JOB OPPORTUNITY: Youth Outreach Worker

Youth Outreach Worker – Full-time Permanent

About this Role

Directions Youth Services is a division of Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV), which for more than 90 years has provided a variety of essential resources for children, families and individuals in the Greater Vancouver community.  we believe in the resiliency of Vancouver’s youth who are at-risk, homeless, and street-involved. We assist youth under the age of 25 to get counselling for trauma, mental health or substance issues. Our teams strive to create spaces and build connections with youth who are facing challenges of street life, substance use, mental health concerns, and disconnection from their communities. Directions inclusive programs of shelter and drop-in, safe houses and other unique programs are committed to being a community leader in harm reduction work and fostering low-barrier spaces where all youth are welcome.

Working within the mission, vision, values and person-centered philosophy of the Agency, the Outreach program works to promote safer, healthier alternatives for youth experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The Outreach Worker’s position works to improve and promote the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness of individuals, focusing on unhouse youth in the community. The practical aim of this position is to promote awareness of, and connect youth to appropriate services, resources, and connections to reduce the harm in their lives.  The program focuses support in the areas of the west end, downtown south and downtown east side areas of Vancouver. This position consists of working with youth who are unhoused, precariously housed, or sleeping rough, 24 years of age and under (prioritizing youth 18 and under), struggle with substance use, face mental health challenges, are neurodiverse, are sexually exploited, have criminal involvement, and/or are in crisis. The position actively supports the Agency’s awareness and goals around diversity, inclusion justice and equity.

About our Opportunity:

Our Valued Benefits:

• Starting at 3 weeks’ vacation for full-time staff (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• 3 paid household leave days a year (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• 2 paid Wellness Days a year
• Paid sick days
• 2 1/2 paid Agency days for full-time staff (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• 5 paid days for education leave/year
• 1 paid Moving Day/year
• Subsidized professional association annual dues (if applicable)
• A work culture that values transparency, teamwork, learning, fairness and integrity

Health and Wellness Resources:

• Generous health/dental benefits after 3 months.
• 3 flex benefit options to meet your individualized needs
• Option of psychological/counselling services (up to $1500/year)
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Long-Term Disability Plan
• Manulife Insurance, Travel insurance, ++

Pension: Municipal Pension plan enrollment for eligible employees

Work Hours: 35 hours/ week (4-day work week – Sunday-Wednesday condensed work week, 8.75 hours a day)

Salary: GS 9 Step 1- $28.52 per hour

Location: 1138 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC

Posting End Date: Posting will remain open until filled

What you bring:

• Provide outreach to youth at all Directions Youth Services sites and areas where youth congregate in order to initiate contact, establish rapport, and build trusting, supportive, therapeutic relationships with street-involved and unhoused youth, and link them with culturally appropriate and relevant services and resources
• Identify youth’s individual needs and provide support, encouragement, collaboration and education to youth in matters related to crisis intervention, harm reduction, conflict resolution, community resources, substance use information, and advocacy with the intention of connecting youth to cultural and community services.
• Work closely and collaboratively with all of Directions Youth Services, other community agencies, and government ministries in the development of youth case management plans, using practices that reflect the unique needs and identities of Indigenous youth.
• Work independently in pairs in the community, responding to emerging needs and crises and prioritizing tasks as they arise.

Education, Training, Experience

• 2 year post-secondary course/diploma in social work or youth care/certificate in related field
• Minimum 1 year experience working with youth
• Experience with adolescent development and the impacts sexual exploitation, substance use, mental health challenges, poverty, neurodiversity and/or marginalization have on youth
• Lived experience is considered an asset
• A combination of education/experience can be considered

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Knowledge of substance use, mental health, and sexual exploitation; knowledge of and belief in the Harm Reduction model.
• Knowledge of community, social, and health resources.
• Knowledge of the ongoing and systemic impacts of colonization.
• Knowledge of how systems impact and make vulnerable individuals and communities.
• Ability to deal effectively with conflict situations, manage aggressive behaviour, and use non-violent crisis intervention and behavioural management techniques
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position (carrying a full backpack containing harm reduction supplies, water and snacks while walking for 2-5 hours)

Additional Requirements

• Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training
• Valid class 5 BC driver’s licence
• Successful completion of criminal record check

Working conditions:

• 24-hour crisis response resource centre, and the streets of the City of Vancouver
• Ability to work days and evenings
• Ability to walk with a backpack full of supplies approximately 20-25 km per day

How to apply:

If this describes you, please submit your application to us through our website, https://fsgv.ca/careers/

Only short listed candidates will be contacted for interviews. Thank you for your interest. 

We are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the communities we so proudly serve, while encompassing the principles of equity, inclusion and diversity. We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, gender expressions and sexual orientations including queer, trans, and two-spirit people. In our words and actions, we recognize the challenges for those facing inequalities, while acknowledging our privilege, as we continuously strive to remove biases and reduce barriers that individuals may experience in the hiring and job-seeking process. We invite feedback from all applicants who apply for roles within the Agency. 

If you require a disability-related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please email your resume and cover letter (indicating the competition number #XX-24 in email subject line) outlining your interest and relevant experience to   for follow-up. **if you are an internal candidate, please indicate “Internal Candidate” in the Comments section at the bottom of the online application** 

Our programs are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unseeded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw(Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh), Qayqayt, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwekwetlem, Semiahmoo, Matsqui, and Tsawwassen First Nations. Huy ch q’u.