Client Services Assistant - Spiral Garden
About the role
Join us in building a world of possibility! Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital, and a top 40 Canadian research hospital. Serving over 9,000 families annually in both inpatient and outpatient programs and services, Holland Bloorview is renowned for its expertise in partnering with clients and families to provide exceptional care and is the only organization to ever achieve 100 per cent in three successive quality surveys by Accreditation Canada.
Holland Bloorview’s vision is to support the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families. We are an academic hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. All clinical staff are expected to contribute to the academic agenda through one or more of the following activities: supervising students, teaching, academic service, scholarship and research.
Holland Bloorview has won numerous awards including Greater Toronto's Top Employers, Canada's Top Employers for Young People and Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures. We offer an inspiring, inclusive, innovative, and collaborative work environment with competitive compensation and benefit packages and programs that support ongoing learning and professional growth.
Program Summary
The Spiral Garden is an integrated outdoor art/garden/play program for children and youth ages 6-18 yrs old, with physical disabilities and developmental delays. Lead by professional Artists and Musicians, participants will interact and play through music, visual art, movement, drama, gardening and other arts activities. CSAs support clients who require one to one facilitation so they can have a safe, successful and fun experience in Spiral Garden. Nursing support provides care for medical interventions.
Position Summary
The Client Services Assistant (CSA) provides direct assistance for an assigned program participant, drawing on prior knowledge and experience of working with children and/or youth with disabilities to provide support safely, professionally, and effectively. The CSA supports and encourages the strengths of participants, facilitating their fullest possible participation in program activities while maintaining participant and program safety.
There are 5 Client Services Assistant positions available. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we encourage applying early!
Key Responsibilities
- Provide 1:1 assistance for assigned participant. This may include support with activity participation (e.g. hand-over-hand support), mobility (lifts/transfers/repositioning and transportation), personal care (e.g. toileting), eating, communication, behaviour support and self-regulation.
- Encourage and support participants in communication, working with others, problem solving, decision-making, task planning and organizing, and peer socialization.
- Apply crisis intervention/de-escalation strategies calmly and effectively and respond quickly to situations that may occur.
- In collaboration with the Care Coordinator and Artists, provide assistance to other participants of your group as need arises. This could include lifts and transfers, personal care or support with de-escalations, etc. Support lunch and break times.
- Collaborate with program staff, volunteers and families to meet program goals.
- Contribute to the larger team, including site preparation and clean-up, participation in group activities such as arts activities, music, etc.
- Contribute to daily debriefing meetings.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives, support the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment and advance a culture of client/patient safety through work and daily practices.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
CSA candidates with either or both of the following experience profiles will be considered:
-
Past work experience in lifting, transferring and/or positioning clients, supporting eating (i.e. spoon-to-mouth) and personal care (i.e. changing briefs) for clients with disabilities ages 6 to18. This experience would typically be gained through work in a PSW, DSW or similar role.
-
Past work experience in supporting children and/or youth with autism to participate in recreational/educational activities, including applying knowledge and skills in the areas of behaviour support and self-regulation. This experience would typically be gained through a behaviour therapist, camp integration counsellor, education assistant, or similar role. Candidates with this experience should also be willing to be trained in some or all of the personal care skills listed above (i.e. lifting, transferring, eating).
All candidates should have:
- Successful completion of a Diploma in Developmental Service Work, Personal Support Worker certificate/diploma, nursing education, child youth worker/development degree/diploma, behavioural science degree/diploma, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education is required
- Previous work experience with children and youth with physical disabilities, developmental delays, and/or who are neurodivergent is required
- Current ability to independently provide physical assistance to participants (lifts, transfers, positioning, eating/feeding), as needed
- Excellent verbal communication skills as they relate to participants, families and other team members
- Proficient written communication skills to write, understand, and effectively act on written materials from participants, families, and members of the staff team
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and to quickly assess and respond to participant support needs
- Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to efficiently manage working hours
- Demonstrated initiative and self-direction to work independently at times
- Ability to take direction and receive feedback, and to work in collaboration with staff/clients/families
You will stand out with:
- Experience with creative arts (music, art, drama, music) facilitation and participation preferred
- CPR certification – CPR HS (Heart Saver) certificate recommended
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) Certificate an asset
- American Sign Language (ASL) qualifications an asset
Not the right fit? Search for Client Services Assistant jobs in Toronto, ON
About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital.
Our vision is to create a world of possibility for kids with disability. We pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life.
Holland Bloorview serves about 7,000 children each year, with about 600 inpatient admissions and 52,000 outpatient visits. Holland Bloorview is a world-class teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. We train future health-care specialists in the field of childhood disability. The Bloorview Research Institute is located onsite, allowing us to integrate cutting-edge research and teaching with frontline care to improve children's quality of life.
