Community Youth Worker

Requisition ID: 41251 

Organization

RayCam Cooperative Centre is located on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are a centre for old and young, a place for recreation and social activity and the site of multiple licensed childcare programs. Our mission is to encourage and support community members to utilize their strengths and and to provide access to recreational, educational, social and cultural programs for community members, especially children and youth, in a safe and accepting environment.

Main Purpose and Function

The RayCam Community Youth Worker (CYW) focuses on Youth Development (direct work with youth and their families) and Community Outreach/Development (working with the community, community programs and services on youth issues and interests). The RayCam CYW carries considerable responsibility to ensure that youth programs run effectively, safely and successfully. In addition, organizationally, the RayCam CYW has a supervisory and administrative function. The CYW exercises independent judgement on coordination and implementation of approved youth activities and the provision of guidance and resource referral services. Difficult or unusual problems are discussed with a supervisor.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Aligns youth programs with the needs and interests of youth. Identifies and reports on the socio-recreation, socio-educational, support programs/strategies for youth living in the Downtown Eastside
• Facilitates development and implementation of programs to meet emerging youth needs and interests. Aligns program development, cultural needs and the RayCam and Park Board Strategic Plans
• Ensures basic needs of youth are met by one-to-one, outreach, advocacy, problem and crisis intervention, food, shelter, safety, and conflict resolution with individual youth and often their family.
• Supports individual youth to be integrated in the community centre, community programs and school. Works with community programs, services and schools to transform programs to support the development of individual youth and to support family members where appropriate.
• Provides focused support to particular youth in community centre programs, encouraging participation in order to build relationships between youth. Assists in social development and improve group dynamics. Identify systemic barriers to participation and work with colleagues to address these concerns.
• Supports programs that develop health, fitness, sports, arts, culture, social skills and relationships
• Places youth in volunteer positions in the Centre, community and schools. Support youth as they build their individual capacity as leaders. Create opportunities for youth leadership of programs. Support youth to recommend and initiate program changes and to engage with the Centre and Park Board in community youth development policy
• Focuses on systemic planning and strategies that connect youth to the community centre and the broader community.
• Works cooperatively with community agencies and services to identify marginalized/vulnerable/unconnected youth; includes youth in community centre programs and advocate for services and the transformation of services on their behalf.
• Meets youth where they are at in the community and connect and build relationships with vulnerable youth in the community and connect them back to their community centre and their community. Works collaboratively with community agencies, schools and services to examine systemic youth issues that need to be addressed by individual agencies or by the collective energy of the youth services hubs. Advocates and plans systemically to ensure all Vancouver youth have their basic needs met. Advocacy may require challenging existing practices and procedures of agencies, schools or government.
• Builds partnerships with service providers and Indigenous service providers
• Initiates, participates and provides leadership in the youth service hubs. Finds strategic ways to connect youth to decision-making infrastructures that affect their lives.
• Works with the RayCam Association, Park Board, schools and community agencies in support of youth as community builders and active community members Trains, mentors, schedules and supervises volunteers and Program Assistants to ensure quality and safe programming. Ensures direction, support, leadership and adequate staffing for youth programs and spaces.
• Regularly reports on current youth programs, services and issues. Works with colleagues in the community centre, on the YWAT (Youth Worker Action Team) and in project teams to ensure effective, innovative, responsive community youth development.
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Education and Experience:

• Post-secondary graduation from a recognized program in child and youth care, social services or a related discipline and experience related to the work.
• Working experience in an inner city, multi-ethnic and socially diverse community based neighborhood and organization preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Considerable knowledge of the philosophy and objectives of a planned youth community recreation and culture programs.
• Considerable knowledge of working with youth in care, youth and addictions, youth in the criminal justice and social welfare systems.
• Experience working in a low-income, low-resource, multi-ethnic, multi-needs, inner city community; experience working in Urban Indigenous context
• Considerable knowledge of how to establish and maintain rapport with youth in the community and work with youth to create youth leadership opportunities in a community centre setting.
• Considerable knowledge of the methods, materials, equipment and practices involved in conducting community recreation and culture programs for youth.
• Working knowledge of standard casework techniques and their application to behavioural, social and family issues related to youth.
• Working knowledge of the youth service agencies and related resources in the community. Knowledge of developing rules and regulations collaboratively with youth, community members and institutions and dealing consistently and tactfully with groups or individuals to observe these rules and regulations
• Ability to identify, recommend and seek approval for youth recreation programs based on input from youth, demographic data and practice/theory based understandings of youth needs in their community.
• Ability to plan, promote and supervise youth programs and excursions for the general purpose of increasing constructive participation in activities; and the ability to effectively collaborate with recreational personnel.
• Ability to act as a resource person for youth by providing general guidance on a wide variety of topics and to advise on the availability and appropriateness of various youth serving agencies and community resources.
• Ability to recruit, instruct, supervise and direct the work of full-time and part-time group leaders, part time staff and volunteers involved in youth recreation programs.
• Ability to advocate for spaces and staffing within a community centre setting for youth during the times that youth frequent the facility.
• Ability to maintain a variety of operating and administrative records, requisitions, materials and equipment within specified limits; and has the ability to oversee the collection and record keeping of fees and expenditures.
• Ability to maintain close working relationships with a wide variety of contacts including parents, relatives, and agencies engaged in youth services; supports the youth services hubs. Ability to complete risk assessments on recreation programs for youth
• Ability to advocate for youth in certain situations and assist in facilitating access to services and supports. Ability to instruct and participate in youth programs.
• Ability to maintain statistical, financial and clerical records and write reports.
• Ability to meet the transportation needs of the position.

A Class 4 BC Drivers License is considered an asset.

A Police Record Check is a requirement of this position. A clearance requires the absence of any criminal charges or convictions related to this position.

All RayCam Cooperative Association employees are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of hire and ongoing employment. Candidates may only be exempted from this requirement if they request and are approved for an accommodation based on a reason related to a Human Rights Code ground (such as disability). Such a request must be made during, not after, the recruitment process.

Business Unit/Department: Ray-Cam Cooperative Centre 

Affiliation: CUPE 15 (VMECW) 

Employment Type: Temporary Full-time *1 year leave*

Position Start Date: May 2024

Salary Information: Pay Grade GR-020: $35.72 to $42.04 per hour

Application Close: April 21, 2024

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.  Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process. Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion. 

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In addition to uploading your cover letter and resume, part of the application process may include answering application questions related to the preferred requirements of the role which may take approx. 5-10 minutes. Cover letters should express interest and highlight additional information relevant to the position and resumes should include a summary of skills and experience related to the position.