Youth School Counsellor Sioux North High School

Job Summary:
Nodin MHS is Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority’s mental health department. It is a resource available to First Nation children, youth, adults and families from 33 remote northern communities served by SLFNHA. Nodin MHS has several services: intake, counsellors travelling to communities, a crisis response program, community-based children’s mental health and addiction workers, traditional healing, youth school counsellors, and an outpatient mental health service (OMHS).

The Youth School Counsellor is responsible for the delivery of mental health care to First Nations high-risk students of Sioux North High School, located in Sioux Lookout. The counsellor provides one-on-one or group counselling to school students, while collaborating with teachers, parents and other service providers. The goal of this counselling is to help students who are high risk to overcome behavioural/mental health problems, improve student success, resolve interpersonal problems, or work through personal problems. The Youth School Counsellor works in the school during the week, an office on-site at the school. During the off-school season, the position will travel to communities and/or provide support through phone and videoconferencing and/or provide counselling at Nodin’s base office.

Salary Range $71,442 to 91,949 per annum

Who can apply:
Persons of First Nations ancestry will be given preference (s.16 (1)CHRA)

Applicants must possess:

• Minimum level of education required is equivalent to high school graduation and completion of a diploma training program, specific to mental health and social services, at a recognized college
• Registration with a recognized professional body and/or to become registered within a year of commencing employment
• Minimum 1-3 years related experience is required
• Proficient in clinical counselling, assessment and service delivery to youth
• Asset to have training in assessing risk of suicide, suicide intervention, and trauma informed care, substance abuse/addiction, inter-generational trauma, grief, self-harm etc.
• Experience and understanding of First Nations culture, history, the geographic realities and social conditions within remote First Nations communities
• Understanding of underlying mental health issues related to high risk behaviours
• Experience working with First Nations people and in northern communities an asset
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, problem solving ability, time management, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Ability to take initiative, be adaptable, multitask, meet deadlines, and work independently in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment
• Ability to communicate in one of the First Nations dialects of the Sioux Lookout region is an asset
• Must have driver’s license and must be willing to travel back and forth to the school; and travel by air into communities as necessary

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Provide case management, and brief/long-term mental health counselling to high risk youth
• Help students with issues associated with high risk behaviours (e.g. bullying, low self-esteem, poor academic performance, relationship troubles, family issues, trauma, mental health problem)
• Empower students to process their problems, plan goals and take action towards positive change using a client-centred, strength based, flexible, timely, effective, and culturally competent approach
• Foster growth in self-esteem, individual responsibility and in skills such as decision-making and social skills
• Assist students in taking responsibility for personal decision making to help reduce risks and maximize emotional, behavioural and educational achievement opportunities
• In collaboration with students, identify mental health concerns, strengths and needs, plan goals, complete risk assessments, and provide treatment
• Using best practices, develop and use creative interventions to help youth reduce high risk behaviours
• Using a tracking system, ensure all high-risk cases are met with consistency, active involvement and thorough documentation
• Report any concerns related to harm to self or others and ensure supports are in place
• Provide crisis intervention support, facilitate group debriefing and deliver mental health/substance misuse groups/workshops/presentations
• Complete all documentation/assessments required for electronic mental health records and follow all standard operating procedures
• Off-school season travel to communities to provide counselling, counsel by phone and/or facilitate video-conferencing to support the continuum of care required once the school year ends and youth return home
• Off-school season may also be required to provide counselling in other units of Nodin CFI
• Establish and maintain working relationships with various service providers; complete referrals to other agencies when deemed appropriate (art therapy, psychology, tele-psychiatry, traditional healing)
• Participate in probationary and annual performance appraisals
• Attend weekly individual supervision meetings for client consultation, planning, and direction
• Attend regular staff meetings
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned or needed

Closing Date: Open to Filled