Youth Care Worker II, CIS

Click here to apply as an internal applicant.

Company: IWK Health

Req ID: 201638

Department/Program: Children's Intensive Services-Day, Mental Health And Addictions

Location: Halifax

Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) for 1 year x 1 position(s)

Start Date: May 2025

Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit

Compensation: $32.5528 - $40.3018 /hour

Closing Date: April 25, 2025 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

The Children’s Intensive Services (CIS) is a rehabilitative mental health inpatient setting for children aged 12 years and under whose needs cannot be managed on an outpatient basis. The service offers both day and 24/5 service, with treatment lasting approximately 4 months. Reporting to the Manager of CIS, the Youth Care Worker II (YCWII) will work as part of an interdisciplinary team, providing holistic, comprehensive care to meet the needs of children aged 6-12 years presenting with serious emotional and behavioral problems. Utilizing the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model, CIS adopts an approach to intervention which is collaborative with the child and his/her family and is focused on developing adaptive living skills to cope with mental health problems. The YCWII works under the direction and supervision of a regulated health professional to deliver evidence-based home/community-based interventions to youth and their families. The Youth Care Worker II is responsible to implement assigned aspects of a care plan, demonstrate and coach parents in implementing Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) strategies, specifically Plan B conversations, and to assess the impact of interventions and contribute recommendations to the care team on changes to the care plan.

The YCWII will be responsible to collaborate with referring multidisciplinary team; to support individualized treatment plans, deliver specific in-home supports and provide progress reports on treatment goals, documenting in accordance with Health Care standards. The YCWII will be required to manage disruptive and aggressive behaviours using non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation skills.

The YCWII may be reassigned to other Mental Health and Addiction units as operationally required.

Hours of Work

37.5 hours weekly – Days, early evening, and regular Saturday work is a requirement of the position. Flexibility in hours of work and travel is a condition of employment.

Your Qualifications

• Successful completion of an undergraduate degree in Child and Youth Care Studies or an undergraduate degree and a graduate from a 2-year accredited Child and Youth Care diploma program or internal applicants (who do not meet the minimum education requirements) currently working as a Youth Care Worker I in the IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program with five (5) years’ experience in child and adolescent mental health and addictions.
• CYC Practitioner certification preferred.
• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in mental health or related experience with children and adolescents as applicable to the care area. Or internal applicants (who do not meet the minimum education requirements) currently working as a Youth Care Worker I in the IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program with (5) years’ experience in child and adolescent mental health and addictions.
• Three to five years’ experience preferred.
• Successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support (BLS) Program within the last 12 months or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate required.
• NVCI certification required.
• Holds a valid minimal Class 5 Nova Scotia driver’s license and reliable transportation required.
• Experience in Collaborative Problem Solving Model required.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the IWK’s mission, vision and values and commitment to Family Centered Care.
• Possesses basic knowledge of child and adolescent development.
• Adheres to the Youth Care Worker Principles and Standards of Practice.
• Demonstrates appropriate judgement in establishing a therapeutic interaction with the client population.
• Demonstrates problem solving, facilitation and observational skills.
• Is a demonstrated self-starter and decision-maker.
• Maintains strong inter- and intra-departmental relationships; Works well independently and as part of a team.
• Works with and builds relationships with a variety of personalities and adapts communication, consultation, negotiation, and other approaches to best suit clients’ needs.
• Competencies in other languages an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.