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Client Services Assistant - Spiral Garden
About the role
Join us in building a world of possibility! Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital, and a top 40 Canadian research hospital. Serving over 9,000 families annually in both inpatient and outpatient programs and services, Holland Bloorview is renowned for its expertise in partnering with clients and families to provide exceptional care and is the only organization to ever achieve 100 per cent in three successive quality surveys by Accreditation Canada.
Holland Bloorview’s vision is to support the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families. We are an academic hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. All clinical staff are expected to contribute to the academic agenda through one or more of the following activities: supervising students, teaching, academic service, scholarship and research.
Holland Bloorview has won numerous awards including Greater Toronto's Top Employers, Canada's Top Employers for Young People and Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures. We offer an inspiring, inclusive, innovative, and collaborative work environment with competitive compensation and benefit packages and programs that support ongoing learning and professional growth.
Program Summary
The Spiral Garden is an integrated outdoor art/garden/play program for children and youth ages 6-18 yrs old, with physical disabilities and developmental delays. Lead by professional Artists and Musicians, participants will interact and play through music, visual art, movement, drama, gardening and other arts activities. CSAs support clients who require one to one facilitation so they can have a safe, successful and fun experience in Spiral Garden. Nursing support provides care for medical interventions.
Position Summary
The Client Services Assistant (CSA) provides direct assistance for an assigned program participant, drawing on prior knowledge and experience of working with children and/or youth with disabilities to provide support safely, professionally, and effectively. The CSA supports and encourages the strengths of participants, facilitating their fullest possible participation in program activities while maintaining participant and program safety.
There are 5 Client Services Assistant positions available. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we encourage applying early!
Key Responsibilities
- Provide 1:1 assistance for assigned participant. This may include support with activity participation (e.g. hand-over-hand support), mobility (lifts/transfers/repositioning and transportation), personal care (e.g. toileting), eating, communication, behaviour support and self-regulation.
- Encourage and support participants in communication, working with others, problem solving, decision-making, task planning and organizing, and peer socialization.
- Apply crisis intervention/de-escalation strategies calmly and effectively and respond quickly to situations that may occur.
- In collaboration with the Care Coordinator and Artists, provide assistance to other participants of your group as need arises. This could include lifts and transfers, personal care or support with de-escalations, etc. Support lunch and break times.
- Collaborate with program staff, volunteers and families to meet program goals.
- Contribute to the larger team, including site preparation and clean-up, participation in group activities such as arts activities, music, etc.
- Contribute to daily debriefing meetings.
- Participate in quality improvement initiatives, support the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment and advance a culture of client/patient safety through work and daily practices.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
CSA candidates with either or both of the following experience profiles will be considered:
-
Past work experience in lifting, transferring and/or positioning clients, supporting eating (i.e. spoon-to-mouth) and personal care (i.e. changing briefs) for clients with disabilities ages 6 to18. This experience would typically be gained through work in a PSW, DSW or similar role.
-
Past work experience in supporting children and/or youth with autism to participate in recreational/educational activities, including applying knowledge and skills in the areas of behaviour support and self-regulation. This experience would typically be gained through a behaviour therapist, camp integration counsellor, education assistant, or similar role. Candidates with this experience should also be willing to be trained in some or all of the personal care skills listed above (i.e. lifting, transferring, eating).
All candidates should have:
- Successful completion of a Diploma in Developmental Service Work, Personal Support Worker certificate/diploma, nursing education, child youth worker/development degree/diploma, behavioural science degree/diploma, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education is required
- Previous work experience with children and youth with physical disabilities, developmental delays, and/or who are neurodivergent is required
- Current ability to independently provide physical assistance to participants (lifts, transfers, positioning, eating/feeding), as needed
- Excellent verbal communication skills as they relate to participants, families and other team members
- Proficient written communication skills to write, understand, and effectively act on written materials from participants, families, and members of the staff team
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and to quickly assess and respond to participant support needs
- Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to efficiently manage working hours
- Demonstrated initiative and self-direction to work independently at times
- Ability to take direction and receive feedback, and to work in collaboration with staff/clients/families
You will stand out with:
- Experience with creative arts (music, art, drama, music) facilitation and participation preferred
- CPR certification – CPR HS (Heart Saver) certificate recommended
- Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) Certificate an asset
- American Sign Language (ASL) qualifications an asset
Not the right fit? Search for Client Services Assistant jobs in Toronto, ON
About Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest children's rehabilitation hospital.
Our vision is to create a world of possibility for kids with disability. We pioneer treatments, technologies, therapies and real-world programs that give children with disabilities the tools to participate fully in life.
Holland Bloorview serves about 7,000 children each year, with about 600 inpatient admissions and 52,000 outpatient visits. Holland Bloorview is a world-class teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. We train future health-care specialists in the field of childhood disability. The Bloorview Research Institute is located onsite, allowing us to integrate cutting-edge research and teaching with frontline care to improve children's quality of life.