Child and Youth Worker - Take a Hike Class - Full-time Temporary

Simcoe County District School Board; Barrie; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution seeks a Child and Youth Worker for a temporary position within the unique Take a Hike program, designed to support at-risk youth through land-based learning activities. The role emphasizes the development of social-emotional skills and providing mental health support in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team, involving both classroom and outdoor experiences.

Benefits

Flexible work hours

Union membership benefits

Participation in OMERS Pension Plan

Qualifications

• 3-year college diploma in Child and Youth Worker or equivalent.
• Knowledge of social emotional skill development strategies.
• Demonstrated experience with anti-racist and anti-oppressive practices.

Responsibilities

• Deliver learning opportunities in classroom and outdoor settings.
• Promote mental health and well-being practices.
• Collaborate with school staff and community resources.

Skills

Cultural humility

Anti-racist practice

Mental health literacy

Social emotional skill development

Effective communication

Organizational skills

Education

3-year college diploma: Child and Youth Worker

Tools

MS Office Applications

Job description

CHILD AND YOUTH WORKER TAKE A HIKE CLASS – LAND-BASED LEARNING1.0 FTE Temporary positionStart date: August 25, 2025 – End date: June 26, 2026

The Simcoe County District School Board is committed to supporting the academic excellence and well-being of students. The Take a Hike (TAH) program is a unique mental health program made possible by a partnership between the Take a Hike Youth Mental Health Foundation and Simcoe County District School Board. The program will be based at Innisdale S.S. and will focus on serving at-risk youth aged 15-19, in grades 10-12, by focusing on relationships and programming that helps them to change their behaviour and shift trajectories of their lives. The land-based learning model of program activities is meant to enhance established academic and personal objectives. Land-based activities may include (but not limited to) canoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, rope course, and kayaking on both weekly and bi-annual multi-day trips. This role will include physically demanding/challenging activities. Staff need to be able to keep themselves and their students safe in outdoor situations.

Reporting to the Mental Health Lead (or designate), the CYW will work as part of a multi-disciplinary classroom team, alongside a teacher and mental health clinician. The CYW will assist in the planning, development, and delivery of the program and support students in the TAH program in accessing the classroom, community and outdoor components of the program. The goal of the program is to engage and support young people in a process of change over time resulting in long-term, sustainable behaviour changes that allow young people to move on from difficult life circumstances, achieve credits, graduate, and successfully transition into their chosen pathway. This is done through a focus on sustained constructive peer and adult relationships and decreased anti-social behaviors and increased positive social-emotional skills.

The duties of the role include but are not limited to:

• Deliver programs and learning opportunities, in the classroom, small group, and/or individual environment, to students that can benefit from social emotional skill building support and/or strategies to support mild mental health needs (i.e., anxiety, stress management).
• Promote and facilitate everyday mental health and well-being practices in the classroom.
• Engage students in mental health literacy learning opportunities.
• Guide student led mental health awareness and stigma-reduction activities.
• Provide psychoeducation to families on well-being strategies that support student mental health and self-regulation.
• Collaborate in the development and delivery of prevention and promotion initiatives that serve to strengthen student and school mental health and positive school climate, including but not limited to bullying prevention, substance use prevention.
• Work with school staff to build capacity and support the advancement of mental health literacy and delivery of mental health and well-being prevention, and promotion strategies, education, programs, and services inclusive and reflective of student mental health need, while drawing upon the best evidence and research available.
• Provide system navigation and referral services to students and families.
• Provide support and service rooted in cultural humility, anti-racism, and anti-oppressive practice.
• Creating a caring and nurturing school and community environment by addressing the academic, social, emotional, and cultural needs of TAH students by developing and maintaining trusting relationships;
• Connecting with at-risk youth in a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, youth-centred manner;
• Working closely with TAH students and their families to identify and support social, emotional, intellectual, cultural, and physical well-being while serving as a mentor and advisor;
• Coordinating local community support services and liaising between school, home, and community social service agencies with the view to connecting individual students who are identified as being at risk of not graduating with mentors;
• Collaborating with TAH staff and administration team, families, and community resources to identify current barriers and develop meaningful solutions to support student engagement and success;
• Monitoring attendance and assignment completion with a focus on key expectations leading to a successful graduation outcome;
• Preparing and providing reports to TAH staff and administration team on the progress of individual students as they progress towards graduation (data collection and analysis);
• Planning and collaborating with TAH staff on weekly out-day activities and bi-annual multi-day trips that incorporate land-based learning opportunities;
• Performing other duties as assigned with consideration to the unique needs of the TAH program.
• Work collaboratively with the TAH team and students to develop and implement goals around the students social, emotional and behaviour and mental health needs.
• Work collaboratively with the TAH team and community partners by assisting in the design, implementation and monitoring of developmentally appropriate programs, learning and supports, including planning and implementation of the land-based learning component of the program, including gear management.
• Facilitate positive collaborative relationships with community agencies that work to address the needs of at-risk and vulnerable youth.
• Facilitates and coordinates activities, presentations and educational after school programming.
• Outreach support and liaise with family and community.
• Mentoring and supporting at-risk and vulnerable youth to identify and access the necessary supports that will enable them to acquire the skills to transition successfully to adulthood.
• Participates in all aspects of the program including multi-day overnight camping trips.
• Performing other duties as assigned with consideration to the unique needs of the TAH program.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• 3-year college diploma: Child and Youth Worker, or equivalent 3-year college diploma/university degree with a focus on child and youth studies.
• Knowledge of evidence-informed social emotional skill development strategies, every day mental health and well-being practices for students, self-regulation, and mental health literacy.
• Professional learning in self-regulation, Kids Have Stress Too, safeTALK an asset.
• Demonstrated knowledge of engaging with children, youth and families rooted in intersectionality, anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice that nurture safe(r) spaces, cultural humility, and inclusivity.
• Demonstrated experience in developing successful collaborations both within a school board as well as with the wider community. Knowledge of community and social service agencies, their mandate, programs, and services.
• Demonstrated experience with transference of knowledge and building the capacity of other professional services.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Effective communication, interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and utilize professional discretion.
• Ability to adapt to changing situations in the workplace.
• Software application skills including experience with MS Office Applications – Word and Excel.
• Experience in an educational setting is preferred.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of board approved crisis intervention programs, e.g. Behaviour Management Systems (BMS).
• First Aid and CPR Certificate would be an asset.
• Must be available to work flexible hours that may include before and after school hours, and bi-annual multi-day trips.
  
