Roots and Wings

Competition #1581

The Family Centre has a strong reputation for providing quality services basing our work on research and evidence-based practices. We pride ourselves on providing leading-edge training and strong, reflective supervision. We intend to create a healthy organization that is intelligent in its response to community issues and intentional about our respectful treatment of each other. We have a strong focus on Trauma-Informed Care for the communities we support, as well as our staff teams. The Family Centre strives to hire a diverse team of employees, reflecting the diverse communities we support. The Family Centre is committed to Indigenous ceremony and practice and welcomes knowledge of ceremony and lived experience.

Mission:

The Family Centre exists to support families and children to help them flourish and to help people engage with one another to promote healthy, safe, and economically viable communities.

Vision:

Healthy families in healthy communities.

Roots and Wings:

The Family Centre is looking for candidates who are interested in challenging opportunity, frontline social work, providing support to families. The Roots and Wings model is grounded in researched based practice, with intentional activities and intended outcomes. The impact of Roots in Wings is that families have increased parenting capacity, strengthened resilience, nurturing ecological connections, and see their family as having the potential for success. Communities have collaborative access to resources, organizations are educated and mobilized to support, and families are positively engaged within the community. The position reports to the Supervisor, Community Initiatives at The Family Centre.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor Degree in a Human Services related field with 2 years’ experience working with families with complex needs
• Social Work Diploma with active registration, with 3 years’ experience working with families with complex needs may be considered
• Eligibility for membership in a professional organization is an asset
• Proficient communication, caseload management, and facilitation skills
• Experience working with diverse populations, especially Indigenous families
• Computer Literacy including, but not limited to Microsoft and Google products

Mandatory Requirements: 

• Police Information Check (Vulnerable Sector) and Intervention Record Check (must have to start employment and renewed every 3 years)
• Standard First Aid Level C CPR
• Our Children Are Sacred Youth Suicide Prevention Training or ASIST Suicide Intervention Training
• Reliable vehicle with 2-million liability insurance, 5-year driver abstract and valid driver’s license
• Brain Story Certification Training (must be completed within the first 1 year of employment)

Attributes:

Successful candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Interpersonal skills to help establish positive working relationships with families and stakeholders
• Caseload management skills
• Ability to work in an integrated partnership with schools, community agencies, and natural support networks
• Excellent organizational, critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to be adaptable while establishing clear boundaries, triaging and prioritizing the demands of the role
• Able to demonstrate TFC Principles and to be a TFC Brand Ambassador
• Ability to facilitate various Practice Guides with caregivers, such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Adult Resilience Measure or Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire
• Cultural Humility and Awareness of Indigenous ceremony and ways of being
• Knowledge of and competence in delivering trauma-informed care
• Crisis Management skills and capacity to support individuals in a variety of challenging situations
• Ability to maintain positive wellbeing amongst emotionally demanding and stressful environments through self-care strategies
• Understands the meaning in teachings and values embedded in ceremony, circle processes, and relational accountability
• Understands the importance of allyship with equity-seeking communities

Key Responsibilities:

The Roots and Wings Worker maintains a caseload of 8 to 12 families at a time, or 12-15 cumulative a year, with whom they will provide intentional therapeutic work to address complex issues.

We work with caregivers to help them create healthy family environments.

• Provide in-home support
• Enhance effective parenting skills
• Educate caregivers on how adverse childhood experiences, toxic stress, and trauma affect parenting and child development
• Positively influence brain development by focusing on attachment, literacy, culturally sensitive play, and nutrition
• Address and provide resources for issues that are interfering with positive parenting, such as mental health concerns, addictions, domestic violence
• Enhance effective communication and advocacy skills
• Support financial literacy
• Support the development of natural support networks
• Refer families to community resources and networks
• Address issues that are interfering with family wellness, such as mental health concerns, addictions, domestic violence, etc.
• Assist caregivers with overcoming barriers related to poverty: food/nutrition, medical/dental care, housing, personal identification, furniture, clothing, etc.
• Document interactions with families and complete required paper flow
• Conduct Ages and Stages Questionnaire to promote healthy child development

We work with school personnel to build effective, safe, nurturing environments.

• Build a bridge between school and caregivers
• Promote attendance at parent/teacher interview
• Attend, alongside caregiver, school events that request parent involvement
• Assist caregiver with developing an interest in and establishing a process to engage in their child’s learning at school (homework time, school attendance, etc.)
• Assist school administration with developing a school that is welcoming and strength-based place for all students and their families

We work with the community to build safe and caring neighborhoods.

• Link families to community supports and resources
• Support and advocate for the caregiver when they are learning how to navigate through systems
• Encourage caregivers to get to know their community and get involved in making it a safe and caring neighborhood

What to Expect

• Training – comprehensive onboarding/orientation process with includes service specific training, and agency-wide core training.
• Feedback – a strong supervision model that provides regular formal and informal opportunities for feedback
• Performance coaching – formal and informal coaching regarding the development of personal and professional growth and development.

Compensation (Based on full time working hours 36.5 per week)

The Family Centre is committed to employee wellbeing and development. The comprehensive compensation package offered to employees reflects those values and is competitive within the marketplace.

• $44,537 to $57,396 annually
• Manulife Health Benefit Plan
• Wellness Program
• 3 weeks’ vacation
• RRSP matching
• Ongoing paid training

Please send your resume and cover letter to:

Danny Allen, Manager Community Initiatives

Closing Date:January 31, 2023

The Family Centre thanks all applicants in advance. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. The Family Centre is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes, and work environment. We will be happy to work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.

STAFF QUOTE:

“Roots and Wings Program is not just a name for me, this is my second home. The flexibility, supervision model, the tone of the management, and compensation package may entice social field workers to work here. As a Roots and Wings worker, I have supported people with different age, gender, race, and cultures, without discrimination. The beauty of this program is the work environment and how we engage with our families in a unique way. We are creative and that is the magic to work in this program--this is second to none industry-wide.”

• Mohammad Alam, Roots and Wings Worker.