Social Worker

About this position

Are you passionate about social mission organizations? Are you a social worker with experience in crisis counselling and therapeutic interventions? Do you have an interest or experience in supporting people who live with chronic pain? This might be the job for you.

Pain BC is a registered charity whose mission is to enhance the well-being of all people living with pain through empowerment, care, education and innovation. Our priorities include prevention and early intervention, education and empowerment, health care practice improvement and systems change, as well as stigma reduction and research.

Partnerships are the cornerstone of our organization; we catalyze strategic alliances with other non-profits, government, health authorities, patient groups, research institutions and the business sector to advance our mission.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

We are looking for two roles: a full-time as well as a part-time (0.5 FTE) Social Worker.

The Social Worker is accountable to the Director of Support Services for delivering all services pertaining to Pain BC’s Pain Support Line. The Pain Support Line aims to support people living with pain by providing a safe space to discuss their pain and its impact on their lives and providing information on Pain BC’s and other community resources. The Pain Support Line is open from 10 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays, and it is expected that this role will broadly follow this schedule. This role includes responding to Pain Support Line calls and written requests, identifying and documenting helpful resources, liaising with community stakeholders, coordinating practicum students, and assisting with program development.  

The primary purpose for the Social Worker role is to apply a clinical and consultative social work lens through high-touch relationship management to deliver rewarding experiences for the Pain Support Line’s clients and volunteer students. The role contributes to the evolution of the portfolio and Pain BC’s leadership role in transforming the way pain is understood and treated. 

Specific Responsibilities

Client Support –responds to Pain Support Line callers as well as to written requests for support. Applies a trauma-informed, client-centred, strength-based and neuroplastic approach to client service. Determines and deals with emergent situations, including clients in a crisis. Provides clinical and consultative social work services; conducts need and goal assessments, goal setting, and action plans. Assists clients with system navigation and accessing resources to meet practical needs related to social determinants of health.

Resource Management - identifies and documents applicable community resources for clients and facilitates support throughout the continuum of Pain BC services. Identifies evidence-based information and education on pain neuroscience and self-management techniques. Tracks changes in provincial landscape regarding access to health and social services.

Program Quality and Engagement – ensures high quality of program delivery including client support, case documentation, process documentation, risk mitigation and continuous improvement. Conducts group video educational sessions regarding popular Pain Support Line questions or topics. Works with colleagues to increase the reach of the program.

Practicum Student Coordination - provides a positive experience across the span of student practica, from training, ongoing clinical and coaching support, through evaluation and departure.

Relationship Management – fosters and maintains relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners including community and health care organizations. Requirements and Qualifications:

Education

• A university degree in Social Work (BSW) and a current registration with the BC College of Social Workers are required

Experience

• Minimum 3 years of demonstrated experience in Social Work, Counselling, Psychology, or a related discipline
• Experience in crisis lines or other related services considered an asset
• Experience in supervising students and/or volunteers considered an asset

Key skills, knowledge, abilities

• Social Work clinical skills, including crisis counselling, brief therapeutic interventions, and helping clients manage loss and grief
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of emotional and mental health issues related to illness, injury, as well as cultural dynamics
• Ability to use initiative and exercise judgement as required
• Ability to work independently on complex matters
• Knowledge of community resources, such as social, health and welfare programs, legislation, and policies
• Demonstrated ability to assess a client’s situation, needs, and risk on the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions
• Understand the frameworks used by various healthcare disciplines
• Relationship management
• Quality & continuous improvement
• Problem solving & decision making
• Communication skills (across various stakeholder groups)
• Foreign language capacity an asset

Reports to: Director, Support Services

Compensation and Work Context:

We are looking for two roles - one is a temporary, 1 FTE position (37.5 hours per week), the other is a temporary, 0.5 FTE position. These are one-year contracts with possibility of extension or conversion into a permanent role.

The compensation range for this position is $45,000 to $60,000 per annum with a benefits package in the top 10% of the non-profit industry, including RRSP matching and 4 weeks paid vacation per calendar year.

This role can be done remotely; the successful candidate may live anywhere in British Columbia, but preference will be given to those that live in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia as occasional in-person meetings will be required after the COVID-19 pandemic. The successful candidate will need to provide their own office, including all necessary tools and equipment to fulfill the duties (e.g., home office, computer, phone).  

Pain BC invites applications from underrepresented communities, including communities of colour, Indigenous communities, and LGBTQ2S communities.