Youth Program Worker - 6 Month Contract

Friends of Ruby

Friends of Ruby is a charity dedicated to the progressive well-being of LGBTQI2S youth, aged 16-29 through mental health services, social services, and housing.

Friends of Ruby operates a Youth Centre and a Transitional Home. The Centre provides access to barrier free counselling and therapeutic groups, case management and a drop-in space with hot meals, community, and a comprehensive programming. The Home provides transitional and emergency housing, as well as mental health and life-skills to support youth moving towards independent living.

Friends of Ruby recognizes that a diverse work force is critical to accomplishing our mission. Our goal is to attract, develop, and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives.

Friends of Ruby is dedicated to LGBTQI2S youth and prioritizes support for those that are Black, Indigenous and from other racialized and vulnerable communities in our services and programs. It is important that staff understands and relates through personal and professional experiences with the unique experiences of the youth we serve, including those brought by intersectionality. We suggest applicants introduce themselves, their stories and lived experiences in their cover letter to their level of comfort.

Position Summary

We are looking for a member of the LGBTQI2S community to be our next Youth Program Worker and support the Organization’s efforts towards providing progressive support to LGBTQI2S youth in our Youth Services Centre in Downtown Toronto.

Applicants are required to work in person with youth and be available to work at a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the Drop In, including working some evenings.

This opportunity lets applicants to be creative and therapeutic; developing social and fun programming which allows for discussion, growth, and advocacy. The selected candidate must have strong experience with programming, crisis management, good communication skills and computer skills, as well as proven experience in supporting LGBTQI2S youth.

The Youth Program Worker will provide supports in our drop-in by interacting and facilitating respectful communication among the participants and responding to escalating situations when needed. The Youth Program Worker develops, implements, and coordinates service delivery through engagement activities for LGBTQI2S youth, both individually through service plans and within a group setting, that can be done online and in person. They will also support and help with our daily food program, perform reception duties, set up the space before groups, clean up after groups, do purchasing when required and ensure covid-19 protocols are in place and being followed, ensure the supportive drop-in space runs in a safe and organized way.

Youth Program Workers combine lived experience, active listening, and engagement skills to offer youth-centered and trauma-informed informal counselling, co-facilitating groups, and short-term/follow-up case management where applicable.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Utilizing strengths-based, trauma-informed, harm reduction approaches, the Youth Program Worker will:

• Assess participant needs, research resources and options for participants, follow up informally with participants working on short-term goal plans.
• Welcome and orient youth to Friends of Ruby in an approachable, non-judgmental way, and maintain a safe, welcoming, organized, and calming space.

• Plan and facilitate individual and group programs and activities that support holistic wellness and are culturally relevant; implementing a harm-reduction approach to all services offered.
• Coordinate and increase access to basic needs including food, hygiene items, clothing, etc.
• Support youth directly with needs including housing, employment, education, food security and cultural connections.
• Provide crisis intervention when necessary and follow up with youth.
• Develop, plan, and execute programs/services that meet the needs of youth both in person and online.
• Network and work alongside community partners to meet the needs of youth.
• Monitor and carry out daily maintenance of the drop-in space such as ensuring infection-control and appropriate health and safety standards are met.
• Ensure youth voices are embedded in the development and operations of our programs.
• Respond to the changing needs and demands of young people by coordinating and implementing new programming.
• Work as part of the Youth Services team to reduce barriers and increase access to services.

• Provide skill development groups and workshops for LGBTQI2S youth that address issues including settlement, wellness, community, life skills, pre- employment, communication, and other related skill development areas and provide one on one support to youth as required.
• Create and implement a schedule of activities in response to individual need and emerging community issues as identified.
• Organize and participate in public education seminars, workshops, groups and training for youth, parents and service providers based in relevant and current research.
• Respond to and/or inform the Youth Services Manager at the earliest point regarding potential safety or escalation concerns.
• Support volunteers and students in providing direct, positive, affirming, and inclusive support that can help to increase participant self-esteem, confidence, and social connections.
• Preparation, set up and closing of snacks and drinks area, as well as ensuring cleanup and maintenance of serving area during open program times.
• Other tasks, such as grocery shopping, as assigned by the Youth Services Manager.
• Support the Team Lead with tasks at the front desk such as signing participants in, registering new participants, answering the phone, etc.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications and Experiences

• 3+ years of experience working with youth and/or in mental health and addictions services.

• Post-secondary school education in social services, social sciences, or humanities and/or comparable work experience.
• Ability to develop collaborative working relationships with other staff, leadership skills, excellent written and oral communications skills, and MS Office and database computer skills.

• Ability to build rapport and to work with youth experiencing unstable housing, food insecurity, substance use and/or mental health issues, and knowledge of community resources relevant to youth.
• Experience facilitating activities and programs, including culturally based programming, with youth centered anti-oppressive, trauma-informed framework.
• Ability to respond to crisis and post-crisis situations.
• Ability to demonstrate and work through a lens of sensitivity to diversity related to race, religion, culture, cognitive functioning, poverty, sexual orientation, and gender identity; experience working with diverse populations is considered an asset.
• Willingness to engage in mental health, substance use and other necessary trainings to increase capacity and skills.
• Have lived experienced as a member of the queer, trans, LGBTQI2S community.
• Be able to work independently, multitask and remain calm in situations that involve multiple demands, demonstrating teamwork, flexibility, and initiative.

Additional requirements

• Satisfactory clearance under the Vulnerable Sector Police Check Program
• Must be qualified to legally work in Canada
• Willing to work at a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the Drop In, working evenings and weekends on occasions
• Ability to travel to other community-based settings as needed

Friends of Ruby believes that immunization against COVID-19 is an individual and societal responsibility and that we must do everything possible to protect our clients, families, employees, students, volunteers and contractors against the spread of COVID-19. As a condition of employment, proof of full vaccination or exemption under the Ontario Human Rights Code must be submitted to Human Resources seven (7) calendar days prior to start date.

Statement on Employment Equity and Diversity
We are committed to ensuring that members of traditionally marginalized groups, from a broad range of communities, feel empowered to apply for positions within the organization. We encourage qualified applicants to consider work and volunteer opportunities with Friends of Ruby as we recognize that a diverse work force and volunteer base are critical to accomplishing our mission. The organization is dedicated to taking proactive steps to overcome historical patterns of discrimination in our society which have created barriers of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, language, class, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression for some individuals and have resulted in the denial of their full participation in society.

Your Application

We thank all candidates for their interest. We regret that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require an accommodation (including alternate format materials, accessible meeting rooms or other accommodation), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.