Job title: Mental Health and Wellness Navigator/Coordinator
Reports to: President and CEO
Department: MetroWorks Edge Program
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada
Duration: 12-month, full-time, contract subject to funding
Salary: $30 / hour based on 37.5 hour week
About MetroWorks
Since 1978, MetroWorks has helped thousands of people overcome obstacles and realize their employment and educational goals. From its beginnings as a pioneer in community based economic development MetroWorks has continued to evolve and remain relevant to the needs of our community.
Edge Program
EDGE is a project offered to Community Services clients between the ages of 18 and 26.
Edge Supports Job Seekers with:
- Gaining employability skills inside the classroom and community placements
- A broad range of assistance during the project including financial and personal supports
- Courses like First Aid, Food Safety, Driver Training, and Tourism/Hospitality & More!
- Individualized Guidance and Support
- Understanding when life gets complicated
Job Overview:
The Mental Health and Wellness Navigator/Coordinator will provide the guidance and support to EDGE program participants and current staff on: Supporting persons living with mental illness, trauma, determining readiness for employment, recommending mental health resources and supports for those not yet ready. For those who are EDGE ready, the Wellness Navigator would provide appropriate supports to clients living with mental illness or experiencing mental wellness concerns within the project and employment.
Responsibilities and Duties:
The Mental Wellness Navigator/Coordinator would provide:
- Mental health support and interventions for participants who are living with mental illness, mental health crises and trauma, and assist in referring to external supports or services – like Community Mental Health – when necessary.
- Establish individual mental wellness plans with a youth centred, sustained employment, and collaborative case management approach.
- Assessment of individual’s readiness for EDGE participation and employment training.
- Recommendations to youth for mental health resources and supports for those not yet ready, and/or make a case plan for the preparation for EDGE participation.
- Provide support and guidance to participant’s identified family, when appropriate and requested, so they can better support the EDGE participant.
- Work in collaboration with other members of the EDGE team to provide leadership surrounding mental health connections and assist in staff education on relevant topics (e.g. trauma, child welfare system, cycle of abuse, etc.) that may present as barriers in other staff’s work with participants.
- Access to needed supports through the Youth Community Hub (including referral to community resources as needed) for transition to work and ongoing optimal mental health wellness.
- Training and education to staff to increase competency in this area and to understand the limitations of the supports that they can provide.
- Propose appropriate programs and develop curriculum to promote mental wellness and create a library of resource materials for staff, youth, and youth’s families/significant other(s).
- Rapid response to stressful family situations for youth as they transition to independence using a collaborative approach with the EDGE interventions and support.
- Access to provincial mental health systems to connect clients to these services, so that EDGE participants achieve/maintain employment success in relation to their mental wellness.
- Liaise and collaborate with provincial mental health systems to establish a referral system that connects EDGE participants to these services in a timely manner so that EDGE participants can achieve/maintain employment success.
- Workshops delivered weekly on mental wellness related topics, such as:
- Mindfulness sessions – several different formats and venders
- Online mental health resources – i.e. HealthyMindsNS
- Living with anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues.
- Ongoing personal development, administrative and record keeping tasks:
- Verbal, written, and statistical reports; collects data, develops evaluation tools, obtains participants’ feedback.
- Maintains a positive working relationship with colleagues/team and seeks their input in all program development and design.
- Attends conferences, workshops, and training to maintain current awareness of mental health methodologies and issues.
- Operates a personal computer and other office equipment.
- Communicates effectively with others in person and over the telephone.
- Analyze data, interpret directions, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.
- Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations; makes presentations; and may be assigned some lead and special work coordination responsibilities.
- Compliance with acts, regulations, and standards with the applicable professional body in Nova Scotia as well as regulations, policies, standards, guidelines, mandate and objectives of the EDGE program (including within the partnership of Community Inclusion Society and the Portal Youth Outreach Association).
