Student Life Counsellor

Ymcagta; Toronto; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a passionate team dedicated to empowering youth in a supportive educational environment. As a Student Life Counsellor, you will play a crucial role in guiding middle and high school students towards academic success and personal growth. This position offers an opportunity to make a real difference by addressing students' diverse needs, facilitating communication among stakeholders, and implementing programs that foster mental well-being and inclusivity. If you are committed to nurturing the potential of every student and thrive in collaborative settings, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience working with neurodiverse students and understanding of special education.
• Knowledge of student support services and best practices in advocacy.

Responsibilities

• Support students' academic success and personal well-being through counseling.
• Facilitate communication between students, parents, and educators.
• Develop programs to promote positive behavior and prevent bullying.

Skills

Counseling Techniques

Interpersonal Skills

Organizational Skills

Communication Skills

Team Collaboration

Crisis Intervention

Education

Post-secondary education in social work or counseling

Master's degree in social work or psychology

Job description

YMCA Academy
15 Breadalbane St
Toronto, ON M4Y 1C2, CAN

Location: YMCA Academy, 15 Breadalbane St., Toronto, ON, M4Y 1C2

Work Hours: Monday to Friday; Must be able to work some evening and weekends as required to attend and participate in Parent/Teacher interviews, Open Houses, Parent Socials, and so on

Employment Type: Contract Full Time Salaried

Number of Vacancies: 1

Anticipated Start Date: August 2025

Deadline to Apply: May 19, 2025

Be the Spark! Join our passionate YMCA Academy team and help us to achieve great things in our community!

The Student Life Counsellor supports middle and high school students (grades 6-12) in achieving academic success and personal well-being through counselling, goal-setting, and career guidance. This role promotes a positive school climate by addressing students' academic, social, and emotional needs, while facilitating communication between students, parents, educators, and community service providers. The counsellor leads initiatives focused on mental health, conflict resolution, and anti-bullying, empowering students to thrive and reach their full potential in a supportive and inclusive environment.

In this role, you will:

• Maintain accurate student records related to counseling sessions and interventions, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with privacy regulations.
• Facilitate communication between students, teachers, parents, and administrators to address concerns, provide support, and ensure student success.
• Collaborate with teachers and administrators to identify students in need of additional support and coordinate interventions and accommodations as necessary.
• Coordinate and oversee student counseling services to address academic, social, and emotional needs.
• Develop and implement programs and initiatives to promote positive behavior and prevent bullying, fostering a safe and inclusive school environment.
• Develop and deliver workshops and training sessions for students, parents, and staff on topics such as mental health awareness, navigating friendships, and conflict resolution.
• Collaborate with community organizations and agencies to provide additional support services for students and families, including referrals for mental health counseling and other resources.
• Complete all documentation required by YMCA Academy and the YMCA of Greater Toronto in a timely manner.
• Participate in YMCA Academy co-curricular and extra-curricular activities such as Jack Club, Social/skills, and after-school clubs.
• Ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA Academy and programs.
• Participate in staff meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

You bring:

• Post-secondary education in social work, counseling, psychology, or social work, or equivalent experience, and experience working with neurodiverse students.
• A master’s degree in social work, speech-language pathology, or psychology, demonstrating advanced knowledge and expertise in special education for neurodiverse students, is an asset.
• Relevant professional experience working with students in a school, such as teaching, counseling, or student advising.
• Comprehensive knowledge of student support services, counseling techniques, special education and Ministry regulations, and best practices in student advocacy and intervention, enabling informed decision-making and effective implementation of support strategies.
• Demonstrated experience and enthusiasm for working with youth with learning disabilities, social/emotional needs, and/or language processing challenges who are under-performing or disengaged from their learning process.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with students, parents, teachers, and administrators, fostering positive relationships and facilitating productive interactions.
• Organizational skills and attention to detail, necessary for managing student records, coordinating services, and implementing interventions.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team to support student success and address their diverse needs.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate activities such as Parent/Teacher interviews, Open Houses, and Parent Socials.
• Excellent understanding of diversity, inclusion, and equity, including the ability to identify and address barriers, work effectively with diverse stakeholders, and integrate equity into program design.
• Focus on the health, safety and wellbeing of all children, youth, and vulnerable people in YMCA programs including understanding legal and moral obligations related to reporting suspected child abuse to Child Protection Services
• YMCA Competencies: Accountable, Relationship-Builder, Improvement-Orientated, Team Player & Leader, Equity and Wellbeing Promoter

Why work for the YMCA?

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that ignites the potential in people, helping them grow, lead, and give back to their communities. We are committed to helping our employees reach their full potential and are recognized as a great place to work. We offer meaningful jobs and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and the health of our communities. See what you can expect from the YMCA here .

Joining the Y means contributing to over 165 years of providing opportunities for people to shine through programs and services like health and fitness, licensed child care, camps, employment and immigrant services, education and training, and services for youth, families, and seniors. Learn more in our 2020–2025 strategic plan, Ignite the Light , which outlines how we are focused on boosting well-being and promoting equity across the Greater Toronto Area.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. We strive to remove barriers to employment and recognize that diverse staff who reflect the communities we work in enrich the experiences of our participants and our team. As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applications from all qualified candidates including racialized people/people of colour, Indigenous Peoples, disabled people/people with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

If we can make the recruitment process more accessible for you, please let us know when we reach out about a job opportunity so we can work with you to accommodate your needs.

In keeping with our commitment to safety and child protection, job offers are contingent on the successful completion of a Police Records Check. Within the first four months and every three years thereafter, a Vulnerable Police Records Check is required. Learn more about these checks here .

The YMCA only considers applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, due to the volume of applications we receive, we can only contact candidates who are selected for an interview.