Child & Family Counsellor

The Child & Family Counsellor position requires the incumbent to work in two programs at CRFSS:
**1. Children/Youth/Family Counselling Programs (10.5 hours per week in Campbell River)**: providing services to children, youth, and their parents/caregivers. These services include assessing client issues, developing, and implementing counselling plans, planning, and conducting individual and/or group counselling sessions using a variety of therapeutic counselling techniques, providing skill building in problem areas and providing case management services.

**KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Gathers information relevant to clients’ problems by interviewing, observing behaviour, meeting with caregivers and service providers and using a variety of inventories, checklists, and questionnaires. Conducts structured analyses of the information gathered to provide an assessment of clients’ problems.
- Develops and implements counselling plans and intervention using a variety of therapeutic counselling techniques drawn from theoretical frameworks such as family systems, solution focused, narrative, psycho-dynamic group work, and advanced group counselling techniques to resolve the assessed problems.
- Monitors clients’ progress and provides follow-up planning.
- Evaluates the effectiveness of counselling plans, reports clients’ progress and discusses case management and related concerns with therapists, social workers, peers, or other professionals.
- Provides case management services and consultation to other service providers. Provides information on and refers clients to other community service providers, resources or professionals as required.
- Provides skill building in the areas of parenting skills, anger management or self-management skills.
- Maintains related records and statistics and provides reports to the supervisor as required.
- Liaises with and/or promotes the interests of clients with other community service providers, professionals or school personnel as required.
- Performs other related duties as required.

**ABILITIES/SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE**:

- Well-developed interpersonal, counselling, oral and written communication skills
- Good organization, time, and general management skills
- Knowledge of group process and facilitation skills
- Knowledge of theory, principles, and practices in the field

**QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE**:

- Bachelor’s degree in a related/human services field
- Two (2) years recent related experience

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**:
This position is required to work in stressful environment, on an outreach basis, outside the organizations’ facilities. Worker often deal with clients in crisis situations. Managing emergency situations is an ongoing expectation of this position. Worker may be required to work outside normal office hours, depending upon availability of client.

**2. PEACE (Prevention, Education, Advocacy, Counselling, Empowerment) Program (17.5 hours per week in Gold River)**: providing counselling, education and advocacy support to children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been exposed to and/or witnessed domestic violence/abuse. Provides emotional and parenting support for parents regarding the impact on their children of witnessing violence.

**KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Interviews clients, prepares case histories and outlines services provided by the organization. Refers clients to more appropriate programs if needed.
- Assesses the impact of witnessing abuse on the child, the group readiness of the child and the support needs of the abused parent.
- Develops and conducts psycho-educational support groups for children.
- Conducts individual counseling sessions with the child and/or individual members of his/her family using techniques such as active listening, conflict resolution, and psycho-education; provides emotional support.
- Provides emotional and parenting support and referral services for parents.
- Conducts post group interviews with children and/or their families. Recommends follow-up services where necessary and makes appropriate referrals.
- Maintains related records, statistics and prepares reports as needed.
- Maintains current knowledge of issues and resources related to abuse and violence. Provides presentations and public awareness activities about services and issues.
- Performs other related duties as required.

**ABILITIES/SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE**:

- Demonstrated knowledge of relevant counseling and assessment techniques
- Demonstrated knowledge of group process and facilitation techniques
- Well developed interpersonal, oral and written communication skills
- Knowledge of theory, principles and practices in the field.

**QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE**:

- Bachelor’s degree in a related/human services field
- Two (2) years recent related experience

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**:
This position is required to work in a stressful environment, dealing with children who have witnessed abuse, violence or threats in their home. Wo