Par Counsellor

**INTERNAL/ EXTERNAL JOB POSTING: PAR COUNSELLOR - FULL TIME**

**Date Posted**: July 17, 2025

**Hours of Work**: 35 hours/ week, Full-time Permanent

**Hourly Wage**: $31.29

**Reports to**: Program Manager

**Classification**: Counsellor (Bargaining member position)

**Location**: On
- Site at office in Toronto, ON,

**About Us**

Elizabeth Fry Toronto delivers gender-based, trauma-informed services and advocates for justice and equity for criminalized women, Trans, non-binary, and Two Spirit people, as well as their families. We envision communities where women and gender-diverse people are not criminalized. Our work is grounded in an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, intersectional feminist, abolitionist framework and guided by our values of Compassion, Equity & Inclusion, Excellence, and Accountability. We support the empowerment and well-being of criminalized individuals through responsive, client-centered programs that address the complex and systemic barriers they face. Our services are rooted in trauma-informed and harm reduction practices, assisting people at various stages of involvement in the criminal justice system.

We are Currently hiring a **PAR Counsellor -Full Time**to provide group and individual counselling to women involved in the criminal justice system. This role focuses on trauma-informed, harm reduction-based care and requires in-person / Virtual service delivery.

The Partner Assault Response (PAR) is a 12-week group program offering information, education, and support to women charged in domestic violence situations. This court-mandated initiative provides specialized, community-based counselling and psycho-educational group support focused on abuse and emotional management. Reporting to the Program Manager, this role requires flexibility to deliver both virtual and in-person services, including sole facilitation of groups. Working within the mandated protocols you will be required to provide the following:
**Key Responsibilities**
- Provide individual and group counselling to PAR clients, including crisis intervention when required
- Facilitate and co-facilitate psycho-educational workshops and support groups
- Conduct client intakes, eligibility assessments, and mid/post-program evaluations
- Complete risk assessments and develop safety plans based on individual client needs
- Track and monitor client progress throughout the program
- Advocate on behalf of clients and assist with navigating systemic barriers
- Provide clients with relevant information, resources, referrals, and ongoing support
- Maintain accurate, timely case notes and update client files at every point of contact in to the data management system.
- Liaise with referral agencies, courts, and community partners as needed
- Write court-mandated progress and completion reports for group participants
- Document group activities and client interactions in agency data systems
- Submit monthly program statistics and maintain program documentation.
- Submit reports as per the defined format on or before the due date to comply with program requirements.
- Coordinate all aspects of group sessions, including scheduling, space, and logistics
- Attend team and agency meetings; contribute to program evaluations and planning
- Support new staff, students, and volunteers as and when require.
- Respond to telephone and in-person inquiries and communicate program information
- Maintain confidentiality and security of all client and agency-related information
- Ensure compliance with agency policies, procedures, and health and safety standards
- Participate in ongoing professional development and internal/external committees.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by management.

**Qualifications**
- Education: Degree or diploma in Social Work, Community/Social Services, Psychology, Criminology, or a related field, or a combination of education and experience.
- Experience: Minimum 3-5 years of counselling and facilitation experience, preferably working with women from diverse ethno-cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, including transgender and LGBTQ2+ communities. Experience working with justice-involved women and marginalized groups is an asset.
- Knowledge: Strong understanding of the criminal justice system, especially as it relates to women; trauma from feminist, anti-racist, and anti-oppression perspectives; and restorative justice principles.
- Commitment: Demonstrated use of trauma-informed, feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppression, and harm reduction practices.
- Skills: Strong facilitation and client engagement skills, case documentation and management, crisis intervention, problem solving, and decision-making using appropriate communication channels.
- Technical: Proficient in updating client information systems, Microsoft 365 suite, and virtual platforms.
- Communication: Excellent interpersonal, relationship management, oral and written communication, and organizational skills.
- Availability: Ability to work inde