-teen mediation for referred youth.
• Providing counselling and encouragement to youth to support the development of a healthy lifestyle and work collaboratively with referred youth to set goals, develop plans, and engage in services, to address personal barriers to improving their functioning in the community.
• Leading and engaging youth in recreational activities with program participants, as appropriate.
• Participating in client service planning and review - Integrated Case Management team conferences.
• Writing client intake reports (assessment/interpretive summary, ISP’s, letter re brief service, etc.), program transition/discharge reports, and other case administrative procedures as per program guidelines and time frames.
• Liaising with MCFD staff and other community service providers to facilitate the coordination and integration of services for program participants.

Candidates for this position will possess sufficient training and experience to perform all responsibilities of the job description. The qualifications of the position are consistent with those of a practitioner in the child and youth care field, consisting of a minimum of one of the following:

• BA - CYC and related experience.
• BSW and related experience.
• BA and 2 years…