- Develop and deliver weekly workshops on mental wellness related topics. The Mental Wellness Navigator will facilitate some of these sessions directly and will also coordinate the planning of external service provider delivered sessions. Topics to facilitate with youth include coping strategies, mindfulness, sitting with hard feelings, working with triggers or flashbacks, and more. Topics to cover for staff include trauma, addictions, depression, anxiety, BPD, grief, and more.
- The Mental Health Navigator will liaise with mental health systems to connect clients to these services, and in the interim offer one-on-one support via solution-focused strategies to prepare participants for employment success in relation to their mental wellness
- Facilitate the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (as trained by Self Help Connection) or a comparable training, and guide participants in developing and activating wellness plans.
- Coordinate with Outside Services to Provide Sessions that may be related to:
- Mindfulness related sessions – several different formats and venders
- CBT related strategies, or resources that encourage noticing/challenging thoughts
- Yoga, Reiki, or tools and topics that incorporate physical and mental wellness
- Online mental health resources – ex. Healthy Minds NS.
Qualifications:
- Graduation from an accredited graduate school with a master’s degree in counselling, social work, psychology, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Registration with the appropriate provincial licensing body (NSCCT, NSCSW, etc.) and/or current license as a Counsellor, Clinical Social Worker, Clinical Psychologist, etc.
- Extensive experience working with youth, young adults and adults with mental health issues, illnesses, past trauma, and family issues.
- Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in mental health interventions for youth, young adults, and families.
- Demonstrated expertise with collaborative case management, working within a multi-disciplinary team environment, and performing mental health assessments.
- Previous experience providing supervision to staff, volunteers, and students.
- The best candidate will have recent and substantial experience in the direct delivery of work with youth at risk, direct experience in being able to manage difficult situations with clients, must be able to work under stressful conditions with limited supervision and have mobility to travel.
- Demonstrated excellence in communication (verbal and written) skills.
- Experience in working with youth in family reconciliation, mediation, and conflict management capacity
- Experience in a community-based setting; personal life experiences are a definite asset.
- A grasp on their own personal story and experience, having worked through their own trauma, addictions, or emotional challenges as it related to the work with vulnerable youth and young adults.
- Knowledge of youth/family/community resources, programs, and services within the community and within Nova Scotia.
- Knowledge and understanding of provincial and federal policies that apply and are relevant to Youth.
- Knowledge, understanding and experience in working with culturally and socially diverse Youth
- Demonstration of experience in working from a strengths-based and relationship-based perspective.
- Creative, adventurous and a demonstration of knowledge/understanding of community and trends pertaining to Youth.
- Demonstrates a passion for working with Youth, specifically in supporting Youth who may be facing multiple and complex challenges.
- Knowledge of a wide variety of therapeutic and treatment approaches for persons with mental health challenges and family/relationship related barriers (including but not limited to Motivational Interviewing, ACT, Solution-Focused, etc.)
- Scope, availability, and activities of community resources, including other mental health and social service agencies.
- Must have valid drivers’ license, regular access to a reliable vehicle, and insurance coverage that allows for the transportation of clients.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Successful external applicants are required to provide a Criminal Record Check (including Vulnerable Sector Search) and Child Abuse Registry Check to manager before starting employment and assume any associated costs as a condition of employment.
FOCUS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION:
We encourage diverse applicants, with preference given to those who have been traditionally excluded from employment such as persons who are African Nova Scotian or of African descent, Indigenous, or Persons with Disabilities. We recognize the importance of having staff that reflect the diversity of the community we serve.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
- Salary: $30 / hour based on 37.5 hour week
- Medical, dental, LTD and life insurance benefits after the probation period
- Registered Pension Plan after one year of employment
- Focus on staff wellness through paid vacation, sick time, family wellness and mental health days
- Professional development opportunities
HOW TO APPLY BY EMAIL:
Please email your application package inclusive of a resume and cover letter to Pethrona Russell Human Resources and Finance Manager at prussell@mymetroworks.ca by Wednesday, July 28th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.