VAW Counsellor

VAW Counsellor

This role is a new vacancy

Time Limited Contract: Ends March 27, 2028

ABOUT YELLOW BRICK HOUSE:

Yellow Brick House is a leading provider of life-saving services to women, families and children who have experienced violence and abuse. We offer emergency shelter, individual, group and child counselling, legal support services, and transitional housing support.

PROFILE:

The Violence Against Woman (VAW) Counsellor position works directly with those identifying as women who have been exposed to domestic violence. The VAW Counsellor works closely with service users in addressing various needs and supporting them with counselling, resources, and other community support.

 RESPONSIBILITIES:

          The major responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to:

           Trauma Counselling, Crises Intervention and Case Management

• Provide screening, intake, and assessment for service users in order to determine the appropriate programming and/or services.
• Administers service user satisfaction surveys as required.
• Provides longer term counselling using various therapeutic modalities and case planning sensitive to the needs of the service user.
• Provide services from a trauma-informed, integrated feminist, anti-racist, anti-colonial, and anti-oppression framework.
• Educates service users to understand the cycle of violence and the effects of violence on themselves and their children.
• Develops a support plan and a safety plan for women and their dependents who have experienced abuse, based on the principles of person-centered planning, self-determination and choice, and that services provided are reflective of these plans.
• Assist service users affected by domestic violence to assess their situation, develop short- and long-term goals, particularly with reference to their safety; provide information and assistance in naming appropriate strategies; provide referrals to appropriate community resources including but not limited to: parenting support, education upgrades, job training, applying for income, immigration, cultural interpretation, legal process and health and wellness services.
• Acts as a resource to service users in the areas of mental health, harm reduction and the dynamics of gender-based violence.
• Provides crisis intervention and advocacy to service users by telephone, text, virtual, or in-person to resolve emergency problems and crisis situations.
• Coordinate and co-facilitate support groups and drop-ins for service users affected by domestic violence.
• Makes appropriate referrals to agencies within York Region and Metropolitan Toronto (e.g. Ontario Works, Housing, Legal Aid, CAS, Police)
• Promotes a flexible, culturally sensitive, and supportive intervention, focused directly on service users who have experienced domestic violence.
• Presentations as required to educate about YBH and about the effect of violence on women.
• Provide practical needs for service users, such as hygiene products, transportation, clothing, and grocery support.
• Liaises and advocates with community agencies to facilitate an awareness and understanding of victims of gender-based violence and their needs.
• Represent Yellow Brick House on applicable community committees and coalitions.
• Supports students and volunteers as required.
• Other duties as required.

       Engagement

•  Communicate fully and openly with supervision; keeping supervisor fully informed of relevant service user and staff member information, at all times.
• Active positive participation in regular team meetings
• Maintain a positive approach and a professional manner at all times.
• Keeps up-to date on issues relating to gender-based violence and evidence-based practices for intervention as it pertains to woman and children.
• Maintain community awareness of Yellow Brick House programs throughout York Region
• Acts as a Brand Ambassador for the Yellow Brick House
• Participates in internal/external committees as required.
• Attends training sessions as required.
• Works in a team environment; provides support and information to team members and assists other staff when required.
• Fosters and maintains an anti-oppression working environment.

       Documentation:

• Maintains daily confidential, pertinent, accurate and non-judgmental logging on each service user as per Yellow Brick House procedures.
• Create and maintain service user files according to Yellow Brick House policies.
• Compile caseload statistics and prepare program and service user reports as required.
• Provides quarterly reports on program delivery, effectiveness, and initiatives.

HEALTH AND SAFETY RESPONSIBLITIES:

• Follow the duties and responsibilities specified under the Occupational Health & Safety Act Sections 28.
• Ensure all safety and non-safety rules and regulations are followed.
• Ensure adherence to established safety, quality, and housekeeping standards.
• Attends Environmental Health and Safety training.
• Adhere to Yellow Brick House health and safety, environmental, and quality standards, policies and procedures.
• Report any known hazard, defect, incident or compliance issue to the employer or supervisor.
• Understand BILL 132 & Bill 168 and uphold the policies that prohibit domestic violence, workplace violence, and sexual harassment in the Workplace.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:

• Service User Outcomes & Goal Achievement
• Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Practice
• Advocacy & Community Resource Coordination
• Program Targets and Caseload Management
• Documentation, Reporting & Compliance
• Community Collaboration & Professional Practice

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

• Completion of Bachelor of Social Work from an accredited University with demonstrated 700 hours of practicum. Or the equivalency of 2-year diploma in social work with 2 years experience in working with vulnerable populations with diverse service user with demonstrated training and course completion in 3-5 therapeutic modalities (i.e., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Attachment, Dialectical, Narrative, etc.).
• Completion of a clinically supervised degree such as BSW, MSW preferred.
• Minimum 2-3 years related experience coordinating and co-facilitating women’s support groups and developing group materials.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation (Child and Family Services Act), regional and provincial services.
• Knowledge of community, financial and government supports for stabilized service users (options for education, economic, and professional development)
• English language as well as other languages used by service user population (i.e., Spanish, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Farsi, Russian, etc.) considered an asset.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and database applications. WISH would be considered an asset.
• Familiar and comfortable with technology-assisted platforms, specifically video conferencing, MS Teams, Zoom, etc.
• Capable of working in a multidisciplinary environment with a variety of community professionals.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act, the Child and Family Services Act and adherence to ethical and professional standards of conduct is required.
• Must be able to work flexible hours
• A current police vulnerable sector screening (VSS) is required.
• Must have reliable transportation.
• Working knowledge of application of Anti-Oppressive and Feminist frameworks
• Experience completing reports and other service user-related advocacy letters.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Anti Oppressive & Culturally Responsive
• Communication & Collaboration
• Documentation, Organization, and Accountability
• Critical Thinking & Decision Making
• Adaptability, Initiative & Continuous Improvement
• Health, Safety & Risk Awareness
• Trauma Informed Therapeutic Interventions
• Case Management & Service Planning
• Service User Advocacy & Community Resource Navigation
• Group Facilitation and Community Engagement

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Works in a comfortable environment either inside or outside in typically pleasant conditions. Typical conditions are such that some risk of injury or harmful effect is likely in dealing with vulnerable service users.
• Interacts with service users, staff, visitors, government agencies, personnel under all circumstances, which may be traumatic situations.
• Must be able to sit/stand for extended periods of time

Compensation: The compensation for the position is $57,268.51

 Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 9am-4:30pm, Hybrid, (onsite as required)

 How to Apply: Please send your résumé and cover letter to jobs@yellowbrickhouse.org

 Accommodation

Yellow Brick House is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to recruiting and retaining a qualified workforce and is committed to hiring practices that are fair and equitable. The company and its hiring managers always seek to hire the most qualified candidate for a position. A protected characteristic under the Human Rights Code is never used against a person during the hiring process.