Student Parent Support Worker

Rexdale Community Health Centre (RCHC) is a non-profit, multi-service, community-based organization that serves communities in Rexdale and North-West Etobicoke. Operating out of five locations, RCHC offers core services that include: primary health care, health promotion, community development programs, Pathways to Education and Diabetes Education Centre.

The primary goal of the Pathways to Education program is to address the social determinants of health by providing programs and services to enhance the educational and employment success of youth in the Jamestown community. We work with high-school students to keep them in school, improve their academic success and help them move on to post-secondary education.

We are looking for an individual with excellent experience to join our Pathways to Education team and provide leave-of-absence coverage as a Student Parent Support Worker (SPSW).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Establish and maintain positive and supportive relationships with enrolled students, parents/guardians and secondary school staff to ensure the students fully participate in the program
• Develop a range of additional group activities appropriate to the participants in the program, both students and parents/guardians, and within the resources available (i.e. orientation sessions, parent/guardian workshops, etc.)
• Identify trends and programming needs based on documentary records (e.g. attendance, grades, incidents and follow-up) and from feedback from students, parents/guardians, teachers and other school staff
• Assist with elementary and secondary school liaison for the purpose of student registration
• Problem solve (advocate) on student issues such as academic needs, ensuring that the information needed for program monitoring, evaluation and improvement is available, accurate and current
• Act as a liaison with school staff, students, and parents by helping to identify needs of each group and link individuals and groups to resources such as specific academic, social and emotional supports; and to identify gaps and needed supports and approaches to delivering those supports;
• Ensure that all Pathways students attend and participate in their mentor group meetings and in academic support activities, including tutoring in the community and/or remedial supports at the various high schools
• Support students to attend school regularly and punctually by monitoring attendance and communicating regularly and effectively with school staff, parents and program staff
• Support and, when necessary and appropriate, advocate for students and their parents/guardians to staff from individual secondary schools in decisions affecting the educational and social development of Pathways students
• Refer individual students and their parents/guardians to other agencies or providers who might best be able to provide supports or services to meet their needs, and document all such activities, monitor the effectiveness of such supports, and ensure systematic follow-up with participants and providers

QUALIFICATIONS/ABILITIES/ASSETS:

• University degree in education or social work, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Successful experience as a tutor or mentor, preferably with high school-age youth from diverse backgrounds
• Detailed knowledge of the secondary school curriculum and challenges, preferably gained through direct experience with secondary school teachers, administrators and support staff, including knowledge of approaches to providing support to youth with special educational challenges and needs
• An understanding of the strengths and capacities of, as well as the barriers and challenges faced by, youth such as those enrolled in the Pathways to Education program, with a particular focus on factors affecting educational success and personal development of students from diverse cultural backgrounds in low-income communities
• Knowledge of, and experience with, informal individual counselling techniques;
• Knowledge of, and experience with, small group dynamics and experience in group facilitation appropriate to youth and adults from a variety of cultural backgrounds
• Experience in planning and delivering successful informal programming for youth;
• An understanding of the Pathways to Education vision and approach
• An understanding of issues affecting the diverse populations of Rexdale (Jamestown) and the surrounding areas, including general issues affecting low-income communities
• Work within the values, goals, mission and policies of the Rexdale Community Health Centre and the Pathways program
• Work well within a team and independently, with individuals and groups
• Access to a vehicle is considered a strong asset
• Ability to work flexible hours; including evenings and weekends
• Must be able to provide a vulnerable sector security clearance

Salary Range: $22.82 to $30.42 hourly (based on experience)

Hours per week: 35

Starting date: ASAP

Duration: 5 months

Status: Unionized position

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract

Pay: $22.82-$30.42 per hour

Expected hours: 35 per week

Application question(s):

• Do you have access to a vehicle?
• Do you have knowledge of the secondary school curriculum?

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

Experience:

• High School tutor or mentor: 2 years (preferred)
• informal individual counselling techniques: 2 years (preferred)

Work Location: In person