Hours: Monday to Friday (8:30 am - 5:00 pm), some weekends as needed

“Despite great challenges we believe unhealthy cycles can be broken, new opportunities created and, through healing, health restored.” 

Reporting to T.I.H.C.S.P Manager, the Cultural Support Worker is responsible for day-to-day program delivery, as well as the many relationships connected to Boyle Street: community members (clients), colleagues, and Elders.  

“We stand with our clients, side by side, patiently and for as long as they want – a constant and consistent caring force” 

Position Responsibilities 

• Building and maintaining relationships while seeking input and guidance from your team, Indigenous staff, community members, elders, and others as appropriate.
• Debrief and follow-up critical incidents and/or crisis situations as required to provide support, ensure protocols were followed and minimize future incidents.
• Ensure that all information regarding service delivery is developed, managed and reported in a timely manner.
• Be in relationship with a broad Council of Elders who oversee Boyle Street’s cultural pathways
• To provide cultural support services, including to Former IRS Students and their immediate family member(s) and/or support person(s), paying particular attention to those individuals in crisis. 
• Provide cultural support around a wide range of issues resulting from the legacy of the residential school system, including the intergenerational effects, in a manner that is sensitive to the unique needs of vulnerable populations.
• Provide support throughout the entire IRS process, preparing Former Students for proceedings, supporting during proceedings, and also supporting Former Students after proceedings.
• Work with the agency and its partners to provide Boyle Street Community Services’ clients and staff various cultural healing, including sweats, feasts, healing circles and/or pipe ceremonies.
• Ensure that former IRS Students receive counselling support services by a) referring them to the appropriate Health Canada IRS RHSP Regional Coordinator for a determination of their eligibility for professional counselling services; and b) ensuring that respective counsellors are sensitive to the unique situation of houseless IRS Students. 
• To be able to work from a cross-program case planning perspective.  
• When possible, attend and provide cultural support to former IRS Students who request such support at IAP proceedings, IRS dispute resolution processes, IRS court hearings and Truth & Reconciliation Commission and/or Commemoration events.  
• Build relationships with other Cultural Support Providers and RSHW’s nationally and regionally to develop a forum for discussion of best practices and sharing of approaches and experiences.  
• Provide access to debriefing opportunities for Elder(s) to minimize the potential impacts of vicarious trauma associated with the provision of support to Former IRS Students and their immediate family member(s) and/or support person(s)
• Evolve areas of practice and support to meet the changing needs of the community.  
• Oversee and prepare required reports, this includes pulling information, writing and submission by expected deadlines.  
• Ensure your expenses, mileage and time captures are up to date
• All other duties as outlined by program manager.
• All staff at BSCS are expected to participate in occasional outreach and emergency response efforts (e.g., winter response) to support and engage with clients.
• BSCS is more than a workplace. It is a community where everyone helps and contributes to the whole, and there is an expectation that all employees will take part in events (during the work week and occasionally during weekends and evenings). This includes fundraising campaigns, running community meals, medicine picking etc.

Qualifications 

• Knowledge of and respect for Treaty 6 Protocols 
• Understanding of childhood trauma and various healing methods 
• Experience supervising staff and managing programs
• Experience of your own personal healing journey
• Knowledge of Cree would be considered an asset
• Class 5 Drivers License, will require the use of a personal/company vehicles
• Training in de-escalation is an asset
• Valid First Aid certificate or enrolled in a future course
• Police Check with the Vulnerable Sector completed within the past six months and kept up to date (every 3 years)
• Child and Youth Intervention Check completed within the past six months and kept up to date (every 3 years)

Why Work for Boyle? 

• All work done positively impacts the community and its members!
• Access to Lumino Health, including Stress & Wellness support
• Employee activities and events throughout the year
• Various training initiatives, and development opportunities

Boyle Street Community Services (BSCS) is a values-driven organization that believes our clients are the experts in their own life. Your job will be to foster innovation with your team alongside our community members.  

Clients, staff, and partners are vital members of the Boyle Street team, so we place emphasis on making sure that we address each other correctly by using preferred pronouns. We invite you to let us know how to properly refer to you and your pronouns as you explore finding a professional home with us.  

Boyle Street Community Services aims to foster a work environment that is rich with Indigenous culture, teachings, ceremonies, and activities- as a reflection of the communities we serve and the land we reside upon.  

Boyle Street Community Services is an equal opportunity employer. We value the diversity of the communities we serve and are committed to engaging and developing a diverse and inclusive workforce. Boyle Street Community Services welcomes applications from First Nation, Inuit, Métis, New Canadian, differently abled, and LGBTQ2S communities.