PASS - Temporary Indigenous Student Support Worker

Waterloo Catholic District School Board; Kitchener; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is seeking a Temporary Indigenous Student Support Worker to provide holistic, culturally responsive support to Indigenous students, aiming to improve well-being, academic achievement, and access to services.

You will collaborate with school staff and community resources, act as mentor and advocate, and help address barriers while coordinating referrals to supports, in alignment with Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.

Qualifications

• Identify as an Indigenous Community Member
• Understanding of Indigenous history, colonization and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to meet program needs
• A valid driver's license and a good driving record and willingness to travel throughout the community and to work flexible hours
• The successful candidate must provide a satisfactory criminal background check
• Post secondary education (University degree and/or College diploma) within Indigenous education, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Social Service

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with school administrators, teachers, families, system staff, and community resources to identify barriers and develop solutions
• Maintain open communication with participating students and their caregivers/families, as well as relevant community members about progress and needs
• Establish protective factors to help students thrive and link new programs to existing supports
• Engage with schools to create a welcoming environment for Indigenous students, parents, and community members
• Facilitate access and referrals to academic supports and community resources for integrated support systems
• Build positive relationships with Indigenous students through a strength-based approach
• Act as mentor, trusted advisor, and advocate for participating Indigenous students
• Engage families by affirming identity and culture through culturally responsive practices
• Establish relationships with service agencies serving the Indigenous community
• Prepare reports and monitor program progression and outcomes with Indigenous Consultant

Job description

PASS – Temporary Indigenous Student Support Worker

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board serves over 38,000 learners and provides services to students in 50 schools (Kindergarten to Grade 12 and adult learners) across the Waterloo Region.

The Board conducts intentional recruitment and selection as it seeks to achieve a state of greater equity for employees and students and to diversify its workforce.

All qualified applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply and applicants may choose to indicate if they are from a group who has experienced racial or social discrimination. Self-identification data will be used as a consideration in this posting. Aggregate data will be stored anonymously to support improvements to the Board's hiring processes.

General Description of Duties:

The purpose of the Indigenous Student Support Worker is to provide comprehensive, culturally responsive support to Indigenous students to improve their well-being, academic achievements, and help affect systems change. The Student Support Worker will support Indigenous students by acting as a mentor and advisor, collaborating with school based and other staff and the broader community in responding to individual and systemic barriers (e.g., academic, mental health, justice); identifying and addressing individual barriers to engagement, learning and well-being; and facilitating access and referrals to academic supports and community resources to provide an integrated support system for the students and to support students to be able to thrive in the framework of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.

• Collaborate with school administrators, teachers, families, system staff, meet regularly with the WCDSB Indigenous Consultant and community resources to identify systemic barriers and develop meaningful solutions to support the engagement well-being and support high expectations for students.
• Maintain open communication with participating students and their caregivers/families, as well as relevant community members about the progress and needs of the students
• Knowledge of the Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act, Safe & Accepting Schools, and Equity & Inclusive Education
• Establish the protective factors necessary for participating students to thrive, including integrating and linking new programs and supports to existing ones
• Engage with schools to create a welcoming environment for all Indigenous students, parents, and community members
• Facilitate access and referral to academic supports and community resources to provide integrated support systems for Indigenous students
• Build positive and trusting relationships with Indigenous students through a strength-based approach
• Act as mentor, trusted advisor, and advocate for participating Indigenous students
• Engage Indigenous students and their families by affirming their identity and culture through culturally responsive and relevant practices
• Establish relationships with various service agencies serving the Indigenous community
• Prepare reports and monitor program progression and outcomes in collaboration with Indigenous Consultant

Minimum Requirements:

• Identify as an Indigenous Community Member
• Understanding of Indigenous history, colonization and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to meet program needs
• A valid driver's license and a good driving record and willingness to travel throughout the community and to work flexible hours
• The successful candidate must provide a satisfactory criminal background check
• Post secondary education (University degree and/or College diploma) within the areas of: Indigenous education, Education, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Social Service

Desirable Assets:

• Lived experience deeply rooted in Indigenous communities
• Familiarity with Indigenous world view and cultural practices
• Awareness of local community resources and the ability to support students/families in accessing and navigating the resources
• Demonstrated ability an advocate for students
• Excellent organizational, collaboration and communication skills
• Deep understanding of systemic barriers and challenges that Indigenous students face in the education system and in the wider community
• Understanding of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations
• Demonstrates sound judgment and sensitivity, and ability to build rapport with various
• Experience in handling contentious issues with sensitivity, confidentiality, tact and discretion
• Being an advocate for Indigenous students and families while working within an organized system of Catholic education

Salary Range: PASS – Level 5, $79,678.41-- 93,741.38 per year in accordance with the PASS Terms of Employment

Hours of Work : Temporary full-time: 35 hours per week, ASAP to October 30, 2026

To request this file in large print, please email [e-mail]. If you require a disability related accommodation to participate the recruitment process, please contact us at [phone], extension 2368 to discuss your needs under the Human Rights Code. Responses to inquiries will be provided within 72 hours.

At WCDSB, we are committed to respecting your privacy and will take appropriate measures to protect any personal information you may share through the job application process. Personal information is collected under the authority of Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.2, s. 171(1)3, and pursuant to section 28(2) of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). The information collected will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and qualifications for employment and for administering human resources and employment-related functions. Questions regarding this collection may be directed to the Board's Privacy Officer at 519-578-3660 ext. 2381.

The successful candidate will be required to produce a satisfactory Criminal Background Check. For further information refer to policy APS 038 on the website of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.