Enhanced Settlement Support Worker in Schools: Elementary School Transition Facilitator

Regina Open Door Society; Regina; On-site; CAD 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A non-profit organization is seeking a full-time Settlement Support Worker to assist vulnerable newcomers, connecting them with resources in the school and community. The role emphasizes collaboration with educational institutions and ongoing support for families. Ideal candidates possess a Post-secondary degree in Social Work, along with strong crisis counseling and cross-cultural communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary of CAD 54,440.59, with standard hours from Monday to Friday.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of challenges faced by high-risk refugee/immigrant children and families.
• Understanding of cultural values within refugee/immigrant communities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Engage and support newcomer families with holistic information and resources.
• Collaborate with schools to address newcomer students' needs.
• Assist vulnerable students' transitions to higher education.

Skills

Crisis counseling

Cross-cultural communication

Conflict management

Trauma-informed care

Organizational skills

Education

Post-secondary degree in Social Work

Job description

The Regina Open Door Society (RODS) is a non-profit organization that provides settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants in Regina. RODS is committed to meeting the needs of newcomers by offering programs and services that enable them to achieve their goals and participate fully in the larger community.

The Regina Open Door Society is committed to fostering a work environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We actively seek candidates who share these values and contribute to our diverse community. Our aim is to eliminate barriers to employment, ensuring that all qualified individuals have the opportunity to join our team. Our facilities are fully accessible, accommodating the needs of all individuals.

We are located in the City of Regina on Treaty 4 land, which is recognized as the traditional territory of the nêhiyawak/Cree, Nahkawē/Saulteaux, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda, and the homeland of the Métis Nation.

The Regina Open Door Society Inc. is seeking a qualified individual to staff a full-time permanent position of Settlement Support Worker in School Counselor. The start day for this position is February 2nd 2025.

The Settlement Social Worker in Schools (SSWIS) program is a shared partnership between the Regina Open Door Society (RODS), the Regina Public School Board (RPSB), Regina Catholic Schools, Conseil des Ecoles Fransaskoises and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It is an outreach program to help newcomer students and their families settle in their school and community.

Reporting to the Manager and Director of Settlement, the primary responsibility of this position is to connect newcomer children, youth, and families who are considered vulnerable, at-risk, or high risk due to extreme poverty, social isolation, poor mental health, or family instability which severely puts their integration goals in jeopardy to resources in the school and community to support student transition to post-secondary life: education, community, employment.

Duties include but are not limited to:

Core Activities

• Engage clients to address presenting needs through developing a trusting relationship, creating personalized goals, and assisting participants in achieving their goals through holistic information, supportive referrals, and/or advocacy services.
• Engage and collaborate with schools to highlight newcomer students' needs that can be incorporated into the planning processes for academic or psychosocial supports needed.
• Support newcomer parents to engage with the school staff, Child and Family Services, and other service providers; to understand children's behaviours and attitudes, and foster healthy relationships both within the home and community.
• Complete a comprehensive intake including needs/psychosocial assessments, consent/confidentiality agreements, goal planning, and interventions as needed for.
• Establish, review and maintain action plans with clients; share and review with supervisor/team leader on a regular basis.
• Ensure necessary documentation is current and accurate, and maintain client data and case notes in an organized manner. Documentation may include but is not limited to registration documents, attendance, participant notes, iCARE, and incident reports.

• Monitor and report on activities, build and maintain clients and other records in an effective and confidential manner.
• Design, develop, and facilitate in-person and/or virtual groups sessions for children and youth to address wellbeing and support mental including the development, recruitment, and facilitating trauma-informed workshops for newcomer children and youth.
• Organize information/orientation sessions and other transition activities, as.
• Organize /provide instruction in topics such as goal setting, time management, career exploration, interviewing, and resume writing.

• Work in collaboration with partners/internal programs to connect youth with volunteering opportunities: to help them develop skills and social network.
• Assist clients in developing new attitudes, feelings and/or behavior patterns that enhance wellness through the delivery of one-on-one and/or group interventions.
• Establish and maintain partnership/collaboration with other agency departments, school staff, settlement agencies, and community organizations; engage and maintain professional working relationships, participate in inter-agency and inter-departmental teams as needed, and collaboratively support clients to achieve their identified goals.

• Respond promptly to urgent clients' needs through short-term counseling, and timely referrals as needed.
• Assisting vulnerable newcomer students to transition to higher education including elementary to high school and high school students to post-secondary education.
• Providing case coordination and one on one support to students with multiple/complex needs.
• Referring to therapeutic counseling when needed.
• Demonstrate initiative through identifying and pursuing opportunities to meet unique needs, establish pertinent connections and identify tailored resources and learning possibilities for participants, the team, and the agency.

• Participate in meetings and training as.
• Make appropriate referrals to community resources and partners as.
• Ensure that the quality of service is consistent with the mission and philosophy of the Agency and partner organizations as well as ensure the Social Workers Code of Ethics is adhered to.
• Develop, organize and facilitate outcome evaluation of the.
• Support the francophone pathway; and provide service based on newcomers' language.
• Develop a safe space for all newcomers: cultural, sexual orientation, age,

Non-core activities

• Parenting consultation sessions as needed.
• Connect vulnerable students with school mentors.
• Connect vulnerable students to community connections activities.
• Work or volunteer placements for vulnerable students.
• Field trips.
• Discuss cultural differences and how to adjust to Canadian culture while conserving the roots of their own culture.

Desired qualifications/education

• This position requires knowledge and awareness of the challenges common to high-risk refugee/immigrant children, youth and families and the cultural values and practices within the refugee/immigrant communities. Requirements will also include advanced knowledge and understanding of the complexities of newcomer settlement; including family dynamics, educational placement, racism and discrimination, cultural brokering, mental health, social and emotional needs, employment, and system navigation.

Educational placement, racism and discrimination, cultural brokering, mental health, social and emotional needs, employment, and system navigation.

• Knowledge of the work environment and philosophy/values of Regina school systems, as well as the needs of immigrants/refugees and community resources, is also essential.
• Knowledge of and connection to local school divisions, service providers, and.
• Advanced knowledge of conflict management, mediation, crisis counseling, and trauma informed care.
• Understanding of the impact war, conflict and poverty have on children, youth and families and the impact it has on their educational, social-emotional and integration needs.
• Other Requirements Include:
• Post-secondary degree in Social Work and related work experience are position requirements.
• Excellent communication (oral and written).
• Counselling, cross-cultural, and organizational

Other Requirements

• Criminal Record and vulnerable sector check.
• Saskatchewan Class 5 driver's license.
• Clean driver's abstract.

The hours of work are Monday to Friday from 8:15 AM to 3:45 PM. All positions at RODS require a clean criminal record/child abuse registry check. The hourly wage for this position is $ 54,440.59.

We thank all candidates for their interest; however, we will only contact those selected for interviews. Successful candidates will be contacted for an interview. Please be able to provide three work-related references at the time of your interview. No phone calls, please. Please respond in confidence via: link provided.