Employment Specialist

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Employment Specialist

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CMHA Kelowna & District is hiring a full-time Employment Specialist to join
the Foundry Kelowna Team. This position offers 37.5 hours per week, with a
typical work week of Monday – Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm with Thursday shifts of
11am-7pm.

The aim of the Foundry Works & Education Program is to support
BC young people with their work and study goals. Guided by the evidence-based principles of
Individual Placement and Support (IPS), Foundry Works & Education Program
will provide flexible, wraparound services to help at-risk youth develop work
skills, become competitively employed and realize their education goals.
Services are based on the premise that competitive work is a core component of
personal recovery and meaningful employment can increase youth’s quality of
life and contribute to improved mental health outcomes. The Foundry Works & Education Program Employment
Specialist will join a team of professionals, providing coordinated care to
young people between the ages of 12-24 in the Central Okanagan.

WHO IS AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST?

The
Employment Specialist within the Foundry Works Program provides individualized,
intensive vocational and educational support services to youth clients facing
mental health challenges. This position aims to help clients find and maintain
competitive employment or educational training that is meaningful to them. The
Employment Specialist will foster relationships with employers, educational
institutions, and community partners to create inclusive opportunities for work
and education.

WHAT DOES AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST DO?

• Assess clients'

employment and education readiness and identify viable options

• Managing a caseload,

assisting young people to overcome their barriers to finding meaningful
employment or educational opportunities

• Provide job and

education coaching to support clients in maintaining quality, accuracy, and
work/educational requirements

• Offer intensive job

retention support and advocate on behalf of youth clients when necessary

• Provide job and education crisis

support as needed, helping clients navigate challenges that may impact their
employment or educational progress

• Utilizing the Individual Placement and

Support (IPS) Model, develop and implement
personalized employment and education plans based on assessments

• Plan courses of action

considering clients' physical tolerances and the impact of mental health on
employability/educational participation

• Recommend and

facilitate unpaid placements and job trials as appropriate

• Network with employers

in the Central Okanagan to provide information on the program and explore their
individual needs as a potential placement source

• Network and inform

educational institutions about the program, including schools, colleges, trade
schools and universities

• Engage in job

development within the community, including negotiating job trials and
subsidies with employers and Employment Services agencies

• Coordinate services

and facilitate referrals to identified community resources

• Develop and implement

accommodation plans tailored to client needs

• Participate in

community outreach activities to build collaborative partnerships with
employers and educational institutions

• Provide education

regarding psychological health and safety in the workplace to employers and
community partners

• Facilitate groups on

employment related information and skills for participants in the program

• Performs other related duties as

assigned

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in Social Services, Human

Resources, Employment Counselling, or a related field required

• Criminal Record Check

clearance in the Vulnerable Sector

• Valid Class 5 BC

driver’s license

• Reliable vehicle and

the ability to travel within the community to meet clients
and employers on a frequent basis

• Minimum 3 years’

relevant experience, preferably in employment rehabilitation
within mental health contexts

• Formal training in Labour Market

Information, Job Development, or Employment Counselling considered an asset

• Certificates in First

Aid, CPR and Naloxone considered an asset

• Proficient in verbal and written

communication

• Strong advocacy, communication, and

interpersonal skills for collaboration with clients, employers, and community
partners

• Strong relationship-building skills to

engage clients, employers, and community partners

• Ability to provide empathetic support

while advocating for clients' needs

• Ability to maintain

consistent professional boundaries

• Proficient in

Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel

• Familiarity with labor market trends

and employment resources

• Knowledge of psychosocial

rehabilitation principles

• Experience using the Individual

Placement and Support (IPS) model

• Strong attention to

detail

• Excellent organizational and time

management skills

• Critical thinking and problem-solving

skills to assess client needs and develop appropriate strategies

• Conflict resolution

and crisis intervention skills

• Ability to be regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling with

and/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental health
challenges and/or mental illness

WHO IS CMHA KELOWNA & DISTRICT?

At CMHA Kelowna
& District, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter
how old or how young, we provide support for families and individuals
through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery,
while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people from
thriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. We
are looking for someone who shares our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna
and are passionate about making a difference in our community by
bringing their particular expertise to our organization. To learn
more, check out our website at www.cmhakelowna.org

CMHA KELOWNA & DISTRICT OFFERS YOU:

• A competitive hourly wage of $30.77
• Dental, Health & EAP Benefits
• Wellness Spending Account
• RRSP matching program
• Vacation & Personal Health Days
• A workplace culture that fosters learning,

transparency, trust and teamwork

As an employer, CMHA Kelowna & District strives to create a workplace that respects and values all
individuals, minimizes bias, and promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion of
different perspectives and ideas. At CMHA Kelowna & District
that means welcoming diversity in mental health, race, ethnicity, and culture.
It also means diverse abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation,
socio-economic status, gender identities, education, marital status, language,
and physical self-expression. These values are embedded in the work CMHA
Kelowna & District does
every day.

We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, however
only short-listed candidates and those legally eligible to work in Canada will
be contacted.

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.