Social Worker, Youth Mentorship Program

Salary: $35.99 per hour

POSITION TITLE: Social Worker

DEPARTMENT: Culturally Appropriate Counselling

AFFILIATION:Unionized Position

LOCATION:Headquarters, ON

HOURS:Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm

EXTENDED HOURS: Evenings/ weekends as required for sessions and outreach

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Tropicana Community Services, a Toronto-based multiservice organization, provides all youth, newcomers, people of Black and Caribbean heritage and others in need with opportunities and alternatives that lead to success and positive life choices. Our mission is achieved through culturally appropriate programs such as counselling, childcare, educational, and employment services and youth development.

TCS Mental Health & Wellness Program provides culturally sensitive clinical counselling to children, youth, adults, and seniors, especially from the Black, African, and Caribbean communities, to address challenges that may be having significant impacts on various aspects of their lives. Services aim to engage often hard-to-reach clients and work collaboratively with families to develop treatment plans that manage risky behaviours, build on strengths, and facilitate pro-social opportunities for improved outcomes. Using a client-centered anti-Black racism lens, clients are supported to achieve their goals through individual and family counselling and/or group and workshop facilitation including our Youth Mentorship, Stop Now and Plan (SNAP), Success through Aggression Replacement Training (START), and Parenting Together programs.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Social Worker for our Youth Mentorship Program will aid children and youth ages 629 years, and their families, particularly those at-risk/high risk from the Black, African, and Caribbean community, to improve their emotional well-being by increasing access to culturally significant consistent, caring adults with whom they can relate to prevent them from further risk.

Service Objective:

Through individual and family counseling, life-skills workshops, and the development of a mentorship relationship, children and youth will be supported to make healthy and safe choices, increase their resilience, and make progress towards their goals in one or more of the following outcome streams: employment/entrepreneurship, educational achievement, civic engagement/leadership, and/or cultural identity.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Recruitment:

• Develop and implement processes to recruit, screen, and select Mentees and Mentors, including vulnerable sector checks.
• Assess participants ethno-cultural identity, social background, and commitment levels.
  

Counselling:

• Conduct clinical application and documentation of social work theories, and assessments to counsel Mentees (and their families/caregivers) to identify solutions for presenting challenges.
• Provide anti-oppressive, trauma-informed counselling to Mentees and their families, including safety planning, advocacy, system navigation, and goal-setting.
• Conduct assessments, facilitate skills-based group and individual programs, and support newcomer settlement.
• Advocate for Mentees across systems (child protection, housing, schools, courts, police, social services).

Mentor Training:

• Facilitate orientation of Mentors to the program and the organization.
• Train Mentors, using a culturally appropriate evidence-based process, to develop leadership skills aligned with the Ontario Mentoring Coalition.
• Educate Mentors to enable them to have a strong understanding of the developmental needs of children and youth.
• Provide Mentors with access to relevant supplementary resources that will contribute to a successful Mentorship Match.

Mentorship Model:

• Development and implement a hybrid mentorship model (one-to-one, group mentorship, and peer- to-peer mentorship).
• Assess that Mentorship Matches reflect age, interests, cultural identity, and other relevant factors.
• Ensure a process that ensures both Mentors and Mentees are receptive to the Mentorship Match, having had the opportunity to get to know each other in a safe and comfortable environment.

Mentee Goals and Service Plans:

• Develop a database of Mentees, Mentors, and Mentorship Matches.
• Assess Mentee goals and support them to develop Mentee-focused service plans.
• Facilitate, via an anti-Black racism lens, the delivery of regularly scheduled culturally-focused activities that enable Mentees and Mentors to achieve the goals identified in their service plans.
• Provide counselling support to strengthen the mentoring relationship including strategic interventions.
• Monitor Mentoring Matches via follow-up with Mentees, Mentors, and Caring Adults.
• Develop and facilitate life-skill groups and one-on-one projects/activities relevant for Mentees to achieve desired goals.

