Counselling Group Facilitator

**Counselling Group Facilitator
**Division: Youth & Adult Services**

**Work Status: Full-Time**

**Location: Durham Region (Oshawa, Whitby, Bowmanville)**

**About the Role**

The Counsellor will support service users through the intake and assessment process, make referrals (internal/external), determine group/program suitability, facilitate groups, be accountable for service users on caseload, and manage files. **The individual will be required to facilitate the following groups**:Anger Management, Parenting, Cooperative Parenting and/or DADS programs. The counsellor will work a ‘flexible’ schedule to accommodate for evening groups as required.**

**You will be working on things like:
**Service User Support**
- Perform intake and assessment
- Facilitation of groups
- Perform individual counselling/make-up sessions when necessary
- Ability to communicate/advocate on behalf of service users with other agencies and program providers
- Good knowledge of community resources and the ability to make referrals when appropriate
- Use counselling and communication skills to evaluate group readiness, negotiate readiness for change and develop a suitable action plan

**Case Management/Documentation**
- Maintains up-to-date case notes, progress reports and service user files with a clear rationale for methods and interventions used
- Maintains up to date and accurate statistical documentation in accordance with the program requirements.
- Maintain accurate case notes and other program documentation for individuals and collectively for program information as per JHS standard

**Community Liaison Functions**
- Deliver workshops and speaking engagements to community groups, schools, and organizations
- Participates in committees, groups etc. in the community
- Make referrals to community agencies as appropriate
- Representing the agency in the community and promoting programs as appropriate
- Establish and maintain positive relationships with other community services agencies and organizations
- Attend workshops, meetings and seminars as requested in agency and community

**Administrative**
- Complete all documentation and maintain up-to-date case notes, progress reports and client files with a clear rationale for methods and intervention used, and statistical documentation in accordance with the program requirement
- Monitor and maintain financial tracking where required
- Maintain statistical data relative to program objectives; participate in program record-keeping in an accurate and auditable manner in accordance with established program procedures
- Communicate effectively and tactfully in both oral and written form
- Knowledge of John Howard Society’s policies, programs and services
- Attend agency, office and team meetings as required
- Support the training of group co-facilitators (students and staff)
- Ensure that all services provided are within the standards of service maintained by JHS and consistent with the agency’s philosophical beliefs
- Other related duties that may be assigned
- Maintain up to date statistical data as per funding requirements
- Submit statistical data to supervisor
- Invoicing for groups and book materials when required
- Submit cash requests, mileage forms as required
- Attend all program staff meetings, and agency meetings as assigned

**If you have the following we would love to hear from you**
- Post-secondary diploma or degree in a relevant field of study
- A minimum of (2) years’ experience in social service work involving theory, principles, and practices of counselling
- Comprehensive understanding of issues and linkages related to child and family welfare, relationships, trauma, addictions, mental health, family court system and the criminal justice system
- Experience, knowledge and understanding with parenting practices within different cultures
- Strategically utilizes counselling modalities and approaches to engage and support diverse service users
- Strong awareness of local community services and needs
- Excellent, tactful, and appropriate verbal and written communication skills, experienced in support, de-escalation, and crisis intervention skills
- A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including solid negotiation, conflict resolution, and people management skills
- High degree of resourcefulness, flexibility, and adaptability
- Works well independently and as part of a team
- Strong commitment to privacy and confidentiality
- Practices a strong work ethic, takes responsibility for their actions
- Awareness of community resources relevant to population
- Demonstrates punctuality and accountability with their time
- Contributes to the program strategy
- Open to supervision and feedback, works collaboratively
- Acts with integrity
- Meets established deadlines
- Manages program and agency change in a positive manner
- Valid Class G driver's license with appropriate 2 million liability insurance require
- Crisis Intervention training and certification
- ASIST Certi