Mental Health Clinician - Barrie, Ontario

Take a Hike Foundation is seeking a Registered Mental Health Clinician with a passion for the land, education, and supporting vulnerable youth and families, to become part of our Programs Team. As we prepare to open our first programs in Ontario, we are looking for potential interest and encourage you to send over your application!

THE ORGANIZATION:

Take a Hike Foundation is on a mission to empower vulnerable youth to unlock their full potential and achieve personal success. We move towards this mission by engaging vulnerable youth in a full-time program of intentional and continuous therapy, learning on and from the land, adventure, academics, and community. We have set an ambitious goal of partnering with every school district in BC with the need, capacity, and commitment to equip vulnerable youth with the skills required to graduate high school, build healthy relationships, and navigate their own path to success.

For more information on the program, please visit www.takeahikefoundation.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Each Take a Hike program has one full-time Mental Health Clinician to support vulnerable youth in changing their lives. The Mental Health Clinician will work regular classroom hours on designated Take a Hike school days, typically 5 days a week, and will accompany the team on all the program field trips (once a week).

This role requires full participation in weekly field trips learning from the land as well as multi-day wilderness trips; typically, two multi-day trips per year ranging in length from 2 to 5 days. We are seeking a Mental Health Clinician who is an adventurer at heart and truly values the positive impact of spending time in nature; someone who recognizes that impactful therapeutic breakthroughs can happen outside of an office setting, perhaps in a canoe or on a hiking trail.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrated understanding of attachment-based and trauma-informed therapeutic models of support.
• Grounded in anti-oppressive practice with a commitment to Indigenous Reconciliation and Anti-Black Racism.
• Demonstrated knowledge of child and adolescent development, mental health, and standards of practice including literacy in suicide prevention/life promotion and skills in suicide risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to apply counselling modalities for youth outside of a traditional office.
• Knowledge of or experience with couples and family therapy.
• Collaborative team player, able to establish and maintain positive working relationships within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Must be comfortable in the outdoors, able to care for self and others regardless of the weather and conditions.
• Willingness to grow in their skills and comfort through weekly out trips hiking, paddling, and regular time in nature.
• Ability and skills to camp overnight on self-propelled outdoor experiences.
• A passion for supporting vulnerable youth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identity-affirming Individual therapy with youth during school hours.
• Family therapy sessions to support parents / guardians of youth.
• Supportive group counselling sessions addressing relevant youth issues.
• Work as part of the classroom team providing leadership in mental health learning and mental health practices.
• Participate in all parts of the program including multi-day camping trips, volunteering, and events.
• Liaise with the entire staff team, and external agencies that can provide additional support to youth.
• Build relationships with school district and community partners to ensure Take a Hike’s success within the community.
• Facilitate youth assessments to enhance care, support engagement and collaboration on treatment goals and for metric and data collection purposes.

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Master of Social Work with a clinical focus (preferred), Psychological Associate or Registered Psychotherapist.
• Registered member in good standing with appropriate Regulatory College.
• 3 years of experience with youth and people in crisis and confident with group facilitation processes.
• Previous experience in an educational setting is an asset.
• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle is an asset.

TERMS AND COMPENSATION:

We offer a salary of 75K-85K, commensurate with experience, based on a 37.5-hour work week. The ideal start date for this position is August 2025.

Take a Hike is proud to offer generous benefits that enable Take a Hike employees to thrive personally and professionally which include:

• Professional Wellbeing: internal and external learning opportunities, professional development budget and training opportunities.
• Life Balance: 5 weeks' starting vacation for MHC + generous paid time off.
• Physical and Mental Wellbeing: Health Spending Account, Employee Assistance Program, employer paid Extended health and Dental, and travel health coverage.
• Financial Wellbeing: 4.5% RRSP matching program, short term and long-term disability coverage, and life insurance.
• Community Wellbeing: Shared values (Wellbeing, Relationships, Exploration, Gratitude, Growth), Open communication and yearly departmental retreats.

This is a full-time, permanent position located in Barrie, Ontario.