Child and Youth Counsellor- 1 FTE-Contract until September 2026

Child and Youth Counsellor – 1 FTE – Contract until September 2026

Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre

Pay Range: $54,149.00/yr – $60,980.00/yr

Position Summary

The Child and Youth Counselor is responsible for service delivery to children, youth and families in accordance with the WOCRC Vision, Mission, Guiding Beliefs and the Health Equity and Inclusion lens. The role involves in‑house and outreach services to meet the diverse needs of children and youth and families in the Goulbourn, Kanata and West Carleton communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct service, including initial contact, crisis intervention, brief and short‑term counseling, and connect clients with appropriate internal and community resources.
• Assess level of risk and provide follow‑up as required.
• Facilitate education and support groups and advocate on behalf of clients.
• Participate in advocacy and coordination committees, promote community participation and serve as a consultant to colleagues and agencies regarding crisis services in the Ottawa area.
• Respond to community requests for information, present to community groups and participate in public relations and fundraising events as requested.
• Coordinate inter‑agency referrals and maintain links with community groups and agencies to facilitate referrals and positive working relationships.
• Offer in‑service training to colleagues, provide training to community groups, students and volunteers as required and support staff development.
• Participate in WOCRC evaluation processes and prepare documentation and statistics related to crisis intake activities on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.

Qualifications

• Child and Youth Care Practitioner and a minimum of 2 years direct work experience with children, youth and families; or a university degree in a related field with 5 years’ experience.
• Registration with the Ontario Association of Child and Youth Care.
• Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of community‑based model of intervention and health equity principles.
• Knowledge of counseling techniques for children, youth and families; experience working with learning disabilities and exceptionalities.
• Knowledge and experience with education and therapeutic‑based group models; crisis intervention, group facilitation and assessment skills; strong communication skills; experience working with other child and youth serving agencies; knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act; proven conflict resolution skills; ability to work independently and within a team.

Competencies

• Strong critical analysis, problem solving, planning and decision making skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; demonstrated crisis intervention skills.
• Proven conflict resolution skills; ability to work in a multi‑cultural, multi‑disciplinary team environment and within an Equity inclusion framework.
• Demonstrated commitment to and knowledge of a feminist and anti‑oppression framework; knowledge of social services delivery in Ottawa; knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and the Day Nurseries Act.

Languages

• Fluent in English (spoken and written).
• Fluent in French an asset; other community languages an asset.

Computer and Technical Skills

• Intermediate word processing; data entry knowledge, CIMS, WISH.
• Clinical documentation experience.

Shift

• Monday – 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
• Tuesday – 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Wednesday – 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
• Thursday – 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
• Friday – 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Benefits and Union Information

We offer generous paid time off policies, including 4‑weeks annual vacation and 3‑weeks annual sick leave; salary top‑up plans; a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program; Health, Dental and Disability Insurance; a world‑class Pension Plan (HOOPP); discounted gym memberships and a flexible, supportive work environment. This is a unionized position governed by CUPE Local 5530's Collective Agreement.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodation

WOCRC has an accommodation process in place for employees with disabilities. WOCRC is an equal‑opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business and job requirements. Considerations for employment are made without regard to age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status (including single status), gender identity, gender expression, record of offences, sex (including pregnancy and breastfeeding), sexual orientation or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in Ontario.

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