Child and Youth Worker

**JOB SUMMARY**:
Reporting to the Clinical Manager, Intensive Treatment Services (ITS), the Child and Youth Worker (CYW) works alongside the ITS Counsellors in providing intensive treatment services to children, youth and their family/caregiver in their home and community. An incredibly challenging but rewarding position, the CYW will work in collaboration with the client’s mulita-systemic treatment/care team to stabilize the client’s behaviour and mood, as well as, providing the necessary skills to help the client achieve personal goals, develop healthy relationships, gain essential life and social skills, safety plan, and provide coaching in therapy as needed. Inherent to this work is the recognition and management of risk associated with clients experiencing mild, moderate, and/or severe conditions of mental health, and or substance use challenges. Essential to facilitating change is the inclusion of the client’s culture, community, and informal circle of support. The CYW work environment may include the client’s home, school, alternative home, and the community.
As a member of the AFS Team, the CYW plays an important role in promoting our culture of care through the modelling of our organizational values and delivering on our mission, vision, and strategic objectives, with kindness, compassion, and care. Extraordinarily committed, the CYW will also promote inclusive and culturally sensitive services from a trauma-informed, client-centred, strength-based, and solution-focused approach within an anti-oppressive practice context.

**MINIMUM EDUCATION/REGISTRATION**
- Child and Youth Worker Degree or Diploma

**MINIMUM EXPERIENCE**
- Two (2) years’ experience working with children, youth, and families
- Experience working with high risk and marginalized children and youth
- Equivalent combinations of training and experience may be considered

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- Ability and maturity to act calmly in situations demanding quick assessment and immediate action.
- Possess a caring, kind, and empathic approach in the engagement of children, youth, and their families in a manner that is consistent with the AFS vision and organizational values.
- Training in WHMIS, Naloxone administration, Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, and cultural competence.
- A solid understanding of the effects of abuse and neglect, separation and attachment, grief and loss on child development.
- Demonstrate an understanding of age and developmentally appropriate behavior for children/adolescents in the home, school and community.
- Experience working with neuro-diverse (for example, ASD or FASD diagnosis) needs children and youth.
- Ability to provide skill-building training to the client and their caregivers.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team, participate in supervision; incorporate constructive feedback, attend all meetings, and complete assigned paperwork with accuracy and on-time.
- Clear understanding of parameters of confidentiality and reporting responsibilities under pertinent legislation, such as, The Child, Youth and Family Services Act, The Education Act, The Mental Health Act of Ontario, The Personal Health Information Protection Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
- Ability to develop and maintain professional working relationships with caregivers, colleagues, consultants, referral sources, service providers, and education personnel.
- Proficiency with computers, specifically software, such as: Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Teams, and PowerPoint, as well as client information management systems.
- Certification in Crisis Prevention and Intervention.
- Possession of a current First Aid Certificate and CPR is required
- Possession of a valid Ontario Driver’s License (minimum of Class G if over the age of 19 and Class G2 license if 19 and under), ability to travel within the district of Algoma and use of a personal vehicle.
- Availability to work flexible hours including evenings.
- Ability to provide services in both official languages (English/French) is an asset.
- Full COVID-19 Vaccination.

Duties and Responsibilities; Please refer to attached job description

This position falls within the bargaining unit represented by the OPSEU.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

Licence/Certification:

- First Aid Certification (preferred)

Work Location: In person