Children’s Village School – Educational Child and Youth Care Counsellor

Hull Services has an organizational commitment to pursuing truth and reconciliation, decolonization and anti-oppression.

The Program:

Children’s Village School (CVS) is operated as a partnership between the Calgary Board of Education and Hull Services. The therapeutic programming offered is designed to meet the complex learning, social, and emotional needs of elementary school-aged children. These students’ severe emotional and behavioral difficulties in their current school, community and home have created significant barriers to their ability to successfully engage in learning. Educational program content includes a strong focus on literacy, numeracy, self-regulation, and social skills. Class sizes range from 6 to 8 students, depending on the grade level and complexity of learner profiles. Each classroom is staffed with one Teacher and two Educational Child and Youth Care Counsellors. In addition to therapeutic classrooms, Children’s Village School also specializes in Enhanced Educational Support (EES) classrooms.

The Position:

Children’s Village School is looking for an Educational Child and Youth Care Counsellor for supporting children with developmental delays, behavioural and mental health challenges in both therapeutic classrooms and the specialized Enhance Educational Support (EES) classrooms.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide individual or small group instruction including psycho-educational instruction as directed by administration.
• Supervise students outside the classroom, to and from school, and during non-class time (before/after school, recess, lunch).
• Identify and act on goal-related teaching opportunities.
• Assist children with personal hygiene and caring for themselves.
• Plan and participate in group activities of a leisure, recreational and therapeutic nature.
• Utilize a trauma-informed lens and approach when implementing therapeutic strategies and plans.
• Collaborate with students, colleagues, family and caregivers to develop individual behavioural support plans.
• Contribute observations and feedback to individual program plans as required.
• Develop and implement incentive systems for the individual student or class.
• Communicate rules and behavioral expectations to the students and follow through on appropriate behavioral consequences and rewards.
• Communicate with students using various methods including augmented or alternative communication devices, e.g. for non-verbal students.
• Utilize preventative interventions and de-escalating skills in individual and group situations; use crisis intervention techniques as necessary.
• Provide counseling, life-space interviews, and/or problem solving coaching as appropriate.
• Collect clinical and administrative information using the appropriate format.
• Keep records as needed, including attendance records.
• Record: observations related to medication effectiveness, changes or trials and observations and data regarding academic and behavioural assessments and testing.
• Attend and participate in team meetings; be prepared to report on school-related information in the absence of the teacher.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Human Services or Social Sciences.
• Experience working with youth with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges is an asset.
• Skilled at working with children on the autism spectrum.
• Demonstrated sound clinical judgment.
• Ability to use a trauma-informed and strength-based approach towards service delivery.
• Strong organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.
• High level of personal competence in the formation and maintenance of caring and therapeutic relationships.
• Ability and willingness to support students with personal hygiene.
• Dynamic and high energy individual.
• Ability to work independently when required and as an effective member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Cross cultural competence; knowledge of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recommendations, goals and activities of the commission.
• A Police Information Check, which includes a vulnerable sector search, is required (or is in process of being completed) prior to employment.
• A Child Intervention Record Check.
• Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and ability to drive Agency vehicles is preferred (min. 3 years driving experience with a class 5/GDL class 5 license).
• Completion of ASIST, First Aid, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and Certified with CYCAA would be considered an asset.