GROUP HOME COUNSELLOR, HOME FOR YOUTH (ST. JOHN’S) FULL-TIME TEMPORARY
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This position will require the successful applicant to work both day, evenings, and weekends, and overnights (if necessary) as per schedule.
The Home for Youth Counsellor will have a background in social work or the behavioural or social sciences, and will preferably have completed degree requirements in one of these areas. The Counsellor will have experience working with youth, preferably young offenders, and knowledge of assessment and case management practices.
POSITION: 8 months full-time temporary position with the possibility of extension.
SUMMARY:
Under the direction of the Coordinator, the Home for Youth Counsellor is responsible for providing counselling support, care and supervision to Home for Youth residents who have been given a disposition of Open Custody under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The Home for Youth Counsellor may function as a case manager or primary case worker. The counsellor ensures that an individual case plan is implemented and that ongoing evaluation and appropriate feedback is provided through oral and written reports to facilitate the successful reintegration of the offender with his family and/or community.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:
- A University degree in social work, criminology or social sciences is required.
- Valid First Aide Training required.
- ASIST Training required.
- Experience working with youth who are involved in the criminal justice system, combined with a demonstrated understanding of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
- Experience working in a group home setting. (asset).
- Valid driver’s License.
DUTIES:
Provides individualized program planning to Home for Youth residents.
- By working with the Co-ordinator to ensure that an individualized plan of care is provided for each resident, geared towards the individual resident’s strengths and needs;
- By assisting the resident in the development of a plan of care;
- By working with the resident to explain, review and further develop short and long-term goals;
- By supplying formal feedback on the resident’s progress to the Home for Youth through program meetings and written progress reports.
Provides residents with counselling and supervision to facilitate positive behavioural change and to promote personal growth and development.
- By providing a supportive, dignified and safe atmosphere, conducive to effective communication and to the promotion of the basic philosophy and objectives of the John Howard Society’s Home for Youth;
- By helping residents to develop cognitive skills – a variety of problem-solving techniques which enable individuals to respond appropriately to stressful situations;
- By teaching a variety of social living skills ranging from personal hygiene and daily household chores to budgeting and the effective use of leisure time;
- By helping residents to obtain academic/vocational and employment placements and to monitor their performance in their school and work settings;
- By encouraging and rewarding positive pro-social behaviour and consistently establishing disciplinary procedures for violations of in-house rules and behaviour misconduct;
- By providing “sight supervision” of resident activities in the house, and regular room checks during quiet hour and when residents are in bed;
- By always accompanying and supervising residents in outdoor recreational programs, escorted home visits, court appearances, doctor’s and lawyer’s appointments etc..;
- By possessing non-violent crisis intervention and suicide prevention techniques to manage aggressive, disruptive and/or violent behaviour;
- By providing written documentation of resident’s progress, including regular updating of logbooks, residents file, and special reports, e.g. incident reports.
Promotes a safe and supportive environment in the house and facilitates safe activities and positive relationships outside of the Home for Youth.
- By having training in first aid, CPR, crisis intervention and suicide prevention techniques;
- By being knowledgeable of fire regulations and emergency procedures;
- By reporting any signs of illness or health hazards, accompanying residents to medical appointments and obtaining and dispensing medications under the direction of the Co-ordinator;
- By documenting the outcome of medical treatments;
- By establishing and maintaining a positive and supportive relationship with the residents’ family, the neighbourhood and various social and community agencies through regular contact;
- By being responsible for the safety of young people and the public peace and protection during their participation in community activities.
Provides administrative responsibilities to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the Home for Youth.
- By assuming the delegation responsibility for being in charge of the facility in the absence of administrative staff;
- By being knowledgeable of the legal requirements under the Youth Criminal Justice Act;
- By maintaining logs, records and reports and executing responsibilities e.g. inventories as may be required by the Home for Youth policies and procedures.
- By attending in-service-training, appropriate meetings and case conferences as deemed necessary by the Co-ordinator.
SALARY: $29.45 starting salary with shift differential evenings and weekends as per collective agreement.
HOURS: 75 hours bi-weekly. This position will require the successful applicant to work both day, evenings, and weekends, and overnights (if necessary) as per schedule.
JHS is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified applicants including but not limited to those of any gender, race, orientation, or disability. Multilingual skills and multicultural competence are an asset.
All candidates with the required qualifications will be considered, including people who have had criminal justice involvement.
PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO: Lucretia Brown, Coordinator at lbrown@jhsnl.ca
CLOSING DATE: May 26, 2025