  

Preferred Skills

• Certification and/or training, as well as experience, in hiking, backpacking, canoeing, rock climbing, and essential outdoor skills (minimum impact camping, outdoor cooking, first aid, map and compass skills, weather interpretation, snow shelter construction, equipment preparation, clothing selections, trip planning, etc.);
• Knowledge and experience in winter wilderness travel;
• Knowledge of and practice in risk management for land-based learning opportunities;
• Experience leading land-based learning with youth, and/or multi-day, wilderness expeditions experience;
• Suitable Water Safety Supervisor Certification (e.g. Bronze Cross, NLS, or Wilderness Water Safety).
  
  

A COPY OF YOUR DIPLOMA / DEGREE MUST BE ATTACHED TO YOUR ATE PORTFOLIO.

University degree holders must also attach transcripts showing related courses.

This position is full-time temporary from August 25, 2025 to June 26, 2026. This position is based on a thirty-two and a half (32.5) hour work week. The compensation range for this position is $27.17 - $31.80 per hour. This is a unionized position and union dues are applicable. This position will require overtime payable at the rate outlined in the OPSEU collective agreement.

The duties, responsibilities and requirements for the position are not limited to the above but may include all of those in the Job Fact Sheet for Child and Youth Worker.

Participation in the OMERS Pension Plan is mandatory for all full-time permanent employees, even if currently in receipt of an OMERS pension.

Qualified applicants are invited to apply for this vacancy through the Apply to Education (ATE) website at . Applicants are required to submit a resume detailing education, experience, and qualifications on or before 12:00 p.m. on June 20, 2025. Cover letters may be addressed to Dawn Franks, Mental Health Lead .

To Apply For The Posting

• Sign into your ApplyToEducation applicant account;
• Select Search Jobs from the Job Postings section;
• Enter the ATE Job Code # in the Keywords field;
• Click the [SEARCH] button at the bottom of the page;
• Select the position of interest and click the [APPLY] button on the job description page.
• All fees for the application process are covered by the Simcoe County District School Board. **
  
  

Should applicants require assistance in registering for ATE, the ATE Help Desk may be contacted at 1-416-932-8866 or 1-877-900-5627.

Guided by the principles of dignity, individualization and inclusion, the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive environment that supports all human rights and accessibility needs for students and staff. The SCDSB recognizes the duty to accommodate, short of undue hardship as per the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

We value and are committed to upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and equitable hiring practices for all applicants to be successful. In support of our strategic priorities, we are seeking members who reflect diverse identities, lived experiences and perspectives, especially Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+, and women to assist the board in reflecting the community we serve. Our equitable hiring initiative is consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) to ensure that our hiring practices remain equitable to candidates from groups protected by the prohibited grounds under the Code.

Applicants are to provide permission to contact two professional references, including their current and most recent supervisor. New hires to the Simcoe County District School Board will be required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) that is satisfactory to the Board prior to beginning employment. All new employees will be required to complete mandatory training modules with the Board prior to their first day of employment. All applicants are thanked for their interest in this position; however, only those who have been shortlisted for an interview will be contacted.