School Counsellor - 036-2026

Fort McKay First Nation•Fort McKay, AB

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The School Counsellor works collaboratively as a team with school administrators, teachers, staff, students, and parents. With specialized knowledge and training in counselling children and adolescents in a school environment, the School Counsellor supports regular classroom teachers with specialized teaching strategies regarding supporting mental health and social emotional learning. Counsellors require active registration with the applicable Alberta regulatory college or professional association. Job classification and compensation is commensurate with the incumbent’s education level and experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in psychology, art therapy, social work, education, psych nursing, or other related human service fields is required.
Three (3) years of related experience working with at risk groups and supporting healthy living and life skills.
Master’s degree in counselling, psychology, art therapy, social work, psych nursing, or other related human service field is required.
Five (5) years of related experience working with at risk groups and supporting healthy living and life skills.
Five (5) years of experience in addictions services and counselling.
Active registration with the applicable regulatory college or professional association is required.
Experience in running groups and meetings for students.
Familiarity with the DSM-5.
Experience in conflict management.
Experiencing working with clients that have trauma and underlying mental health diagnosis.
Clean Criminal Record Check with vulnerable sector required
Valid class 5 Driver’s License & Clean Driver’s Abstract required
Successful candidate will be required to live in (or relocate to) Fort McMurray, Alberta

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a First Nations community including knowledge of Cree and Dene culture, traditions and values is a definite asset

Responsibilities

Works with their School Administration to intervene and address day-to-day emergent/urgent social and emotional issues of students.
Provides small group and individual support for students who require communication and social skills, friendship/relationship development, self-regulation to build student success and independence.
Delivers group workshops on mental health awareness (ex. Anti bullying, anxiety) and behavior management.
Identifies classroom needs and supports teachers with whole class instruction on social skills, behavior and other social/emotional skills.
Completes referrals for therapeutic support to other community agencies who support children and families who have children with emotional and mental health needs.
Provides education and supports program on awareness and duty to respond for a risk of suicide.
Demonstrates compassion and uses a variety of effective communication techniques when communicating to staff, parents, and community agencies.
Possesses the ability to work independently and make decisions while keeping the supervisor apprised of sensitive situations.
Responds to emergencies and follows crisis intervention protocol.
Assesses clients and refers to other services as needed.
Maintains private and current records and files.
Attends and contributes to wrap-around support meetings.
Supports inclusive education as needed.
Provides education to staff in using various universal instructional approaches and strategies for communication and social skills, friendship/relationship development, conflict resolution and self-regulation to build students’ resiliency and independence.
Provides emerging and relevant professional development as requested by administration or identified by the school counselor (Duty to Report, Mental Health First Aid, Intervention Strategies etc.).
Builds relationships with services in the Wood Buffalo region to assist clients with additional services.
Consistently communicates with supervisors.
Provides statistical data to principal on quarterly basis.
Performs other related duties as required.