Program Lead and Youth

**Program Lead and Youth & Family Worker**

**With respect, Alex House operates on the stolen land of the Coast Salish Nations, the**

**Semiahma (Semiahmoo), q̓icəy̓(Katzie), and qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓(Kwantlen) Nations**

**Welcome Bienvenue Chào mừngQúi Vị ਜਆਇਆ ਨੂBienvenidos 환영합니다**
Alex House, as a neighbourhood house, is a place
- based, and takes an assets-based approach to working in community. We understand the potential of each individual to contribute to the wellness of our shared community, regardless of what brings them through our doors for the very first time. We are seeking a creative, passionate, and collaborative Program Lead and Youth and Family Worker (YFW) to work alongside children, youth, families in South and
Surrey/White Rock.

We are seeking multiple positions available with varying levels of responsibility to join our team. These job roles work under the direction of the Director of Integrated Youth and Family
Services and requires evening work. The job roles work collaboratively with diverse community participants, agencies, team members and youth volunteers, to support the development of
Youth Spaces in Bakerview Park and Greenbrook. Programming is intended to engage youth in a social environment by offering interactive and supportive activities to gain life skills, social skills, and interpersonal skills.

**Program Lead Responsibilities**:

- Making connections in Greenbrook Youth Space to support child/youth programs with a holistic approach to health and celebrating cultural diversity
- Program development in leadership, social emotional learning, health and wellness, social justice, community safety, and engagement activities with an emphasis on building resilience, leadership, empowerment, and creating a sense of belonging
- Embedding BC Core Competencies into programming framework: communication, critical/creative thinking, personal/social and cultural identity, personal awareness/responsibility, and social responsibility
- Honour the wisdom of program participants and facilitate an environment that actively values an individual’s input, passions, and skills
- Liaison between adult staff, community partners, and youth to ensure voices are empowered and implemented
- Lead special events and field-trips in the community
- Responsible for the day-to-day program operation, youth worker, and volunteers
- Conduct outreach into community and via social media to raise awareness of the programs, recruit new members, and promote activities to potential participants
- Support the evaluation of activities and assist with writing reports to funders
- Undertake administrative tasks: website/social media posts, creating and maintaining effective tracking systems, forms, and databases

**Youth and Family Worker Responsibilities**:

- Establish rapport, and initiate, develop, and maintain supportive and trusting relationships with vulnerable youth, and their families
- Work with youth to identify needs, provide culturally appropriate support and services, and work collaboratively to advocate for clients
- Manage caseload of youth files, including all relevant reporting and documentation
- Engage in street and community outreach
- Support youth accessing Youth Space programs (both individually and group based), respond to immediate needs, and provide practical resources including food, harm reduction supplies, transportation, shelter resourcing
- Assist in planning, facilitating and evaluating groups and workshops with/for youth; life skills, recreational, cultural and social
- Respond to any urgent needs and potential behavioral, mental health, emotional, or substance use concerns using trauma-informed practice
- Establish professional, collaborative working relationships with community partners, including MCFD, CYMH and schools
- Comply with all relevant reporting, confidentiality and record-keeping requirements

**Knowledge, Skills and Abilities**:

- Proven ability to connect with youth and meet youth “where they’re at”
- Understanding the diverse needs of youth including marginalized youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability, living with mental health, substance use, challenging family dynamics and/or other social challenges
- Knowledge and experience in trauma-informed practice, adolescent development, harm reduction, mental health, substance use, system navigation, including government care
- Ability to be flexible, resourceful, and possess good time management skills
- Effective crisis intervention, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to communicate professionally, both verbally and in writing
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries and comply with service standards
- Knowledge of community resources, integrated case management and group facilitation skills
- Able to work effectively independently and in collaboration with a team
- Proficiency in a second language is an asset

**Education and Experience**: