Job Title: Bilingual Community Engagement Worker 

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Job Summary: 

Location: St Catharines, Ontario and work at home (flex)

Hours: 20/week 

Length of Contract: 30 months (with possible extension)

Salary: $25

Reports to: Executive Director

Anticipated start date: September 1,2022

Open until filled
 

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Position Objectives

To maximise the reach of the service to Black female youth aged 16-22, including those who do not normally relate to services, especially immigrants and newcomers. To co-ordinate and deliver outreach drops in and workshops in community venues and at community centre location. To assess client needs and provide direct support to Black female youth. To lead on client involvement including training, supervising and developing both community champions and youth champions to support active outreach. To seek development opportunities for the service in order to address unmet need - creatively finding additional resources and working in partnership. 

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Responsibilities:

1. To develop and deliver drop in support sessions and workshops on a variety of Wellbeing related topics throughout the Region and beyond (virtually), in a variety of locations, for clients with additional needs, and also for young people to develop confidence in putting forward their views on their support needs and if involved in FBF. 

2. Provide short term support to young people identified at outreach sessions, build up a resource for signposting and to refer into in-depth casework provision of our service if required. 

3. To create dedicated resources to engage Black female youth and promote inclusion such as where English is not their first language and also where there is a range of needs. 

4. To proactively develop links with key contacts such as local community groups, colleges, Adult Health and social services to increase referrals and participation from the 16-22 age group. 

5. To recruit, train, supervise and manage a small cohort of youth advisors and to support service delivery. 

6. To actively share skills and learnings from direct work with clients with other team members and colleagues across FBF and in other agencies. In addition develop practice sharing opportunities with health, social services and education providers within the Region and beyond. 

7. To provide clients with accurate information on their rights, roles and responsibilities within FBF and on the wide range of options and agencies that are available. Plan support to ensure the best use of time ensuring that the appropriate type of support is offered for the enquiry and throughout all casework actively empowering clients to develop confidence and skills to advocate for themselves. 

8. Ensure regular reviews of the effectiveness of the drop ins and workshops, seeking feedback from clients and other stakeholders. Alongside colleagues identify targets and objectives for effectiveness. 

9. Ensure own knowledge and practice is maintained and undertake such training as appropriate to enhance skills in working with Black female youth with unique and often complex needs. 

10. Provide regular monitoring and evaluation information to colleagues as part of contract monitoring requirements. In addition contribute regionally and locally to strategic planning discussions via feedback to support, inform and influence the development of policy and practice. 

11. To ensure you have an understanding (appropriate to your role) of, and comply with FBF’s procedures for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. 

12. To ensure the implementation of FBF’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Policy and our Code of Ethics in every aspect of your work and positively promote the principles of these policies amongst colleagues, clients and other members of the community 

13. To be able to evidence FBF’s values at all times, which underpin FBF’s mission of community-empowered Black female youth.

14. To comply with FBF’s Health and Safety Policy, Data Protection Policy and to protect your own and others’ health, safety and welfare. 

15. To work flexibly as required by the service and the needs of the clients with which we work, including mornings and early evenings and to carry out any other reasonable duties as required. 

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Qualifications and Skills:

Degree in Social Work/Child and Youth Worker/ Social Service Worker qualification or other relevant professional qualification and at least 2 years’ experience of working with youth in community settings. 

1. Experience in the delivery of a service and actively promoting client involvement and participation. 

2. Proven experience of working directly with vulnerable clients, including excellent interpersonal skills in working with young people, to support positive, measurable, and evaluated outcomes. 

3. Detailed understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion frameworks, anti-Black racism, feminism, and intersectionality. 

4. Lived experience as an equity seeker.

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Abilities and skills:

1. Ability to work in partnership with other agencies and build effective links and partnerships to increase resources available to clients. 

2. Ability to participate in the development of policies and improved practice, and design and deliver training programmes. 

3. Experience and knowledge of service planning and implementation, and ability to produce high quality monitoring data and reports. 

4. Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, as well as ability to work in accordance with local and organisational policies and procedures and keep up to date as required. 

5. A demonstrated commitment to the values of FBF.

6. Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload, self-motivate and work to tight deadlines on own initiative, pro- actively, with high degree of autonomy, whilst ensuring colleagues are notified promptly of any major concerns. 

7. Demonstrate ability to communicate clearly and professionally through a variety of mediums with parents, children and young people, professionals and excellent verbal, listening and presentation skills including excellent IT skills. 

8. Proven commitment to reflective practice and ability to develop professionally through self-evaluation, others’ feedback, use of supervision, appraisal and training. 

9. A proven ability to work flexibly, undertaking out of hours work - including mornings, weekends, evenings as required by the service and the communities that we need to reach.

10. Able to evidence FBF’s principles at all times, which are: 

• female empowerment  

• social justice

• community 

To apply:

Email your resume and cover letter (detailing your equity seeking experience; your experience working with marginalised populations; and why you want to work with Future Black Female) to Dr Tapo Chimbganda: tapo@futureblackfemale.com. OPEN UNTIL FILLED. Applications will only be accepted electronically. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Future Black Female is committed to being an equal opportunity employer.

