Youth Outreach Worker

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The provincial Youth Outreach Worker Program supports at-risk and high-risk youth and their families to better navigate and connect with services and pro-social opportunities in their communities to improve youth outcomes.

This position complements the community outreach, prevention and intervention work undertaken by Ontario Black Youth Action Plan Enhanced Youth Outreach Workers to build neighbourhood and community capacity to specifically engage and serve Black youth better.

The definition of Black is being used in its most inclusive sense to reflect the diverse ancestry, origins and ethnic identities of individuals of African and Caribbean descent. The term is based on self-identification, is not mutually exclusive and is used by Statistics Canada.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:
Education and Experience:

- Bachelor of Social Work and relevant experience, or, Counselling Psychology or equivalent and eligible for certification / membership in a registered professional association for practitioners in clinical therapy.
- Demonstrated ability delivering intensive, short-term counselling and support services to Black youth in crisis, helping them to address their specific challenges, and referring and supporting them to access required services;
- Demonstrated ability to support family members of high-risk Black youth, and refer them to required services;
- Skill in managing the case plans of multiple, high-risk Black youth clients and their families;
- Skill in establishing trusting relationships with Black youth;
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team;
- Demonstrated ability to work co-operatively and negotiate effectively with a range of community groups and service providers across sectors;
- Second language an asset (for some positions serving distinct ethno-cultural populations, or in areas of the province designated under the French Language Services Act, a second language is a requirement); and
- Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and some weekends as needed.

Cultural Experience:

- Knowledge of and sensitivity to the life experiences and diverse needs, identities and cultural backgrounds of Black youth in underserved communities;
- Knowledge of the community including knowledge and understanding of culture and local programs and services to refer Black youth, such as mental health and counselling supports;
- Experience working and engaging within the Black community, specifically Black youth and their families.

**MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES**:
Working as a part of the Youth Outreach Worker team, the Ontario Black Youth Action Plan Enhanced Youth Outreach Worker will:

- Provide short-term, counselling and support services to Black youth in accordance with the Stages of Change intervention model adapted for the Youth Outreach Worker Program.
- Collaborate with the Youth Outreach Worker to identify Black youth who may require additional, more intensive services, and work with the Youth Outreach Worker to align support services for individual Black youth.
- Develop and oversee a short-term case management plan for Black youth clients, in partnership with the Youth Outreach Worker, and support Black youth by:

- Helping Black youth to identify their needs, goals, aspirations, skills and abilities as well as barriers to accessing services;
- Helping Black youth to build resiliency, pro-social skills and other protective factors to address their various risk factors;
- Black youth who experience additional risk factors and challenges, such as poor mental health due to anti-Black racism.
- Helping Black youth to address the specific incidents / risk factors that may bring them into conflict with peers, family, and / or the law;
- Providing Black youth with general information, contacts, referrals and support as needed to build assets and address needs (e.g., housing, employment, education, health care and recreation; social and emotional issues); and
- Referring Black youth to appropriate services in the community, and supporting them to access these services.
- Support parents and family members to help youth address their needs by providing short-term counselling, if needed, and referring parents and family members to other supports and services available in the community.
- Maintain collaborative working relationships with other professionals within and outside of the organization.
- In collaboration with Youth Outreach Worker Supervisor and team:

- Promote community awareness of the Youth Outreach Worker Program and maintain a recognizable community presence;
- Identify emerging issues, service gaps and opportunities for action to build community capacity; and
- Identify staff development / training needs and participate in staff development / training programs, as required.
- Enter and maintain accurate and complete service data in the Outreach Record in a timely manner.
- Maintain professional and evidence-based standards of practice in accordance with the Stage