Mental Health and Addictions Worker

The **Mental Health and Addictions Worker** will help train HUB staff and implement new programming to meet the mental health and addiction needs of the youth who access services. This program will support youth who have experienced a decrease in their overall health or an increase in addictions due to COVID-19. This worker will train and build our regular staff’s capacity to deal with this influx as we are starting to see more youth returning to the HUB for service This position will be instrumental in strengthening our existing partnerships with ASYR and CMHA to build an ongoing program delivery model. The Mental Health and Addictions Worker will work with the staff to decrease crisis events at the HUB, which is beneficial for the youth and our community.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Provides ongoing crisis support to youth struggling with Mental Health and addiction concerns.
- Coordinates, develops and facilitates weekly, biweekly, and monthly life skills programming.
- Coordinates activities and special events for youth in the program.
- Provides informal one-on-one counseling to the youth in the program.
- Makes appropriate referrals to Housing Workers, ATS, Individual and Family Counsellors, Employment, Education, Specialized Support Workers such as Mental Health or Addictions, and others as required.
- Provides support, crisis intervention, and conflict resolution as required.
- Advocates on youth’s behalf and acts as a positive role model for youth.
- Resolves conflict situations including client complaints and disputes. Listens, mediates, negotiates, and provides support and guidance to resolve issues and document outcomes.
- Liaison with participants, parents, community partners, agencies, donors, coworkers, and volunteers. Develop positive relations with the communities being served by the program and with the general public.
- Works with youth to create strength-based preventative approaches to coping with crisis.
- Anticipates understands, and responds to the needs of youth within organizational parameters in order to meet or exceed their expectations.
- Develops programs that meet the unique needs of youth coping with difficulties related to mental health and addictions.
- Develops training to build staff capacity to support youth with mental health and addiction concerns. Educates staff on resources available to support youth in the community.
- Provides coaching to staff on how to manage youth crisis in relation to mental health and addiction.
- Liaises with community partners such as ASYR and CMHA to fortify existing partnerships and ensure warm transfer for youth between programs.
- The Team Lead/Manager of Programs supports, creates, and implements approved strategies and plans that will result in the achievement of the program’s goals and objectives.
- Make regular rounds throughout program areas and communicate regularly with staff from other program areas to coordinate services and programming and reinforce plans, goals, and objectives determined through other programs (E.g., life skills training received in Connections, housing support, employment programs, etc.).
- Completes all mandatory recording and reporting including daily documentation, statistical data collection, and completing registration forms. Provides reports and related information to the Team Leader and/or Manager of Programs as required.
- Attends training workshops and relevant conferences that pertain to the role.

**QUALIFICATIONS OR SKILLS REQUIRED**:

- Post-Secondary degree/diploma in a Child/youth-related field, with a focus on Mental Health and Addictions (e.g. Child and Youth, Social Service Worker, Social Worker, Psychology, Sociology) or the equivalent combination of education and experience working with youth.
- Minimum of three years’ experience working with “at-risk” or street-involved youth.
- Experience using a case management system or HIFIS and VI-SPDAT as an asset.
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention training, suicide prevention training, and assets.
- Current First Aid/CPR certification.
- Current vulnerable sector screening (criminal background check).
- Car and valid driver’s license with a clean driver’s abstract.
- Thorough understanding of issues pertaining to youth and knowledge of relevant legislation.
- Thorough understanding of adolescent development and the impact of mental health and substance use difficulties.
- Client-focused counselling skills with the ability to be adaptable with a flexible approach taking into consideration the unique qualities of each client.
- Must possess excellent communication skills, and exceptional interpersonal skills that promote positive team building, negotiation, and conflict resolution.
- Ability to work independently with groups of youth and as part of a team.