Support Worker, Cultural

**HOURS**: Monday
- Friday (37.5 hours per week)

**REPORTS TO**:Program Manager

“Despite great challenges we believe unhealthy cycles can be broken, new opportunities created, and, through healing, health restored.”

Reports to the Program Manager. The Cultural Support Worker works alongside other team members to provide former Residential School Students, former Indian Day School Students (IDS) and relatives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) crisis. You play a large role in ensuring participants and family members have access to a wide range of mental health and wellness support services that address a plethora of mental health issues related to childhood traumas experienced from the attendance Residential Schools. As well as providing support for the mental hardship and mourning shared by those tethered to MMIWG.

“We stand with our clients, side by side, patiently and for as long as they want - a constant and consistent caring force”

**Position Responsibilities**
- Implement and provide cultural support services to former RS Students and family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
- Offer assistance and support for clients seeking recognition and investigation for missing family members which also includes developing aftercare cultural supports
- Work with the BSCS agency and our partners to provide cultural activities and traditions to Inner City/Homeless populations, former students, and family members of MMIWG for cultural healing. Which includes but is not limited to, sweats, memorial feasts, healing circles and or pipe ceremonies
- Work within the agency to educate other staff members on the impact of historical injustices against Indigenous groups.
- Ensure that Former IRS, and IDS Students and Families of MMIWG receive counselling support services by referring them to the appropriate Health Canada practitioners an/or ensuring that respective counsellors are sensitive to the unique situation of homeless IRS, IDS Students or MMIWG family members
- Build relationships with other Cultural Support Providers within the Edmonton area and on a national scale to facilitate an appropriate forum for the discussion of suitable practices
- Provide access to debriefing opportunities for Elder(s)/Front Line Agency Staff to minimize the potential impacts of vicarious trauma associated with the provision of support to Former IRS, IDS Students, MMIWG and their immediate family member(s) and/or support person(s);
- BSCS is more than a workplace. It is a community where everyone helps and contributes to the whole, and there is an expectation that all employees will take part in events (during the work week and occasionally during weekends and evenings). This includes fundraising campaigns, running community meals, medicine picking etc.

**Qualifications**
- Post Secondary education/Degree in a relevant field (Indigenous Studies or Social Sciences is preferred) and/or relevant work experience in Harm Reduction and Inner-City Community Services
- 6 months experience in a caseworker or support worker role
- An understanding and personal practice of Indigenous cultures, histories, and ceremony
- Police Check with the Vulnerable Sector and Child and Youth Intervention Check completed within the past six months
- Valid First Aid certificate or enrolled in a future course
- Valid Class 5 Non-GDL licence and reliable vehicle

**Why Work for Boyle?**
- All work done positively impacts the community and its members
- Access to Lumino Health, including Stress & Wellness support
- Employee activities and events throughout the year
- Various training initiatives, and development opportunities

Boyle Street Community Services (BSCS) is a values-driven organization that believes our clients are the experts in their own life. Your job will be to foster innovation with your team alongside our clients.

Clients, staff, and partners are vital members of the Boyle Street team, so we place emphasis on making sure that we address each other correctly by using preferred pronouns. We invite you to let us know how to properly refer to you and your pronouns as you explore finding a professional home with us.

The health and safety of our clients and staff is of the utmost importance to our organization. Per Boyle Street's COVID-19 policy, all new hires are required to be fully vaccinated with the third booster dose. Proof of full vaccination by means of immunization records from AHS, letter from a physician, or other health care provider is required prior to starting with BSCS.