Employment

SASC Job Opportunities

Part Time Counsellor/Advocate

Part Time Counsellor/Advocate

The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) 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.

SASC is currently recruiting for a part-time (17.5 hours/week) Counsellor/Advocate! Reporting to our Counselling Manager, the successful candidates 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.

Note: Most new team members will start at 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

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 the accommodation will be shared with those involved in the recruitment process, otherwise accommodation requests will remain confidential. If you require accommodations at any point during the application and/or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at jobs@sascwr.org or 519-571-0121 x102.

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.

COVID-19 Vaccination Protocol:
To maintain the safety of our team, service users, and community, all new staff are required to provide proof of being Fully Vaccinated against COVID-19 as a pre-condition of their employment offer.

How to Apply:
This position requires the successful candidate have a valid driver's license, access to a vehicle, and a Vulnerable Sector Police Check. A flexible schedule is required for evening and weekend work. This position is set to begin January 3rd. Please submit a current cover letter and resume as one PDF document to jobs@sascwr.org as soon as possible as interviews will take place in 2022.

We thank all candidates for their interest; however,
only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Unless you require accommodations, no phone calls or email inquiries please.

Apply now

Job Description – Part time 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 10 individual counselling sessions per week based on 17.5 hours/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, CIBC hearings, etc.
· Write letters of support/advocacy and CICB therapy reports.
· 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. (ie. 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 Manager of Counselling Services.
· 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.
· A valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

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:
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.

If there are currently no job opportunities available but you would like to get involved, please consider volunteering! 

Volunteer Information