POSITION DETAILS Student Counsellor – Seniors and Caregivers Support Service – Spanish-Speaking (1 position)

Program:

Seniors and Caregivers Support Service

Time commitment:

2-3 days per week; with January start date

Location:

This position will work from various FST offices including –

• 128 Sterling St, Toronto
• 355 Church St, Toronto
• LAMP Community Health Centre, 185 Fifth St, Etobicoke
• Remotely – A safe home office

Application Deadline:

Open until filled

File Number:

ST-COU #15-25– with cover letter and resume

E-Mail:

hrdep@familyservicetoronto.org

Mail:

HR, 355 Church Street, Toronto ON M5B 0B2

Web:

familyservicetoronto.org

Learn with us!

Family Service Toronto (FST) helps people face a wide variety of life challenges. For over 100 years, we have worked with individuals and families destabilized by precarious mental health and/or socioeconomic circumstances, to achieve greater resilience and stability in more just and supportive communities. We achieve this through our direct service work of intervention and prevention which includes counselling, peer support and education; knowledge building; and system-level work including social action, advocacy, community building and working with partners to strengthen the sector.

We’re proud of our people and culture! We are constantly evolving what we do and how we do it. Our work is grounded in the lived experience of the clients and the community. We celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and excellence. We are agile, learning and always willing to try new things.

Program Summary:

The Seniors and Caregivers Support Service (SCSS) program at Family Service Toronto provides support and counselling services to older people and caregivers. Our work includes counselling, group work, advocacy, training, and educational sessions on a variety of topics such as aging and memory loss, anger, and guilt, how to access community resources, abuse of older adults, etc. Services offered to seniors and people 50+ with a disability. These services are delivered both in-office and via home visits. Currently we work remotely using telephone and electronic platforms.

The Opportunity!

To provide counselling and psychotherapy support services to seniors and caregivers around a variety of issues from bereavement to anxiety and depression and loss. Students are offered a wide variety of experiences, including:

• Opportunity to gain clinical experience, skills, and knowledge in counselling work with seniors and caregivers, using a variety of modalities and therapeutic interventions.
• Learn skills for group-based programs – invited to co-facilitate groups and to work on presentation skills.
• Opportunity to develop knowledge of community resources and clinical resource materials.

Responsibilities:

• Offer brief and longer-term counselling services, including conducting initial assessments and regular counselling sessions, providing information and referrals, and facilitating service termination with clients; this also includes group programming.
• Complete clinical documentation including assessment summaries, session notes, closing summaries and communication records, in a timely manner, using a computer database program.
• Attend and support clinical groups (option to attend evening groups depending on your interest level and availability).
• Work collaboratively with other members of the clinical team, including staff, students and volunteers through informal case consultation and attending monthly clinical team meetings.
• Meet regularly with clinical supervisor to review clinical work and pursue learning goals, attend student orientation sessions, and complete relevant reading or view training videos as required.

Qualifications:

• Fluency in English (oral and written) and Spanish (oral).
• Advanced graduate level student enrolled in one of the following: 2nd year MSW, MA Counselling Psychology, M.Ed. Counselling Psychology, M.Psy. Counselling, or Bridging Program for Internationally trained Social Workers and/or Mental Health Professionals (BREM).
• Previous experience with counselling and/or social service work.
• An interest in working with seniors and caregivers.
• Ability to maintain boundaries with clients and provide time-limited counselling services.
• Demonstrated understanding of anti-oppression and commitment to equity, inclusion, and cultural competence.
• Successful Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Checks required.

Skills that would be an asset:

• Some clinical knowledge and skills in at least one counselling modality, interventions, or other practice-based clinical interventions.
• Some clinical knowledge and experience working with seniors and gerontology.
• Familiarity with the community service system.
• Familiarity with the Inter RAI-CHA assessments.

Interested?

Please indicate file number ST-COU #15-25 on your application and submit cover letter and resume to hrdep@familyservicetoronto.org or through our website at Student Placements - Family Service Toronto.

Our goal is to attract, develop, and retain highly talented students from diverse backgrounds allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives.

We actively encourage applicants from all equity seeking groups. First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Black and People of Colour, people with disabilities, people of diverse gender expression, and people with lived experience of poverty are encouraged to apply.

In accordance with Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and FST’s Equity and Inclusion policy, accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.

We thank all applicants and will contact the individuals selected for an interview.