First Nations Family Connections Worker

**About FRAFCA**:
The Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association (FRAFCA) is a rapidly growing Indigenous community-based organization, serving BC’s largest urban Indigenous population of children, youth, families & Elders. Our Vision is to build _**a community of strong, healthy, successful Indigenous people connected to each other and to their roots**_by fostering their health & well-being through culturally relevant services, support, and advocacy.

**Position Summary (First Nations Family Connections Worker)**:
The Family Support Worker is the primary worker in the Family parent home and is responsible for creating a safe, therapeutic, daily living environment for families residing in residence. This highly motivated individual works with the family to meet their care plan goals and achieve a satisfactory level of wellness and family functioning; and supports a small team of residence support workers to understand and collaborate around the families goals.

Services are delivered, in accordance with legislation, regulations, contractual commitments, Society policies and commonly accepted practice standards for residence care. The ideal person lives a good, and healthy lifestyle, and role models wellness. Finally, the ideal person is connected to their own culture and is committed to working in a culturally safe way; is open and accessible to the family; is comfortable with conflict and can manage interpersonal conflict with ease; has excellent communication skills; and works well under pressure with an understanding that this create opportunities for growth and change.

The individual is responsible for upholding FRAFCA’s mission, vision, and values, and is highly collaborative and supporting staff to work to this end.

**Why FRAFCA**:

- Opportunity to work alongside cultural knowledge keepers & Elders
- Holistic, culturally safe, approaches to serving our clients and community
- Freedom to share and observe own cultural practices (i.e. smudging in the office)
- Parking available on-site
- Paid vacation days;
- Offices located along main transportation routes; main office by the Skytrain station;
**Program goals include**:

- Promote strong parenting skills, life skills and holistic well-being.
- Promote the social and emotional health of families;
- Help families access and navigate key supports and services;
- Increase understanding of the best ways to support families;
- Find gaps in the system and find solutions to the problems families often face.

**Your Duties**:

- **Assessment & Intake**: The Family Advocate/Community Liaison will complete an intake and develop short term goals with the family to support community integration and achieve stabilization. When a family is referred from MCFD, information from their SDM process shall be considered in goal development in addition to the family’s needs and desires.
- **Advocacy**: The Family Advocate & Community Liaison will facilitate access to and networking with specialized support services for parents & their children. Examples of these child focused specialized support services include, but are not limited to, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and aboriginal supported child development. Examples of services targeting parents include addictions counselling, victim services support, & advocacy (MSDSI, Health Authority).
- **Community Liaison**support including advocacy for local, provincial, or federal services where available and were doing so will likely lead to improve outcomes for the family; Making appropriate referrals to other agencies or professionals, as necessary, and provide accompaniment in initial stages.
- **Connect**individuals with income support, health supports, education registration, and other Provincial, Federal or Municipal services that would improve the families functioning & connections. This may include booking & accompaniment to appointments.
- **Crisis Supports**:Provide crisis intervention & support to families in transition to obtain services, connect to housing supports, or to address barriers to necessary.
- **General Case Planning & Management** including intake, goal setting, client file notes, records management, statistical reporting, referrals, and closure. Incumbents can expect to participate in ICM and FCPC when MCFD is referral source.
- **Community Resources/Partner engagement**: develop excellent relationships with other service providers and establish formal and informal linkages. Map and report on existing gaps, develop relationship with the Surrey School district and negotiate an agreement for client referral.
- Other related duties as requested and required.

**In Addition, the**Indigenous Family Home Support Worker **will be required to**:

- Attend and participate in all staff and program meetings and family goal planning with family, and with each family member in the program;
- Actively cooperate with other staff and the Executive Director/Program Manager in decision