Casual/On-Call Drop-in Program Youth Care Counsellor

Who we are?

UNYA has been supporting the health and wellbeing of Indigenous youth in the Metro Vancouver area for over 30 years. As a respected non-profit, charitable organization, we recognize Indigenous youth as experts in their own lives and strive to provide youth with programs and opportunities that are relevant and meaningful to them.

At Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) we have developed a Philosophy of Care foundation, drawing from best practices.

These philosophies are the grounding framework that shapes all of our decisions and every interaction we have with the youth we serve.

Following these philosophies empowers our staff to meet youth where they are at, by giving them the ability to balance flexibility and structure.

This allows us to meet our youth’s needs, and ensure that our youth experience a consistent quality of care across all UNYA programs.

Our 5 key philosophies are :

• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Two-Eyed Seeing
• Harm Reduction Practice
• Youth / Person Centered Practice
• Culture as Therapy

Highlights of this opportunity :

The Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) is seeking a Relief Youth Care Counsellor (YCC) to join our team. As part of our youth center catering to Indigenous youth aged 15-30, the YCC will primarily assist the Program Manager(s) in the development, execution, and day-to-day duties of specific drop-in programs.

These programs include :

Overly Creative Minds (OCM) : Focused on arts and culture.

Aboriginal Youth First Sports and Rec (AYF) : Emphasizing sports and recreation.

Native Youth Learning Centre (NYLC) : Providing educational and training opportunities.

2-Spirit Collective : Offering support to LGBTQ2S+ youth.

The YCC role centers on maintaining a safe, culturally accessible environment that promotes meaningful youth engagement and fosters positive outcomes.

Candidates must be able to work well with the entire UNYA team, and contribute to providing support to youth and connecting them with relevant community resources.

Regular working hours for the Relief YCC position will generally be between 12pm 8pm Monday to Thursday, and 9am 5pm on Fridays.

This position reports directly to the Program Manager(s) and Director of Youth Engagement.

The Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) is seeking a Relief Youth Care Counsellor (YCC) to join our team.

Qualifications and Conditions :

1. Relevant educational experience, 2 years of experience working in a related field, or a combination of relevant education, training, and experience.

2. Experience working with Indigenous youth and / or community organizations.

3. Broad based knowledge of the family and social issues that Indigenous youth face today, including the intergenerational impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous families and communities, and a good understanding of Indigenous cultures and traditions.

4. A good working knowledge of community resources in Vancouver, particularly youth & Indigenous-specific resources.

5. Demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a team.

6. Demonstrated ability to identify with mandate, policies and procedures of the organization.

7. Demonstrated ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment while maintaining consistent attention to detail.

8. Excellent organizational, communication (written and oral) and prioritization skills.

9. Professional, prompt and positive attitude a must. Must possess tact and discretion, and be able to ensure confidentiality.

10. Must have a criminal record check completed by and satisfactory to UNYA.

11. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required.

12. Given the needs of the youth accessing our programs, priority will be given to qualified Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, Inuit candidates as per section 41 of the Human Rights code.

13. A valid BC Driver’s License, and ability to provide a Drivers Abstract, is an asset.

14. First Aid and Food Safe certification are assets.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Work in collaboration with others (including UNYA programs and other community partners) as needed to plan, implement, supervise, and evaluate workshops, and other daily and weekly programming in Drop-in Programs.

Participate in programming and activities in order provide a positive role model experience for youth.

2. Create a safe space for all youth and staff by responding to behaviors and situations through a trauma-informed lens, modelling respectful behavior, and through thoughtful and fun interactions with staff and youth.

Adhere to UNYA’s Philosophy of Care, and all program-specific and organization-wide policies and procedures.

3. Provide general information regarding UNYA, its mandate, programs and services, and respond promptly and effectively to enquiries regarding community programs, supports and services.

4. Make referrals to specific UNYA and community programs and services as appropriate to serve the needs of youth and families and other community partners.

5. Work as part of a team to maintain a network of positive working relationships with other service providers in order to ensure effective referrals and access to a good continuum of care for youth.

6. Work with other team members to collectively establish and maintain a positive, non-judgmental environment that is accessible and relevant to the needs of Indigenous youth.

7. Respect and maintain confidentiality of staff issues within the team, with the exception of the Director of Youth Engagement and / or other supervisors.

Respect and assure youth of confidentiality in the community and with other service professionals.

8. Regularly consult with and report to immediate supervisor(s).

9. Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of Youth Engagement.

What we offer :

• Wage of $25 / hour
• Flexible working schedule
• 4% vacation pay in lieu of vacation time

How to apply :

We are an Indigenous youth organization whose mandate is to provide meaningful opportunities for Indigenous youth. We encourage qualified Indigenous, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit applicants to apply.

If you identify as Indigenous, please let us know in your application! Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.