Please advise in advance if you require any accommodation during the application or selection process. FBF is committed to employment equity and encourages candidates to self-identify as visible minorities; people from culturally diverse backgrounds; people of all gender identities and sexual orientations; Indigenous peoples; and persons with disabilities.

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Please note a recent vulnerable sector police clearance will be required as well as three references. 

Mental Health Counsellor

Part-time 12hrs/week

6 months fixed term contract

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

•    Provides individual and group counselling to Black girls and women aged 16-22 who have been subjected to violence and abuse which may be current or historical. 

•    Makes appropriate referrals and connects clients with resources for information, community support, and advocacy. 

•    Collaborates with other FBF programs to enrich program delivery and fulfill our mission more effectively. 

•    Demonstrates tenets of Pro-Black Mental Health working with Black families and community. 

•    Maintains client records and client files in keeping with FBF policy 

•    Support the mission, vision and values of FBF and its principles of Black feminism; social justice; and community.

•    Collaborates with team  to develop and establish standards and accountability mechanisms including logic models, monitoring frameworks and evaluation processes including the completion of program(s) reports, stat collection maintenance of relevant documents. 

•     Attend clinical consultation with a qualified clinical supervisor at least every two months.  

•    Ensures that the program participates in interagency liaison and community coordination on gender-based violence, intimate partner violence and mental health

•    In collaboration with the team creates a learning environment for students and volunteers. 

•    Ensures effective service delivery consistent with agency mandate, policy, meeting all legal, contractual financial and other compliance requirements. 

•    Supports ongoing compliance with accreditation standards and new program standards. 

•    Stays current with FBF programs and services. 

•    May be requested to assist with other duties to aid with the efficient operation of the organization. 

Qualifications and skills required: 

•    Post-secondary degree in counselling or psychology 

•    Registered and in good standing with appropriate licensing/regulating authority e.g. CRPO. 

•    Experience applying a feminist analysis of gender violence. 

•    Solid understanding of the dynamics of abuse and of the systemic nature of violence against women and marginalized people. 

•    Experience working effectively and in a non-judgmental manner with clients from different cultures, ethnicity, and socio-economic backgrounds. 

•    Experience with program planning, evaluation and report writing. 

•    Experience working in the non-profit sector is an asset. 

•    Ability to work flexible hours. 

•    Knowledge of the impacts of racism, stigma, institutional violence.

•    Good working knowledge of the Local, Provincial, and Federal legislation and regulations as relevant to the work an asset 

•    Proven ability to work collaboratively across programs and with community partners. 

•    Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office suite 

•    Excellent communication and organizational skills. 

•    Successful results of criminal records check. 

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To apply:

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Email your resume and cover letter (detailing your equity seeking experience; your experience working with marginalised populations; and why you want to work with Future Black Female) to Dr Tapo Chimbganda: info@futureblackfemale.com. Applications will only be accepted electronically. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

Future Black Female is committed to being an equal opportunity employer.

Please advise in advance if you require any accommodation during the application or selection process. FBF is committed to employment equity and encourages candidates to self-identify as visible minorities; people from culturally diverse backgrounds; people of all gender identities and sexual orientations; Indigenous peoples; and persons with disabilities.

Please note a recent vulnerable sector police clearance will be required as well as three references. 

Call for Advisory Board Members aged 18-22

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Are you interested in empowering your fellow Black female youth?
Are you community driven and focused?
Do you have 8-10 hours to volunteer each month?

Do you live in Canada?

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If you have a commitment to female empowerment, culturally relevant and responsive advocacy, and gender equality in your professional and personal life, we are looking for you. We invite you to work with us as part of our Advisory Board where we are seeking members from all walks of life. Our voluntary members are the bedrock of our organization and help us move forward in our mission while keeping us focused on our vision. They also stand as role models for the young people we serve. As such, we look for the following qualities in those who take on this responsibility:

• Flexibility and creativity;

• People and organizational skills (teamwork, coaching, motivating and mobilizing);

• Leadership (empathy, integrity, humility, and reflexivity);

• Passion for female empowerment and gender rights; and

• Dedication and commitment to social justice.

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FBF is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to building an organization that reflects the communities we serve. That is why priority will be given to candidates that:

• Identify as female, and

• Are of African descent/Black

We also welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates selected for an interview. If an applicant or a successful candidate requests accommodation, we will discuss their needs with them and make adjustments to support them. 

To apply for a position on our Board, please submit a cover letter and resume to: Dr Tapo Chimbganda Email: info@futureblackfemale.com

Your application should include: 

• Your professional/educational interests and experience

• Your lived experience and values towards diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Any previous experience working in your community

• Time commitment per week

For more information, please email info@futureblackfemale.com

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We thank all applicants for their interest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.