Youth Worker Weekends

**About Covenant House Vancouver**

Since 1997, Covenant House Vancouver has provided relentless support for youth experiencing, or at-risk of experiencing, homelessness. We provide support to young people age 16 to 24 who have experienced a wide range of early life and ongoing, complex trauma; including physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect. Our purpose is to serve all youth, with absolute respect and unconditional love, to help youth experiencing homelessness, and provide a safe and supportive environment for all youth in need.

**The Impact a Youth Worker in the Crisis Program can make**:
Your primary role as a youth worker is to build trusting, supportive professional relationships with youth. You will work with a multidisciplinary team to determine the best plan of care to help youth reach their goals and transition to healthy, confident adults. Working in the Crisis Program, you will provide youth with their basic and immediate needs, support them with employment and educational resources, and guide them to transition to independence when they may be ready.

**How you will contribute**:

- Greet and welcome youth accessing CHV services, assess and respond to their immediate needs, and provide them with practical resources including food, clothing, transportation
- Initiate, develop and maintain relationships with at risk youth 16-24 years of age
- Upon entry to the Program, introduce the services provided, orient new youth, complete program intake/admission
- Work collaboratively with other staff to assist youth in identifying attainable short and long-term goals, strategies for meeting these goals, and an action plan for implementation
- Assist youth with accessing external community supports and accompany them if needed
- Coordinate youth meetings and activities, including recreation and life skills
- Respond to any emergencies or potential behavioral, mental health, emotional, or substance use concerns using trauma-informed practice
- Manage youth case files, including all relevant reporting and documentation
- Attend all training as directed by your manager
- Clean, search, and remake resident rooms at discharge
- Laundry as needed
- Front Desk and reception duties as required
- Other duties as required

**Who are we looking for?**

**Education and Experience**:

- Diploma or degree related to social service
- Experience in a similar role is preferred but not required
- First Aid & Non-Violent Crisis Intervention is an asset

**Skills & Abilities**:

- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Familiar with the challenges facing youth who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability
- Familiarity with substance misuse
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries with the Youth
- Basic computer skills

**Why Work for us? Would you like to **
- Be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of youth in need
- Work safely with low youth to staff ratio
- Access ongoing training and development to improve both professional and personal growth
- Attend an array of exciting team bonding exercises throughout the year
- Have generous Health & Dental Benefits, including a health spending account, substantial counselling benefits ($4,000 per year to ensure you are looking after you), employee assistance program, excellent vacation (starting at 15 days per year), personal and sick leave
- Work with a multidisciplinary team of youth workers, social workers, clinical counsellors, mentorship and life skills coordinators, outreach, and housing workers
- An inclusive team that welcomes innovative ideas and creativity

**Schedule**:
Overnight Saturday - Monday and alternating Tuesdays

**Diversity, Equity & Inclusion**

Covenant House Vancouver is a secular organization that welcomes and serves young people from all backgrounds. While the international federation to which we belong was founded in the 1970s by members of the Catholic Church, we are not aligned with any specific faith traditions.
- Persons from groups marginalized due to race, ancestry, colour, religion/spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
- Persons with visible (physical) and/or invisible (mental) disabilities;
- Persons who identify as women;
- Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; and
- Indigenous persons.

We recognize that many of these identities intersect and that therefore, diversity, equity, and inclusion can be complex. We value the contributions that each person brings and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all at Covenant House Vancouver.

We love what we do and try to make a difference every day. Covenant House Vancouver offers a competitive salary with a great benefits package and excellent opportunity for training and career advancement. If you are looking to join a place where we have a purpose and aim to achieve positive outcomes, please join us by applying.

If our recruitment process does not work for you, let us know.