Employment Specialist - Part-Time

CMHA•Aurora, ON

1d•CA$52,015 - CA$63,018•Hybrid

About The Position

The Employment Specialist will be working primarily in our Aurora Office located at 15150 Yonge Street, Aurora, ON L4G 1M2 and out within the community and will be required to travel within York Region & South Simcoe. The purpose of the Employment Support program is to support people with mental illness to meet their employment goals, which may include paid employment, volunteering, or education. Team members use bio-psychosocial, recovery, and empowerment approaches, including natural support wherever possible to enable clients to meet their goals. The Employment Specialist works collaboratively with the client and their care team to assess, plan, develop, coordinate, and provide support. The care team may include employees of CMHA York Region, other community mental health agencies, natural supports, and other health and social service providers. The Employment Specialist is responsible for conducting employment assessments to determine the client’s strengths, needs, and interests in a range of education and work-related areas, providing individual and group support to facilitate the achievement of client goals, and developing partnerships with employers for vocational opportunities. The Employment Specialist adheres to all organizational policies and procedures, relevant provincial laws, the regulatory requirements of her/his profession, and Empowerment/Recovery principles. This necessarily involves the demonstration of above-average interpersonal skills, problem-solving, anti-racist and anti-oppression practice, confidence in decision-making, relationship building, conflict resolution, and emotional regulation in their work with clients, co-workers, supervisors, and members of the broader community.

Requirements

University Degree or College Diploma in the social service sector
Post-secondary education in Social Services/Mental Health sector, and/or Career Development
Diploma or Degree plus experience in a community-based organization working with adults with mental illness in the community.
Experience working with employers, transitional employment services, and employment readiness.
Experience working in an adult mental health setting related to employment rehabilitation.
Familiarity with legislation related to employment, i.e., Employment Standards, Occupational Health & Safety Act, Human Rights Code, WSIB.
Familiarity with Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works employment supports.
Familiarity with the Ontario Mental Health Act and mental health reform principles, the Substitute Decisions Act, and the Health Care Consent Act and PHIPA requirements.
Ability to apply Recovery principles and empowerment-oriented philosophies and practices in work with clients.
Functions in accordance with relevant Codes of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
Must possess a valid Canadian driver’s license and have a minimum $1,000,000.00 (1 million) third-party liability insurance and proof of insurance coverage of personal vehicle and ability to transport clients.
A satisfactory and current Vulnerable Sector Screening.

Nice To Haves

Registered Vocational Professional is preferred.
Current registration with any regulatory body under the Regulated Health Professions Act is an asset.
A second language reflecting the local community is preferred.

Responsibilities

Supports clients understand impact of their mental health challenges on their abilities to successfully obtain and sustain employment.
Collaborate with clients to develop a treatment plan to support them in overcoming the identified barriers to employment.
Familiar with the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients and is able to respond appropriately in making referrals and providing short-term assistance to clients to help them to manage these symptoms.
Completes crisis support plans with all clients in the program to support client safety.
Collaboratively assesses clients’ readiness to pursue vocational goals.
Develops partnerships with employers for placements, apprenticeships, and volunteer opportunities, providing information and support to employers regarding the skills of those involved in the program, and general information on mental illness.
Develops partnerships with other employment programs as appropriate.
Work with clients across the spectrum of readiness for employment, including supporting clients that are interested in employment but in early stages of readiness.
Arranges translation where required to overcome language barriers.
Develop resources to be available to the client and provider communities e.g. information regarding scholarship availability, grant programs, training resources, benefit rules, etc.
Facilitates groups and workshops on employment, mental health in the contact of employment, and life skills