Counsellor/Advocate

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region supports survivors of sexual violence. We listen, facilitate healing, and celebrate resiliency. Using an anti-racist, intersectional feminist approach, we work to transform systems which promote gender-based violence.

We’re recruiting for a full-time Counsellor/Advocate for a one-year contract! Reporting to our Counselling Manager, the successful candidate should feel inspired by our work and have a genuine desire to support our mission, vision, and values. They will have experience providing support to individuals who have experienced sexual violence and a warmth and maturity about them.

Essential Requirements of Education / Experience:

• Post-secondary education in a counselling-related program

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Individual and group counselling with survivors of sexual violence
• Advocacy and accompaniments with survivors
• Maintenance of client files and statistics
• Student supervision, as required

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Knowledge of sexual violence, trauma, and recovery
• Proven skills in counselling, group facilitation, crisis intervention, and advocacy with survivors of sexual violence
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-violence work and an intersectional feminist approach
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills 

Compensation and Benefits:

At SASC, all compensation ranges are grouped into pay “grades”, and we base our compensation structure on internal equity. When determining rate of pay, a candidate’s previous, related experience will be taken into consideration along with where current staff, with similar experience, are currently paid within the relevant pay grade.

We are a Living Wage employer as defined by the Ontario Living Wage Network. We use a 3:1 ratio meaning that the highest paid team member is not paid more than 3 times than the lowest paid team member.

Note: Most new team members will start at or close to the entry point of the range.

SASC has a 35-hour work week.

Pay Grade: 4

Min: $28.48 per hour; $51,833.60 per annum

Max: $33.50 per hour; $60,970.00 per annum

We have a health benefit plan including Extended Health Care (EHC), Dental, Employee Life Insurance, Dependent’s Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). We pay 100% of health benefit premiums for our full-time staff and their families. 

Due to the nature of our work, our staff team starts with four weeks of vacation. We also have 125 hours of paid time off per year. These amounts are pro-rated based on the team member's start date.

We offer RRSP matching after one year of employment. 

Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Statement:

We recognize that sexual violence disproportionately impacts women, trans, and non-binary people. We particularly recognize the impact of racism and colonialism on Black, Indigenous, and racialized women, girls, gender-diverse, and two-spirit survivors. 

We acknowledge that the majority of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main office at 151 Frederick Street in Kitchener, Ontario is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on either side of the Grand River.

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment. We adhere to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We strive to make our recruitment, assessment, and selection processes accessible and provide accommodations as requested for applicants with differing abilities. Only information required to facilitate an accommodation will be shared with those involved in the recruitment process, otherwise accommodation requests will remain confidential. If you require accommodation at any point during the application and/or hiring process, please contact us at .

Given all of this, we encourage applications from women, trans, and non-binary candidates, especially those who identify as Black, First Nations, Metis, Inuit, racialized, as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and/or as a person with a disability. We invite candidates to voluntarily self-identify as a member of a diverse and/or disenfranchised group as part of their application. 

How to Apply:

This position requires the successful candidate have access to transportation and a Vulnerable Sector Police Check. A flexible schedule is required for evening and weekend work.  This position is set to begin as soon as possible. Please submit a current cover letter and resume in one PDF document by Friday, September 29, 2023 to .

We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Unless you require accommodation, no phone calls or email inquiries please.

Job Description – Counsellor/Advocate

Job Purpose:

Reporting to the Counselling Manager, our Counsellor / Advocates are accountable to provide supportive, strengths-based, non-judgmental advocacy, psycho-education, and individual and group counselling to survivors and their families who have been impacted by sexual violence. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

Direct Service

• Provide an average of 17 individual counselling sessions per week for people, 16 years of age and older, who have experienced and/or have been impacted by sexual violence.
• Provide advocacy and accompaniments to survivors. Provide accompaniments to court, the hospital, the police station, mental health appointments, etc. 
• Write letters of support/advocacy.
• Participate in case conferences and consultations.
• Make appropriate referrals to other community services and communicate with other service providers to support clients. 
• Maintain and build community partnerships, within the scope of a Counsellor/Advocate role. 
• Provide practical assistance to clients as necessary and available. (i.e., bus tickets, grocery vouchers, hygiene products, food items, book loans, etc.)
• Provide support with Group Counselling as requested by the Counselling Manager including recruiting, screening, and completing intake with participants. This position may also involve some group program preparation, facilitation, and evaluation.

Other

• Participate in regular clinical supervision sessions, and meetings with the Counselling Manager. 
• Maintain client files. Respond to client inquiries, prepare for future sessions, complete monthly and quarterly statistics, provide information about SASC to community members and participate in team meetings.
• Ensure continuing competency by seeking out professional development opportunities, clinical consultation, and debriefing support. 

Additionally, in a small agency, it is often the case that work of a nature similar to that in each job is either assigned or known to be necessary to be done. As well, from time to time, work that is not similar in nature to the job may also be required to be done by individuals in any job in order to accomplish the SASC’s purpose.  

Qualifications:

• Post-secondary education in a counselling-related program and 5 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge and training pertaining to sexual violence, trauma and recovery.
• Proven skills in support, crisis intervention, safety planning, and advocacy with survivors of gender-based violence. 
• Familiarity with community services. 
• Knowledge of how sexual violence relates to forms of oppression.
• Demonstrated experience working with marginalized and at-risk communities. 
• Experience supporting and advocating for survivors with mental health needs, safety concerns, etc. 
• Exceptional organizational, time-management, and communication skills. 
• A strong ability to work independently, with minimal supervision. 
• Must attend and successfully complete volunteer training program upon initial employment.   

Communications:

Strong communications and interpersonal/human relations skills are required in the position to articulate policy, concepts, etc., motivate others and effect change both inside and outside the organization. There is regular contact with clients, as well as community partners. 

Working Conditions:

SASC currently offers a hybrid work environment; and we do ask that Counsellor/Advocates work from our offices, in-person, at least one day per week. This job is partly performed in a comfortable office environment, with occasional travel around Waterloo Region to partner agencies. Much of the work in the office involves sitting, but there is opportunity to stand and move about.  

This job requires intense concentration during meetings with clients. Repeated exposure to details of violence and assault can lead to vicarious trauma. The need for debriefing, communication with management, self-care, and balance is critical for incumbents in this position.  

Direct Reports:

While no employees report to this position, our Counsellor/Advocate may supervise the work of students in the program.