Youth Worker

Duties and Responsibilities

Building/Facilities:

• Fulfill cooking and cleaning responsibilities, adhering to all food safety protocols
• Contribute to the home’s organization maintenance to ensure a therapeutic milieu
• Identify the details of any damage/disrepair and report to Manager of Abbey Ridge
• Follow cleaning schedules and adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies to maintain staff and client safety and security at all times

Youth/Tenants/Programming:

• Assess and address the immediate and basic needs of the program’s youth
• Complete and maintain logs, files and records and ensure confidentiality is protected
• Engage youth in life skill development and goal planning that supports independent living: assist youth in developing practical skills for daily living, including budgeting, job readiness, academic planning, and time management
• Liaise with other agencies on behalf of youth and programs and participate in community committees, projects, or activities as appropriate; build positive relationships with the families, schools, and communities of the youth
• Form healthy relationships with youth, model healthy living and positive choices
• Facilitate and/or source a variety of programs for youth at Abbey Ridge
• Provide a supportive environment that centres youth empowerment and decisions
• Ensure that a quality, effective, and client-directed program is delivered
• Support self-administration of medications as needed
• Transport youth on occasion

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in training new staff and students and supervising placement students as requested
• Participate in both New Dawn and Abbey Ridge internal/team meetings and PD sessions
• Ensure program delivery is congruent with the ND and AR mission, vision, and philosophy
• Contribute to a collaborative and cohesive work environment
• Look for potential improvements and help implement solutions
• Maintain professionalism, tact, diplomacy, and sensitivity so as to portray New Dawn in a positive manner, consistent with its values and vision
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, engaging in professional networks, and participating in professional organizations
• Respond to the needs of others with effective communication, mutual respect, and consistent follow through to build trust and workplace relationships
• Promote the mission and values of New Dawn both internally and externally
• Other duties as required

Qualifications

• Demonstrated high level of understanding of youth development and the issues of homelessness
• Demonstrated exceptional level of interpersonal, communication, youth service and organizational skills
• Experience supervising employees, and/or students, volunteers with demonstrated leadership, supervision skills and ability to develop an effective team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and using the Internet
• Physical ability to lift light loads, walk up and down stairs, and maintain a fairly active pace
• Extensive knowledge of community resources, government funding, and the social service delivery system an asset
• Strong understanding of facility management, security, and health and safety is an asset
• Relevant education in the social service field and/or experience working with youth
• High level of understanding of youth development and the issues of homelessness
• Demonstrated skill using anti-oppressive practice (harm reduction, narrative practice, a client directed approach and a social justice perspective)
• Knowledge of mental health issues, substance abuse and crisis intervention
• Physical ability to lift light loads, walk up and down stairs and maintain a fairly active pace
• Standard First Aid/CPR and Food Safety or commitment to secure upon hiring
• Proficiency in documentation, email and using the Internet
• Positive attitude and ability to work in a team environment

Working Conditions

• Some travel may be necessary
• Some bending and lifting is required to clean/maintain home
• Manual dexterity is required to use desktop computers and peripherals
• Some evening and weekend work may be required
• Overtime as required

New Dawn Enterprises believes in supporting the well-being of employees and, in service of this, has created the following compensation package for salaried employees of New Dawn Enterprises, in addition to their salaries:

Paid Vacation

All full-time salaried employees are entitled to one hundred and twenty (120) hours of paid vacation, annually.

Paid Mental & Physical Health Days

All full-time salaried employees are entitled to fifty-six (56) hours of paid leave for mental and physical health, annually. These days can be used to take time off work for physical and/or mental wellness/illness, and to attend appointments for the employee and/or their dependents.

Paid Holidays

New Dawn observes the following thirteen (13) public holidays: New Year’s Day, Heritage Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

The President & CEO reserves the right to close some, or all, New Dawn administrative offices between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day to enable employees to spend time with their loved ones without requiring them to use vacation hours. This decision is reviewed annually based on operational requirements.

Group Health Employee Benefits

Group health benefits for salaried employees and dependents are provided by Group Health. Fifty percent (50%) of benefit premiums are paid by the employer, with the exception of Long-Term Disability which requires benefit premiums to be paid fully (100%) by the employee.

Self-Directed Registered Retirement Savings Plan

New Dawn offers salaried employees retirement savings matching for self-directed retirement savings plans after successful completion of their probationary period. Employees may choose to contribute up to 5% of their gross salary to a registered retirement savings plan, deducted from their pay cheque. Contributions are matched by the Employer to a maximum of five percent (5%).

Additionally, New Dawn offers salaried employees who earn less than $60,000 annually an automatic contribution to a registered retirement savings plan at a rate of 5% of their gross salary. Eligible employees are not required to personally contribute to a registered retirement savings plan in order to receive New Dawn’s 5% contribution to their plan, however, they can at any time make a regular (via payroll) contribution to their plan in an amount of their choosing.

Extended Health & Well Being

Group Health also includes integrated wellness services through Sparrow Health featuring access to enhanced mental health support, access to direct and seamless virtual healthcare, and an Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) that includes critical incident support, 24/7 crisis support, substance-use management, and other resources that go beyond expectation from a traditional EFAP.

Café Marie Discount

All New Dawn employees are entitled to a staff discount at Café Marie, located in the Eltuek Arts Centre.

Rewards & Recognition

New Dawn recognizes and rewards the service of employees with years of service rewards at defined milestones in their careers. New Dawn also recognizes and rewards the work, achievements and significant events of employees throughout the year with ongoing and immediate recognition throughout the year.

Professional Development

New Dawn is committed to the ongoing professional development and lifelong learning aspirations of employees in their skills and knowledge. Employees are encouraged to discuss position-relevant professional development opportunities with their immediate Supervisor.

New Dawn Enterprises Limited is a private, volunteer-directed non-profit social enterprise dedicated to community building. It seeks to identify community needs and to establish and operate ventures that speak to those needs.

Incorporated in 1976, New Dawn is the oldest Community Development Corporation in Canada. Today we employ more than 180 people across many companies including: New Dawn Community Health, Pine Tree Park Care Home & Home Living, Abbey Ridge, Integrated Youth Services, New Dawn Community Food Access, the Eltuek Arts Centre, Café Marie & Catering, New Dawn Properties & Developments, the Cape Breton Island Centre for Immigration.

All of its work is in service of building a more vibrant and self-reliant Unama’ki-Cape Breton Island.

The Abbey Ridge Supportive Living Program provides a safe, supervised, and supportive transitional housing option for youth who are between the ages of 16 and 27. Abbey Ridge has two locations in Glace Bay with each home servicing different age groups.

The youth in the supportive living program are at high risk of negative life outcomes due to a lack of resources and support. The program aims to overcome this barrier by assisting youth in identifying and reaching their own personal goals through support, empowerment, and advocacy. The program offers a supportive environment that fosters the development of life skills and independence.

As a team, the manager, team lead, youth workers and community housing support worker develop and implement individualized program plans for each youth that includes wrap-around care and supportive counselling. Program plans also include life skills programming to help youth build their competencies and independence as they transition into adulthood.