Mountainside - Child and Youth Care Counsellor

Hull Services has an organizational commitment to pursuing truth and reconciliation, decolonization and anti-oppression._

**About Us**:
Hull Services has long had a reputation for providing leading edge child, youth, and family mental health services. We work with children, youth and families who have experienced mental health struggles, behavioural problems, developmental delay, neglect, abuse and trauma. Hull offers them an opportunity to seek well-being and happiness, with a focus on mental health. Hull’s vision is for resilient young people and families to thrive within communities that support their mental health and well-being. Hull’s programs and services include prevention and early intervention, family-based treatment, school-based services, community group care, campus-based care, adult services and education and training. Located in Calgary, we have been serving Alberta’s young people and families for 60 years, and support over 8,000 young people and families each year.

**The Program**:
The Mountainside Program is a 4 bed trauma-informed, relationship-based, Therapeutic Campus-Based Care program serving kids between the ages of 9 and 13. This program is operated in conjunction with the U13 program at Sweetgrass Lodge. We incorporate the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT), an evidence-based practice developed by Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D., into our therapeutic based milieu based treatment program.

**The Position**:
We are looking for a **full-time Child and Youth Care Counsellor for a 6 month contract.**

The schedule for this positions requires flexibility to work weekdays, weekends and morning and/or evening shifts (shifts are generally 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.).

Reporting to the Program Coordinator, our Child and Youth Care Counsellors are an integral members of an interdisciplinary team which assesses, plans, implements and evaluates treatment programs for the children in our care. Our Counsellors participate in all facets of program life and are responsible for our youths’ daily care, treatment, health, nurturance, and supervision.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:

- Attend to the physical safety, esteem and developmental needs of the children.
- Select and make appropriate use of behavioural interventions and strategies.
- Communicate rules and behavioural limits and follow through on appropriate behavioural interventions.
- Identify and act on goal-related teaching opportunities; use systematic plans of instruction, appropriate teaching methods and approaches to transfer information and skills.
- Supervise, organize and implement daily living activities and see these as opportunities for educational and therapeutic interventions.
- Use routines and activities to give children security and enable them to relate to others in socially acceptable ways; help the youth understand the need for routines and procedures.
- Provide meaningful and responsible role modelling, as well as direct teaching in areas of grooming, hygiene, dress, nutrition and social manners.
- Plan and carry out individual and group activities of a recreational nature.
- Improve the quality of life for the children by attending to their physical environment.
- Monitor and work directly with the children in all aspects of his/her life, e.g., liaise with parents and community groups.
- Promote and safeguard children’s rights, interests and treatment by interceding on their behalf.
- Act as an avenue of recourse or grievance for the youth and represent his/her interests.
- Carry out advocacy responsibilities with regard to the children, youth and the Agency.
- In working with people we serve, parents/guardians, co-workers, other professionals and the public, demonstrate appropriate conduct in terms of behaviour, appearance, and presentation and adhere to Agency expectations with regard to confidentiality.
- Attend to team responsibilities in terms of participation, communication, and demonstrating a positive attitude.
- Model socially acceptable values, e.g., integrity, fairness, and respect.
- Participate in professional development activities.

**Qualifications and Skills**:

- Degree or diploma in Child and Youth Care Counselling, Human Services or Social Sciences.
- Experience in Therapeutic Campus-Based Care treatment or congregate care preferred.
- High level of personal competence in the formation and maintenance of caring and therapeutic relationships.
- Ability to engage clients and families in the treatment process.
- Demonstrated interest, commitment, dependability, consistency, and a high level of personal maturity and responsibility.
- Shift leading and supervision experience is an asset.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Clear Police Check including Vulnerable Sector Check and Child Intervention Record Check.
- Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and ability to drive Agency vehicles preferred (min. 3 years driving experience with a class 5/