Family Counsellor

The Brenda Strafford Foundation Ltd. • Calgary, AB

4d

About The Position

The Brenda Strafford Foundation (BSF) is a charitable organization that owns and operates seniors care communities. The Brenda Strafford Foundation – Heart Home Network (“HHN”) serves women and children impacted by family violence by providing a safe shelter and housing, complemented by comprehensive support services. HHN offers a continuum of care designed to help families develop their potential and transition to safe and healthy lives in the community. As a Family Counselor, you will play a vital role in supporting participants through their journey towards healing and stability.

Requirements

• Minimum of an undergraduate Degree in Social Work, Psychology, or related discipline
• Non-violent crisis intervention (NVCI) certification is required
• Current CPR and First Aide Certification
• Four (4) plus years of experience working with children and youth with complex needs in the field of human services, or combination of related expertise and education
• Effective written and oral communication and creative presenting skills
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Extensive knowledge of community and regional resources and services
• Able to work from an intersectional approach to reduce barriers for families who are experiencing high levels of crisis
• Takes initiative with leading and managing projects from conception to implementation
• Strong professionalism and confidentiality skills with a commitment to excellence
• Excellent time management skills
• Schedule flexibility to meet participant needs
• Required to pass police security clearance and child intervention check

Nice To Haves

• Registered with appropriate provincial organization as per degree is an asset
• Knowledge of outcome measures and reporting requirements is considered an asset
• Valid driver’s license of six (6) years with clean drivers abstract of three (3) years, is an asset
• Fluency in a second language is an asset

Responsibilities

• Provide individual therapeutic support and counseling to adults impacted by family violence from a harm reduction and trauma informed lens.
• Managing risk with clients, including identifying risk to self or others, and/or risks of harm to children.
• Manage and maintain participant files through regular meetings, case notes, and engagement (case conference meetings).
• Plan and facilitate group counseling and supportive programs relevant to needs of participants.
• Conduct family interventions targeted to enhance stability and well-being.
• Administer tools and instruments related to assessments, monitoring, and evaluations of participants and their needs.
• Support a range of inhouse programming designed to address participant needs.
• Provide comprehensive and ongoing assessments to provide referrals to appropriate community supports, housing assistance, and mental health systems advocacy.
• Co-create community support and discharge plans with participants and other team members.
• Use case management contacts (i.e. check ins about housing, income, legal, school/childcare, health appointments etc.) as a low-barrier touch point to build trust, normalize help-seeking, and hold informal, supportive conversations that connect back to counselling goals.
• Complete structured assessments; develop and update holistic service plans linking counselling goals to practical needs (housing stability, legal advocacy, parenting support, income benefits, etc.).
• Track progress toward program goals, anticipate barriers, problem solve collaboratively, and celebrate milestones to sustain client engagement.
• Complete all administrative duties relevant to participant services.
• Establish and maintain appropriate participant and HHN documentation, record keeping, and statistics.
• Participate in the professional design, development, promotion, delivery, and evaluation of the program activities.
• Maintain resource and referral guides for both local and regional programs that assist families and individuals.
• Work closely with the Community Services Team to monitor and evaluate program impacts.

Benefits

• We believe in fostering a culture where you can grow, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact.
• You'll be part of a team that values empathy, compassion, and innovation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level