Youth Support Worker

PLEA Community Services is currently seeking a **Temporary Full-Time Youth Support Worker**for our U-Turn/U-Link team located in Surrey, BC. This temporary contract is proposed to start as soon as possible, and end upon the return of the incumbent. This position requires BCGEU membership.

The Youth Support Worker engages the youth in one-to-one activities, helping them reach their long-term goals around success, well-being, and healthy development. The youth in this program have complex care needs related to mental health, disability, addiction, and challenging behaviour. The employee will provide close supervision and attention to the youth’s needs to teach skills in education, recreation, and healthy living.

**Hours of Work**: The usual hours of work are Tuesday to Saturday based on a flextime scheduling arrangement, including days and evenings, of 35 working hours per week.

**Education/Experience Requirements**:

- A Bachelor of Arts in the social sciences or human services or a related discipline.
- One (1) year recent experience working in programs with youth who are deemed to be high risk and have complex needs, and/or are involved in the criminal justice system, and their families/caregivers.
- Work or volunteer experience in a residential care facility or foster home model program.

**Closing date for Internal Applications**:Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 4:30PM. If this position is not filled internally, it will remain open until filled.

**Who We Are**:
PLEA is an accredited, charitable community services organization that has operated throughout BC for more than 40 years. We deliver community-based services and specialized supported homes to children, youth, adults and families facing significant challenges in their lives. We continually adapt our programs to suit each individual’s diverse strengths, needs and circumstances. As a result, we have a strong reputation for helping those we serve to overcome the challenges they face and lead fulfilling lives.

**What You Will Do**:

- Work closely with the Services Coordinator and Family Caregivers to support the goals identified in each youth's service plan. Develop and implement appropriate plans, strategies and activities that will address their complex needs, strengthen their protective factors and provide a sense of belonging and stability.
- Provide close supervision and support in the community that will assist youth to achieve their individual goals, maintain their motivation to make safer choices, improve their behavior, develop new interests and connections, and feel successful.
- Implement interventions that address the complex personal, social and healthcare needs of the youth, and recognizes the contextual dynamics they are experiencing. Provide opportunities to access and reconnect to available resources in the community that will enable and encourage youth to develop the necessary educational, personal, social, vocational and self-advocacy skills. Include such community resources as an integral part of the youth’s case management plan.
- Maintain ongoing positive relationships with Family Caregivers and participates as part of the team responsible for improving the quality of life for the youth, addressing their individual strengths, needs, abilities and preferences consistently, and supporting their healthy development.
- Teach life skills and community survival skills, provide emotional support and models acceptable behavior. Engage youth in acceptable recreational and social activities in the community that will build on their strengths, develop their interpersonal skills, and support their involvement in their culture to strengthen their sense of identity. Support youth towards integration and normative functioning in the community.
- Develop collaborative relationships with youths' families/caregivers, significant others and informal support systems to maintain and strengthen these connections.
- Respond to critical incidents and emergencies in current placements. Recognize potential crises, analyze these situations accurately and implements strategies to deal with them, and inform the manager when such situations arise. Provide on call and duty coverage for the program.
- Maintain necessary program participant and program reports and statistics. Ensure that all records, reports and documentation pertaining to service delivery are accurate, complete and in compliance with PLEA’s policies and procedures.
- Establish strong connections to the community, including maintaining close working relationships with all formal and informal service providers.
- Protect and uphold confidentiality.
- Perform other related duties as required.

**What You Will Bring**:

- Strong interpersonal communication, and conflict management skills, including a demonstrated ability to prepare accurate and comprehensive written reports.
- Demonstrated proficiency in teaching others and an ability to work collaboratively with families/caregivers and networks t