Student Life Counsellor

Student Life Counsellor – YMCA of Greater Toronto Salary: $55,670.21. Location: YMCA Academy, 15 Breadalbane St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 1C2. Work Hours: Monday to Friday; evening and weekend work required for Parent/Teacher interviews, Open Houses, Parent Socials, etc. Employment Type: Contract Full‑Time Salaried. Vacancies: 1. Anticipated Start Date: December 2025. Deadline: November 26, 2025. Be the Spark The Student Life Counsellor supports middle and high school students (grades 6‑12) in achieving academic success and personal well‑being through counselling, goal‑setting, and career guidance. This role promotes a positive school climate by addressing students' academic, social, and emotional needs, while facilitating communication between students, parents, educators, and community service providers. The counsellor leads initiatives focused on mental health, conflict resolution, and anti‑bullying, empowering students to thrive and reach their full potential in a supportive and inclusive environment. In this role, you will: Maintain accurate student records related to counselling sessions and interventions, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with privacy regulations. Facilitate communication between students, teachers, parents, and administrators to address concerns, provide support, and ensure student success. Collaborate with teachers and administrators to identify students in need of additional support and coordinate interventions and accommodations as necessary. Coordinate and oversee student counselling services to address academic, social, and emotional needs. Develop and implement programs and initiatives to promote positive behaviour and prevent bullying, fostering a safe and inclusive school environment. Develop and deliver workshops and training sessions for students, parents, and staff on topics such as mental health awareness, navigating friendships, and conflict resolution. Collaborate with community organisations and agencies to provide additional support services for students and families, including referrals for mental health counselling and other resources. Complete all documentation required by YMCA Academy and the YMCA of Greater Toronto in a timely manner. Participate in YMCA Academy co‑curricular and extra‑curricular activities such as Jack Club, Social/skills, and after‑school clubs. Ensure the health, safety, and well‑being of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA Academy and programmes. Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops. Perform other duties as assigned. You bring: Post‑secondary education in social work, counselling, psychology, or related field, with experience working with neurodiverse students. A master’s degree in social work, speech‑language pathology, or psychology is an asset. Relevant professional experience working with students in a school setting. Comprehensive knowledge of student support services, counselling techniques, special education, Ministry regulations, and best practices in student advocacy and intervention. Demonstrated enthusiasm for working with youth with learning disabilities, social/emotional needs, and/or language processing challenges. Strong interpersonal and communication skills to collaborate with students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail. Excellent written communication skills. Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to support student success. Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required. Excellent understanding of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and the ability to integrate equity into programme design. What you need to succeed: Commitment to the YMCA’s Mission, Vision, and Values. Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programmes, including reporting obligations to Child Protection Services. YMCA Competencies: Accountable, Relationship‑Builder, Improvement‑Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter. Why work for the YMCA? The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. Joining the Y means contributing to over 165 years of providing opportunities for people through health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families, and seniors. Learn more in our 2020‑2025 strategic plan, Ignite the Light, which outlines how we are focused on boosting well‑being and promoting equity across the Greater Toronto Area. The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognise that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialised people/people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs. In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks here. The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview. #J-18808-Ljbffr