Child and Youth Practitioner

**Department**:Community Services

**Location**:KENTVILLE

**Type of Employment**:Relief

**Union Status**: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG

**Closing Date**:4/13/2023 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

**About Us**:
At the Department of Community Services (DCS), we are a large and diverse department providing a broad portfolio of programs and services including Child and Family Wellbeing, Employment Support (ESS), Income Assistance (IA), Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and Disability Support (DSP).

Through our services, we advocate and help vulnerable Nova Scotians be independent, self-reliant, and secure. We work collaboratively across the province with a strong dedicated network of supports and staff, to achieve desired and shared outcomes for all.

**About Our Opportunity**:
We consider this to be the best job in the world, and are seeking compassionate, creative individuals. Child and youth care is an evolving profession, and when you join our team, you will be embarking on a rewarding career. You will have the opportunity to establish positive connections with youth and families, during challenging times in their lives.

If you have a passion for people and are looking for your next opportunity to showcase your various active, artistical, creative and musical talents, consider a career as a Child and Youth Care Practitioner.

At Nexus, we provide placements for eight children in the care of the Minister. We are a co-ed facility, with youth ranging in ages of 12-18 years. Here, we believe that it is important to encourage youth to experience themselves within their communities, as well as be involved in a variety of activities to learn about themselves. We inspire our staff to use various strategies to encourage participation of our youth and making sometimes otherwise ordinary activities into events and assisting our youth in ‘trying various interests on’ until they find a fit.

We are part of a beautiful community, where your education and skills will be leveraged to provide specialized care that will have long lasting results for young people.

**This Roster will be used to fill multiple relief opportunities over the next several months. Relief opportunities are perfect if you are seeking flexibility in your work, or if you are furthering your education. Our department offers flexible working options, which can be explored further during your interview.**

**Primary Accountabilities**:
As a Child & Youth Care Practitioner in our Provincial Child and Youth Caring programs, you will provide care and programming for children and youth in the care of the Minister of Community Services or Mi’kmaw Family & Children’s Services, with moderate to severe emotional and trauma
- based responses.

You will provide support and engage with children and youth, leading and co-leading pre-approved psycho-educational youth programming (social and emotional learning). A few of your key responsibilities include:

- Appropriate role modeling and advocating on behalf of children, youth and families for any necessary supports and services.
- Creating opportunities for recreational and leisure activities to provide children and youth the opportunity to enhance relationships and make connections in the community.
- Attending and actively participating in community outings, appointments, and meetings.
- Being part of a team that provides a caring and safe environment for children and youth who may require assistance with self regulation, conflict resolution and developing skills needed for healthy relationships.
- Collaborating with external professionals including social workers, health care professionals, policing services, probation, and public schools when necessary.

You are also responsible for accurate reporting, case management notes, file maintenance, and crisis intervention, as well as assisting in developing programs and activities. This is where your creative side will shine through, as you incorporate your personal talents and love for unique social and emotional experiences.

**Qualifications and Experience**:
Ideally, you have completed a Child & Youth Care Worker diploma from a provincially approved post-secondary institution. **Notice to Pending Graduates: If you anticipate graduation from your program within the next few months of this posting, you are encouraged to apply.**

Essential to your success in this role is awareness of a trauma informed approach, knowledge of physical, psychological, and emotional needs of youth in care and the family unit. You also demonstrate knowledge of healthy child development, providing opportunity for youth to expand on life skills through support and guidance.

Key qualities of yours include:

- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Effective communication skills (oral & written) and the ability to facilitate groups.
- Knowledge of various software packages, such as Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoin