Youth Counselor

_**Employment Opportunity**_
- **Overly Creative Minds (OCM) Program Youth Care Counsellor**_

**Who we are?**

UNYA has been supporting the health and wellbeing of Indigenous youth in the Metro Vancouver area for over 30 years. As a respected non-profit, charitable organization, we recognize Indigenous youth as experts in their own lives and strive to provide youth with programs and opportunities that are relevant and meaningful to them.

At Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) we have developed a Philosophy of Care foundation, drawing from best practices. These philosophies are the grounding framework that shapes all of our decisions and every interaction we have with the youth we serve. Following these philosophies empowers our staff to meet youth where they are at, by giving them the ability to balance flexibility and structure. This allows us to meet our youth’s needs, and ensure that our youth experience a consistent quality of care across all UNYA programs. Our 5 key philosophies are:

- Trauma-Informed Practice - Two-Eyed Seeing
- Harm Reduction Practice - Youth/Person Centered Practice
- Culture as Therapy

**Highlights of this opportunity**:
The Urban Native Youth Association’s OCM program, which provides arts and culture programming 5 days a week for Indigenous youth ages 12-24 years old, is looking for a Youth Care Counsellor (YCC) to join our team. This position will assist in the development and delivery of programming focused on fostering creative expression among participants through weekly and one-time projects related to a variety of cultural, traditional and contemporary art forms. The overall objective of the program is to provide Indigenous youth with safe space to explore their artistic and cultural creativity. The hours for this position will be Monday to Thursday 12pm-8pm, and Friday 9am-5pm for a total of 40 hours a week. However, scheduling will be adjusted based on the needs of youth, and programming opportunities. This position reports directly to the OCM Program Manager and Director of Youth Engagement.

**Qualifications and Conditions**:
1. Relevant educational experience, 2 years of experience working in a related field, or a combination of relevant education, training, and experience.

2. Experience working with Indigenous youth and/or community organizations.

3. Broad based knowledge of the family and social issues that Indigenous youth face today, including the intergenerational impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous families and communities, and a good understanding of Indigenous cultures and traditions.

4. A good working knowledge of community resources in Vancouver, particularly youth & Indigenous-specific resources.

5. Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

6. Demonstrated ability to identify with mandate, policies and procedures of the organization.

7. Demonstrated ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment while maintaining consistent attention to detail.

8. Excellent organizational, communication (written and oral) and prioritization skills.

9. Professional, prompt and positive attitude a must. Must possess tact and discretion, and be able to ensure confidentiality.

10. Must have a criminal record check completed by and satisfactory to UNYA.

11. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required.

13. A valid BC Driver’s License, and ability to provide a Drivers Abstract, is an asset.

14. First Aid and Food Safe certification are assets.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
1. Work in collaboration with others (including UNYA programs and other community partners) as needed to plan, implement, supervise, and evaluate workshops, and other daily and weekly programming in the OCM program. Participate in programming and activities in order provide a positive role model experience for youth.

2. Create a safe space for all youth and staff by responding to behaviors and situations through a trauma-informed lens, modelling respectful behavior, and through thoughtful and fun interactions with staff and youth. Adhere to UNYA’s Philosophy of Care, and all program-specific and organization-wide policies and procedures.

3. Provide general information regarding UNYA, its mandate, programs and services, and respond promptly and effectively to enquiries regarding community programs, supports and services.

4. Make referrals to specific UNYA and community programs and services as appropriate to serve the needs of youth and families and other community partners.

5. Work as part of a team to maintain a network of positive working relationships with other service providers in order to ensure effective referrals and access to a good continuum of care for youth.

6. Work with other team members to collectively establish and maintain a positive, non-judgmental environment that is accessible and relevant to the needs of Indigenous youth.

7. Respect and maintain confidentiality of staff issues within the team, with the exc