Intake Counsellor - Contract Position (6-months)

Alliance for Healthier Communities; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health center in Toronto is seeking a dynamic Intake Counsellor to provide supportive counselling and assist clients from various racialized communities. The role requires experience in client care and strong knowledge of social determinants affecting health. The ideal candidate will engage in community initiatives and maintain thorough documentation. A competitive compensation of $34,300 for a 6-month period with benefits is offered, along with opportunities for diversity within the workplace.

Qualifications

• 1 year experience in a non-profit or Community Health Centre.
• Member in good standing with OCSWSSW.
• Fluency in a language(s) represented within ACB communities preferred.

Responsibilities

• Conduct client intakes and provide supportive counselling.
• Navigate clients into internal programs and support referrals.
• Engage community groups and networks for community initiatives.

Skills

Culturally sensitive care

Crisis intervention

Documentation skills

Interpersonal communication

Team collaboration

Education

Registered Social Service Worker or equivalent

Job description

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre

Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre (WHIWH-CHC) provides racialized women, trans and non‑binary clients from the African, Black, Caribbean, Latin American, and South Asian communities in Toronto and surrounding municipalities with culturally safe, relevant, and responsive primary healthcare. We are changemakers engaged in knowledge transfer and exchange, research, capacity building, and advocacy within and across multiple systems.

WHIWH-CHC is recruiting a highly motivated, professional and dynamic individual to join the team. Individuals who identify as part of the African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities and/or have demonstrated experience working closely with these communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct client intakes and provide supportive counselling, system navigation and resource supports for clients, with a minimum of 3-5 clients per day.
• Navigate clients into internal programs and support administrative pathways, and/or support clients with referrals to external programs.
• Review and support with the maintenance of the client wait lists.
• Support workshop delivery at the Centre using client‑centered, trauma‑informed approaches.
• Support with informational, community‑building, skill‑building and psychoeducational programs and groups.
• Strong knowledge of social determinants of health and issues that affect racialized communities.
• Assist in supportive safety planning and suicide intervention.
• Act as a client advocate on individual and systemic issues.
• Participate in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of treatment, education, counselling and health promotion programmes and services for individuals, groups and the community.
• Engage community groups and networks in support of community initiatives, and assist clients and the community to build support networks.
• Ensure that required documentation is completed and available in the client’s health record in a timely manner that meets professional standards of practice.
• Initiate and coordinate participation in program and chart review and case conferencing with a continuous quality improvement (QI) focus.
• Maintains enthusiastic, passionate and self‑driven work ethic.
• Other duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization

Registered Social Service Worker and/or has an approved equivalent of education and related experience with client care, intake and system navigation.

Member in good standing with a relevant regulatory body such as the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW).

Able to communicate and work effectively in an interdisciplinary team environment and willingness to accept clinical direction.

A minimum of 1 year experience working in a non‑profit and/or Community Health Centre environment is an asset.

Advanced understanding and practical application of anti‑oppressive practices, culturally‑sensitive and client‑centered care, social determinants of health.

Experience working with racialized populations and thorough knowledge of community resources/services available for our priority populations in Toronto.

Ability to complete documentation in adherence with guidelines from the OCSWSSW or relevant regulatory body.

Demonstrated ability to deal effectively with crisis and conflict and to maintain appropriate boundaries.

Able to plan, organize and prioritize workload in a fast‑paced environment with minimal supervision and takes initiative.

Strong interpersonal, written and oral communication skills.

Must be familiar with computer applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

Ability to work evenings and occasional weekends to meet programming needs.

Proficiency in languages(s) other than English is an asset. Fluency in one or more languages represented within ACB communities is preferred.

REPORTING

This position reports to the Director of Population Health.

LOCATION

Toronto, ON

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for this challenging opportunity in a dynamic organization please forward your resume and cover letter with the subject line: “Intake Counsellor” to the attention of:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Early applicants may be contacted for interviews before the posting closes.

COMPENSATION

$34,300 for a 6‑month period, will include benefits.

WHIWH is committed to reflecting the diversity of the communities it serves and we strongly encourage applicants who reflect Toronto’s ethnic and cultural diversity and our priority populations. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates.

WHIWH is working towards gender equity in pay.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

WHIWH has a Covid‑19 Vaccination Policy that requires employees to take part in COVID‑19 vaccination programmes recommended by public health authorities unless approved for an exemption request under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for this position.