Clinical Counsellor

March 14, 2023 **Posting #1331**
- **YouthLink believes in the potential of every youth. We are dedicated to providing them with the support, guidance and opportunities they need to make positive life choices. We provide youth with brief and ongoing counselling, in-home wraparound support, shelter, housing, educational support, and safe drop-in spaces. **_**YouthLink works towards equitable outcomes for youth in our community and, as such, is committed to equity-based hiring practices.**_

**YouthLink Benefits are Top of Class**
- Competitive pay
- Health & dental coverage for you and your family with 100% premium cost paid by employer.
- Annual vacation with pay at 1.66 working days for each calendar month to a maximum of **20**working days per year.
- **5**‘authorized absence’ days for family illness or emergency circumstances that prohibit employees from reporting to work.
- **3 **paid agency days every calendar year after 3 calendar months’ service.
- Maternity / parental /adoption leave top-up payments (to top-up Canadian government unemployment benefit payments).
- 100% premium cost for long-term disability coverage paid by employee.
- Eligibility to participate in pension plan after 2 years of continuous service with generous matching contribution from employer.

**Clinical Counsellor**

**(Permanent Full-time, 35 hours/week)**

**Bargaining Unit Position**

This position is responsible for providing individual, family, group counselling, case management, education, advocacy, and consultation to support youth and their families or caregivers presenting with mental health, emotional and/or behavioural issues. YouthLink serves youth ages 12-21 for ongoing therapy, ages 12 - 24 for Brief Therapy/Short Term Treatment for families and 0-24 for single session counselling. Attachment and family focused models of intervention, integrating lenses that are healing centered, trauma informed, and prioritize equity, anti-racism, and inclusion are expected. A flexible work schedule and approach is required to ensure service accessibility - including some evenings; services are provided initially in person with virtual service available dependent on client needs and counsellors recommendations. The position assumes responsibility for a caseload averaging 10-12 youth clients and their families, generating a minimum of 17.5 direct client contacts per week.

**Highlights of Your Role**

**Support and advocating for clients**:
Provides walk-in and crisis counselling as well as longer-term family, individual and group counselling. Makes appropriate treatment recommendations in collaboration with clients. Manages cases: follows up by telephone; makes appropriate referrals; researches and coordinates external services; works with multidisciplinary professionals, such as child protection and youth justice. Reports to appropriate person or body any incidents that may jeopardize client or staff safety

**Accurate Documentation & Data Input**:
Prepares documents and other resources for client and group sessions: takes clinical notes during counselling sessions, enters information, and prepares assessments and reports.

**Growth and Development**:
Develops professionally through supervision, team meetings, case consultations, external training events.

**Engagement and participation: Increases**:
Increases awareness of YouthLink by attending community events.

**Supports Organization’s Strategy**:
Actively contributes to the Agency’s Strategic Plan by participating in initiatives and committees to support the overall Plan.

Takes all reasonable and necessary precautions to protect his or her own health and safety and that of co-workers by complying and demonstrating knowledge of the policies, procedures and safe practices established by YouthLink

**Highlights of What You Bring**

**Education**:

- Master’s degree in a counselling/therapy/psychotherapy related field.
- Licensure in a regulated health college which permits the delivery of the Act of Psychotherapy.
- Specialized training in clinical counselling models (such as; CBT, Narrative, Solution-Focused etc.), training in evidence-based practices, familiarity with outcome informed approaches, training in trauma informed practice, diversity and anti-oppression.
- Training in standardized assessments, trauma assessment and treatment, an asset.
- Associate Membership with the Canadian Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (CAMFT), an asset.

**Experience**:

- Two (2) years’ experience in clinical counselling.
- Knowledge of community services, relevant legislation, and social justice issues.
- Familiarity with suicide/risk assessment and crisis support services.
- Experience providing service to youth and their families through complex mental health challenges, crisis management and safety planning.
- Knowledge of and commitment to practicing from a decolonizing, anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework.
- Identification with and experience supporting B