School Social Worker - Community Care Team (South Asian) - Term

Position Title: School Social Worker - Community Care Team (South Asian)

Work Location:  Regional Student Services (Education Centre - Newmarket, Centre for Leadership and Learning, 300 Harry Walker Parkway South, Newmarket, ON L3Y 8E2)

Salary: $68,888 - $99,944 

Work Schedule: 35 hours per weekly 

Application Deadline: July 5, 2022

Additional Information: The incumbent will provide School Social Work duties as well as itinerant social work support to students of South Asian heritage. Please note that fluency in Tamil is required.

Interested candidates are required to complete the following on-line application to the attention of: The Recruitment Team. This term position is effective September 6, 2022 and will end on or about June 30, 2023 and is due to term funding. 

The School Social Worker - Community Care is a regulated and supervised member of the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Services Workers. The School Social Worker (Community Care) will work from Anti-Racist and Anti-Oppressive lens to help reduce barriers affecting student engagement and mental health, and support system level mental health initiatives. The School Social Worker (Community Care) will provide psychoeducation to staff, students and families, and where indicated, direct interventions for students struggling with social, emotional, or mental health challenges that are impacting their ability to function in school. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Culturally relevant and identity affirming consultation, assessment, and, where determined appropriate, brief individual or group counselling related to student mental health and well-being
• Support pathways to care with Identity affirming and culturally responsive community agencies
• Identifying and supporting school communities with the various ways that oppression may be operating and impacting a student’s mental health, and school engagement
• In collaboration with the Board mental health Lead, develop and facilitate culturally relevant and identity affirming psychoeducation for school communities including students, families and staff
• In collaboration with the Board mental health Lead, contribute to and facilitate professional learning with Board mental health professionals to enhance evidence based practice approaches
• Support with the development and implementation of culturally responsive and identity affirming initiatives within the  Mental Health and Addiction Strategy 
• To work in collaboration with school Administration, staff and Police Services in clinically assessing and responding to Threat Assessment protocols in schools, where involved in a case 
• To provide Traumatic Events Support (TES) to students, staff and school communities
• In collaboration with the school social worker or psychology staff, to provide resource navigation to mental health and/or community agencies for students and/or their families
• To work in collaboration with agencies e.g. child protection, healthcare, children’s mental health, etc. in supporting the mental health and well-being of YRDSB students.
• To maintain up to date records involving direct and indirect service to students in compliance with the standards outlined by the College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• Engage in professional learning development activities as requested  by Supervisor and/or the Board that is aligned with system initiatives and/or consistent with the duties of the role
• To carry out other duties as may be assigned by the Chief of Social Work and Attendance Services, the Assistant Coordinator of Social Work and Attendance Services, and/or the Superintendent of Student Services 

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work degree with registration in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Work, is required
• Excellent understanding of Anti-Oppressive Practices and Interventions 
• Experience advocating and supporting children, youth and families experiencing barriers 
• Experience providing culturally relevant and identity affirming psychoeducation and professional learning 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with other professionals is required
• Experience leading in-service training or making public presentations is an asset
• Experience working in educational settings is an asset
• Training in clinical interviewing and evidence-informed interventions with children and youth is required
• Experience providing various treatment modalities (CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT strategies, etc.,) to children and youth is required
• Experience adapting treatment modalities to be culturally relevant and identity affirming is required
• A minimum of three years of experience working with children and youth 
• Experience with liaising with community partners 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) believes in giving each and every applicant an equal opportunity to succeed on their own merit and we strive to hire staff that reflect and support the diverse perspectives, experiences and needs of our students and our communities. We remain committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments.  We know that diversity underpins excellence, and that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive Board-community.  Therefore, in pursuit of our values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across the organizational hierarchy in actualizing the Board’s priorities, goals and principles outlined in the Director’s Action Plan.

We actively encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and all other Indigenous peoples;
• African, Black and Black Caribbean peoples (in alignment with Anti-Black Racism Strategy);
• South Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, Middle East/West Asian, Latino/Hispanic (in alignment with YRDSB Workforce Census to address disproportionalities identified);
• members of groups that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin;
• persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities;
• persons who identify as women; and
• persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

At YRDSB, we recognize that many of these identities intersect and therefore, equity, diversity and inclusion can be complex.  We value and respect the contributions that each person brings to enriching the Board and are committed to ensuring full and equal participation for all in communities that we serve.

Accessibility and Accommodation Statement

We also recognize our duty to accommodate and foster a culture of inclusion.  Consistent with the principles of dignity, individualization and inclusion, we will make any appropriate accommodation based on any of the protected grounds in the Human Rights Code to support candidate participation in the hiring process.  When contacted, candidates will be provided with an overview of the various elements of the hiring process, such as skills assessments, written practicum, presentation, interview, etc.  We will provide accommodations during the hiring process.  If an accommodation is required, please inform the Recruitment and Retention Team in advance of any part of the process.  All information received relating to a candidate’s required accommodation will be addressed confidentially by the Recruitment and Retention Team.