Scp Indigenous Wellness Counsellor

**Title**:_ Indigenous Wellness Counsellor_

**Reports to**: _Senior Director of People & Culture_

**Based at**: _Head Office_

**Employment**: _Permanent Full Time_

**Pay Range**:_ Wage determined based on education and experience_

**Hours**: _40 hours/week, flexibility in scheduling required_
- 3-month probation and review_

**Start Date**: _Immediately_

**Supporting Contracts**: _Ministry of Social Services_

**Description**

SCP’s Indigenous Wellness Counsellor will ensure that interested youth have opportunities to explore their culture, and create connections that foster identity, connection, belonging, and well being. Working closely with a small team they will actively support our youths’ mental health and wellness and will be responsible for providing awareness training and coaching to youth services staff, to assist them in better supporting our Indigenous youth. SCP’s Indigenous Wellness Counsellor will also provide culturally sensitive individual and group counselling. They will be tasked with working closely with the PCT and Sr Director of Youth Services to ensure all training and manuals are culturally sensitive and are in alignment with the calls to action for truth and reconciliation.

Acknowledging that the Indigenous Wellness Counsellor role is new to SCP, this is a unique opportunity to shape the role and inform how it can best support the needs of Indigenous youth. The methods adopted will be responsive, creative, and in keeping with Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

**Duties and Responsibilities**
- Employ Traditional Wellness Teachings and facilitate Traditional Healing Ceremonies
- Help indigenous youth develop skills, tools and resources to support their well-being
- Ensure interested youth are connected with opportunities for culturally based teachings and healing practices
- Promote cultural inclusiveness, responsiveness, and sensitivity
- Create, plan, coordinate and facilitate culturally-based workshops on wellness and self management for Indigenous youth
- Engage in culturally responsive holistic approaches to develop proactive programming and respond to youth needs
- Work closely with members of Indigenous communities and organizations to offer a diverse range of opportunities to Indigenous youth
- Regularly participate in team meetings with the SCP Mental Health & Wellness Team. (MHW)
- Bring an indigenous lens and focus to SCP’s programs and activities
- Coach and support SCP staff who are working with Indigenous youth; including awareness and sensitivity training
- Maintain confidential counselling records/databases and provide statistical reports on service delivery as required

**Key Counselling Responsibilities - through an Indigenous lens**
- Provide trauma informed counselling: e.g. inter-generational and residential school trauma
- Provide grief and loss counselling
- Assess and intervene appropriately to crisis situations: e.g. suicide ideation and threat assessment
- Support Indigenous youth who have experienced, or are experiencing,
- sexual abuse or sexual violence
- racism
- violence in relationships and/or lateral violence
- substance misuse
- transition
- career indecision
- issues related to academic success
- Common mental health concerns: e.g. depression and anxiety
- isolation factors)

**Requirements**:

- Certification with a recognized Professional Association (e.g. RCC, CCC, RCSW, RSW, or equivalent)
- A Master’s degree in Counselling or equivalent from an appropriately accredited institution is an asset
- Knowledge and understanding of
- Indigenous culture, traditions and protocols
- concepts around Indigenization, decolonization
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Final Report
- Exceptionalities; cognitive impairments, learning challenges (ex. FASD, ADHD)
- Youth centred philosophy, trauma informed care, & strength based approaches
- Experience and demonstrated ability in
- working with diverse Indigenous populations
- working with youth
- public speaking
- group facilitation
- crisis management and intervention
- Problem-solving
- communicating effectively, verbally and in writing

**What you get in return**
- Making a difference in the lives of the youth in our community
- Continuous learning & professional development opportunities
- A genuine & passionate work community
- Vacation pay
- Flexibility in Scheduling
- Opportunity for movement & growth within SCP
- Full benefit package (depending on eligibility)
- Life
- AD&D
- Dental
- Vision care
- extended health coverage (massage, chiropractor, counselling, etc.)
- matching RRSP contributions

Thank you.