Employment Specialist

Canadian Mental Health Association; Kelowna; On-site; CAD 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive hourly wage $30.77 CAD

Dental benefits

Health benefits

Wellness Spending Account

RRSP matching program

Vacation & Personal Health Days

Job summary

CMHA Kelowna & District is recruiting an Employment Specialist to join the Foundry Kelowna Team. The role supports youth ages 12-24 in Central Okanagan, helping them find and sustain meaningful work or education using the IPS model.

The position offers a 37.5 hour week with a Monday–Friday schedule and specific Thursday evening shifts. The team is committed to coordinated care and community partnerships to boost recovery and employment outcomes.

Qualifications

• Degree in Social Services, Human Resources, Employment Counselling, or a related field is required.
• Criminal Record Check clearance in the Vulnerable Sector.
• Valid Class 5 BC driver’s license and reliable vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Assess clients' employment and education readiness and identify viable options.
• Manage a caseload and help youth overcome barriers to meaningful employment or education.
• Provide job and education coaching to support clients in meeting requirements.
• Offer intensive job retention support and advocate for youth with employers as needed.
• Provide crisis support to help clients navigate employment or educational challenges.
• Develop and implement personalized employment and education plans using IPS.

Skills

Verbal and written communication

Advocacy and interpersonal skills

Relationship building

Crisis intervention skills

Critical thinking

Education

Degree in Social Services or related field

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

CMHA Kelowna & District is hiring a full-time Employment Specialist to jointhe Foundry Kelowna Team. This position offers 37.5 hours per week, with atypical work week of Monday – Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm with Thursday shifts of11am-7pm.

The aim of the Foundry Works & Education Program is to supportBC young people with their work and study goals. Guided by the evidence-based principles ofIndividual Placement and Support (IPS), Foundry Works & Education Programwill provide flexible, wraparound services to help at-risk youth develop workskills, become competitively employed and realize their education goals.Services are based on the premise that competitive work is a core component ofpersonal recovery and meaningful employment can increase youth’s quality oflife and contribute to improved mental health outcomes. The Foundry Works & Education Program EmploymentSpecialist will join a team of professionals, providing coordinated care toyoung people between the ages of 12-24 in the Central Okanagan.

WHO IS AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST?

TheEmployment Specialist within the Foundry Works Program provides individualized,intensive vocational and educational support services to youth clients facingmental health challenges. This position aims to help clients find and maintaincompetitive employment or educational training that is meaningful to them. TheEmployment Specialist will foster relationships with employers, educationalinstitutions, and community partners to create inclusive opportunities for workand education.

WHAT DOES AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST DO?

• Assess clients'employment and education readiness and identify viable options
• Managing a caseload,assisting young people to overcome their barriers to finding meaningfulemployment or educational opportunities
• Provide job andeducation coaching to support clients in maintaining quality, accuracy, andwork/educational requirements
• Offer intensive jobretention support and advocate on behalf of youth clients when necessary
• Provide job and education crisissupport as needed, helping clients navigate challenges that may impact theiremployment or educational progress
• Utilizing the Individual Placement andSupport (IPS) Model, develop and implementpersonalized employment and education plans based on assessments
• Plan courses of actionconsidering clients' physical tolerances and the impact of mental health onemployability/educational participation
• Recommend andfacilitate unpaid placements and job trials as appropriate
• Network with employersin the Central Okanagan to provide information on the program and explore theirindividual needs as a potential placement source
• Network and informeducational institutions about the program, including schools, colleges, tradeschools and universities
• Engage in jobdevelopment within the community, including negotiating job trials andsubsidies with employers and Employment Services agencies
• Coordinate servicesand facilitate referrals to identified community resources
• Develop and implementaccommodation plans tailored to client needs
• Participate incommunity outreach activities to build collaborative partnerships withemployers and educational institutions
• Provide educationregarding psychological health and safety in the workplace to employers andcommunity partners
• Facilitate groups onemployment related information and skills for participants in the program
• Performs other related duties asassigned

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in Social Services, HumanResources, Employment Counselling, or a related field required
• Criminal Record Checkclearance in the Vulnerable Sector
• Valid Class 5 BCdriver’s license
• Reliable vehicle andthe ability to travel within the community to meet clientsand employers on a frequent basis
• Minimum 3 years’relevant experience, preferably in employment rehabilitationwithin mental health contexts
• Formal training in Labour MarketInformation, Job Development, or Employment Counselling considered an asset
• Certificates in FirstAid, CPR and Naloxone considered an asset
• Proficient in verbal and writtencommunication
• Strong advocacy, communication, andinterpersonal skills for collaboration with clients, employers, and communitypartners
• Strong relationship-building skills toengage clients, employers, and community partners
• Ability to provide empathetic supportwhile advocating for clients' needs
• Ability to maintainconsistent professional boundaries
• Proficient inMicrosoft Outlook, Word and Excel
• Familiarity with labor market trendsand employment resources
• Knowledge of psychosocialrehabilitation principles
• Experience using the IndividualPlacement and Support (IPS) model
• Strong attention todetail
• Excellent organizational and timemanagement skills
• Critical thinking and problem-solvingskills to assess client needs and develop appropriate strategies
• Conflict resolutionand crisis intervention skills
• Ability to be regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling withand/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental healthchallenges and/or mental illness

WHO IS CMHA KELOWNA & DISTRICT?

At CMHA Kelowna& District, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matterhow old or how young, we provide support for families and individualsthrough programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery,while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people fromthriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. Weare looking for someone who shares our vision of a mentally healthy Kelownaand are passionate about making a difference in our community bybringing their particular expertise to our organization. To learnmore, check out our website at www.cmhakelowna.org

CMHA KELOWNA & DISTRICT OFFERS YOU:

• A competitive hourly wage of $30.77
• Dental, Health & EAP Benefits
• Wellness Spending Account
• RRSP matching program
• Vacation & Personal Health Days
• A workplace culture that fosters learning,transparency, trust and teamwork

As an employer, CMHA Kelowna & District strives to create a workplace that respects and values allindividuals, minima bias, and promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion ofdifferent perspectives and ideas. At CMHA Kelowna & Districtthat means welcoming diversity in mental health, race, ethnicity, and culture.It also means diverse abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation,socio-economic status, gender identities, education, marital status, language,and physical self-expression. These values are embedded in the work CMHAKelowna & District doesevery day.

We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, howeveronly short-listed candidates and those legally eligible to work in Canada willbe contacted.