Settlement Counsellor

MAGMA

The Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area is a settlement agency that supports immigrants as they arrive, plant roots, and build a new home in New Brunswick’s largest and fastest growing city. Just like the cultural landscape of the Greater Moncton Area, MAGMA is an organization that is continuously growing, changing, and evolving

Summary of Role

The Settlement Counsellor provides planning, assistance, skill building, counselling, service coordination and other supports to newcomers. The focus is on assisting the newcomers to become independent and self-sufficient by addressing targeted needs in the community.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Works with newcomers to assess needs and resources.
- Develop a plan to address housing and other settlement goals in the community
- Aids newcomers in school enrolments, employment pursuits and credential recognition
- Identifies educational and training resources, recreational pursuits, and other appropriate community contacts and resources; organizes various workshops and activities to facilitate newcomer integration.
- Referrals to professional networking events and groups
- Represents the organization in the community when required and maintains healthy relationships with other helping organizations and the community at large.
- Completes reports and attends meetings as required by MAGMA.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

- Post-secondary education in social work or a related human services field is an asset.
- Fluent in both English and French. Additional languages are a strong asset.
- Must have a valid drivers license
- Experience counselling clients or other helping capacity.
- Knowledge and experience with life skills education and coaching.
- Demonstrated ability to plan, lead and evaluate group or individual trainings and workshops
- Knowledge and experience in maintaining confidentiality, appropriate boundaries, and other basic counselling ethics.
- Knowledge of community resources for youth and families.
- Have strong proficiency using technology including Teams, Zoom etc.
- Must be able to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends, to accommodate the needs of the clients.

CORE COMPETENCIES

The Resettlement Counsellor should demonstrate the following:
Leadership: Leads, coaches, and develops other through clear communication, setting expectations, providing recognition and consistently following through on commitments as assigned. Models’ high standards of ethics and integrity.

Diversity and Cross-Cultural Competency: Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and the ability to work with clients and colleagues coming from diverse backgrounds.

Communication and interpersonal skills: Foster open communication and dialogue by sharing information, listening effectively, speaking honestly, and preparing written communications. Explains concepts clearly by providing concise and organized messages.

Decision-making / Problem solving: Considers the impact on the client, the organization and other stakeholders when making decisions. Makes timely and sound decisions, even under situations of uncertainty. Acts decisively and creatively when implementing solutions to ensure they are in alignment to the vision and values of MAGMA.

Initiative and Creativity: Plans work and carries out tasks without detailed instructions; makes constructive suggestions; prepares for problems and opportunities in advance; undertakes additional responsibilities; responds to situations as they arise with mínimal supervision.

Organization: Manages multiple projects; able to plan, set priorities, delegate work, and meet timelines consistently; uses goals to guide actions; organizes and schedules people and tasks effectively.

Flexibility: Remains open-minded; performs a wide variety of tasks and changes focus quickly as demands change; manages transitions from task to task effectively.

Team-Building and Cooperative Partnership: Facilitates consensus and proactively avoids conflicts with individual and groups through effective communication and problem resolution.

Integrity: Understands that dealing with a vulnerable population requires that they conduct themselves with honesty, transparency, and responsibility in all matters, and can provide a clean criminal record check.

CORE STAFF DUTIES

The following core responsibilities are required of all MAGMA staff:
Event Participation: As a multicultural association which networks extensively with other organizations as well as hosting a wide variety of events, MAGMA staff are asked to be flexible in arranging to take part as these events usually take place outside of regular working hours. While each staff’s role may involve specific activities, in general the staff are required to attend core events, including the Annual General Meeting and the Mosaïq Multicultural Festival. Time spent at these events is taken in lieu, as arranged with the department manager.

Administration: As a government-funded org