Ongoing Mentorship Support:

• Provide ongoing mentorship support inclusive of a process to identify/address issues.
• Fund mentorship-related activities between the Mentors Matches.

Service Referrals:

• Build informal and formal inter-agency linkages and/or partnerships to strengthen/enhance neighbourhood/community service infrastructure.
• Provide timely and relevant referrals to other services to support improved outcomes for Mentees (e.g., housing, employment, education, health, etc.).

Program Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting:

• Follow program guidelines for reporting, record-keeping, and data collection, including Identity-Based Data elements.
• Track financial expenses and prepare performance reports with quantitative and qualitative data on client outcomes, program reach, and stakeholder feedback.
• Analyze data to identify program challenges and opportunities, and develop recommendations for program improvement and continuation.
• Participate in Ministry-led program and service evaluation initiatives.
• Report serious occurrences involving Mentees and Mentors according to Ministry guidelines.
• Ensure compliance with privacy policies, including YCJA Part 6, regarding collection, use, disclosure, and access to client information.
• Establish and document roles, responsibilities, and accountability of service delivery partners, including procedures for issue resolution.
  

Committee Participation & Outreach:

• Develop positive links and partnerships with organizations through committee membership to enhance service delivery and ensure that members of the Black, African and Caribbean community are receiving fair and equitable treatment.
• Conduct community visits to promote program to agencies including, but not limited to, social services, education, immigration, medical and legal systems.

Supervision:

• Promote the program and recruit Social Work students as Mentors through outreach to educational institutions.
• Orient and guide Social Work students, supporting learning plan development and coordinating their work.
• Conduct weekly supervision, provide performance feedback, and maintain communication with educational liaisons.
• Supervise, monitor, and evaluate Mentors working with Mentees.
• Complete all administrative and onboarding documentation.
  

Administration:

• Ensure accurate and timely client data entry and maintain databases of social service professionals from Black, African, and Caribbean communities.
• Prepare regular reports and statistics (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually) and present updates at staff and relevant meetings.
  

Financial:

• Monitor and manage budgets, prepare requisitions, and reconcile receipts for service activities.

Health & Safety:

• Adhere to all Health and Safety regulations and Tropicana Community Services policies and procedures, and ensure the safety of Mentees and Mentors.
  

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in social work and related work experience in counselling individuals and families from the Black, African, and Caribbean
• 2+ years experience developing and facilitating programs for children, youth, families, particularly supporting Black, African, and Caribbean communities with anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive approaches to address challenges.
• Current registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service
• Valid police clearance with satisfactory vulnerable sector
• Experience providing culturally informed advanced counselling, crisis intervention, and group facilitation to families from the Black, African, and Caribbean community inclusive of theoretical approaches including, but not limited to, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Systems, Attachment, Feminist, Aggression Replacement Training, and Transtheoretical
• Skilled in managing the case plans of multiple, at risk/high-risk Black, African, and Caribbean children, youth, and their families.
• Strong knowledge of the Canadian justice system, systemic anti-Black racism, and the social determinants of criminalization.
  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and electronic case management systems.
  
• Strong time-management, organization, and team collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.

BONUS/ PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Lived experience of the Black, African & Caribbean culture, in particular, understanding of anti-Black racism issues.
• Proven time-management, organization, engagement, and sustainability
• Ability to work well in a team setting and with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated initiative, enthusiasm, creativity, versatility, adaptability, and ability to engage people of all ages.
• Excellent facilitation skills with children, youth, adults, and seniors.
• Bilingualism (French) is an asset.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Group Benefits Plan with Extended Healthcare and Dental Benefits
  
• Career growth and development opportunities
• A chance to play an active role in giving back to your community
• Employee Assistance Program

Although we appreciate each application, only those candidates being considered for the position will be contacted.

Tropicana Community Services commits to promoting inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) through its information and support, advocacy, programming, internal policies, and governance structures. Tropicana Community Services will aim to ensure that our staff reflect the experience, skills and diversity of the communities we serve and create an inclusive, barrier-free work environment, beginning with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process please contact Human resources. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.