Sexual Violence Response Counsellor

About this position

Job Title: Sexual Violence Response Counsellor

Department: Legal Services and Fair Practices 

Job Type: Limited Term

Full-time/Part-time: Full Time (>=1249 hrs/year) 

Campus: Brantford 

Reports to: Associate Director, Sexual Violence Response

Employee Group: PAG 

Application Deadline: August 24 2023

Requisition ID: 6121 

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 19,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Our locations are situated on the traditional territories of the Neutral, Anishnawbe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. We recognize the unique heritages of Indigenous peoples and support their intentions to preserve and express their distinctive Indigenous cultures, histories, and knowledge through academic programming and co-curricular activities. Laurier’s Centre for Indigegogy is one example of how Laurier honours Indigenous knowledge.

Position Summary

We currently have an opportunity for you to join the Laurier community as a Sexual Violence Response Counsellor.

Reporting to the Associate Director, Sexual Violence Response the Sexual Violence Response Counsellor will provide counselling and advocacy to students with a wide range of concerns stemming from their experience of being exposed to gendered and sexual violence. The position will also engage in the creation and delivery of communication and educational resources that support the response to, and prevention of, sexual gendered violence on campus.

This position has a university-wide mandate and is based at the Brantford Campus. Regular interpersonal interactions and collaboration with students and departments at the Waterloo Campus, the Kitchener location and the Milton campus are required to ensure equitable service delivery across all locations. We are looking for a candidate that identifies as racialized and has experience supporting racialized students who have experienced oppression and/or  racism.

Consequently, travel to other campus locations is required, and may occur outside of normal working hours.

Accountabilities

Case Management

• First point of contact for triage, disclosure and reports of gendered and sexual violence for students. Provides trauma and violence-informed response, and advocacy services.
• Provides brief and long- term trauma-focused counselling.
• Supports accommodation processes for students impacted by gendered and sexual violence - including academic, residence, and financial.
• Works closely with on-campus departments (e.g. Dean of Students, Residential Services, Special Constable Services) to ensure coordination of optimal support and safety.
• Assists in crisis intervention, risk assessment and safety planning for all persons impacted by gendered and sexual violence, including individuals harmed, witnesses and respondents.
• Act as a caseworker for respondents navigating informal intervention and formal complaint processes.
• Offer information and “navigational” support related to any/all processes and systems, including restorative justice, criminal processes, Laurier’s Sexual Violence Policy, and other non-academic policies and processes.
• Offers comprehensive trauma-informed group programming for those impacted by gendered and sexual violence.
• Provides case consultation to faculty and staff working, with or instructing, those impacted by gendered and sexual violence and acts as a resource for the development of strategies and protocols designed to assist support, wellness, and safety.
• Provides information about, and facilitates referrals to, available support resources on and off campus.
• Involves parents, guardians, friends, partners, and other caregivers as identified by the student survivor, if desired or necessary, within the scope of privacy legislation and consent laws
• Work collaboratively with campus and community partners.
• Maintain case records and statistics on matters relating to sexual and gendered violence consistent with the procedures and operational guidelines established within the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management.

Communication and Education

• Helps coordinate gendered and sexual violence education and awareness efforts related to gendered and sexual violence for students, faculty and staff.
• Develops and disseminates resources related to support and prevention for gendered and sexual violence.
• Work with the Sexual Violence Response Staff to coordinate communication and social media strategies related to gendered and sexual violence.

Qualifications

• University Graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. Social Work, Psychotherapy, Counselling)
• Minimum 3 years relevant trauma-focused counselling experience
• Significant experience with supporting diverse survivors of gendered and sexual violence engaging an intersectional framework
• Significant experience providing mental health support to survivors of trauma
• Relevant experience providing advocacy and support to survivors of sexual, intimate relationship and/or family violence, and other forms of gender-based violence
• Significant experience with crisis intervention and case management
• Experience with risk assessment tools and interventions
• Demonstrated ability to act calmly under pressure and to deal effectively and efficiently with stressful and emergency situations.
• Experience navigating police and judicial processes
• Proven experience in providing systems navigation preferable in a higher learning environment and individual advocacy, and inter-agency liaison on behalf of clients
• Familiarity with the community and the relevant social, medical and legal services
• Experience coordinating and facilitating training and educational campaigns (with a preference to work related to sexual violence) and related resources
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Driver’s License and a reliable vehicle required

Compensation

Grade: G

Rate of pay: $47.17 - $ 53.91 per hour

Hours of Work:

This is a full time limited term position with an end date of 06/03/2024. The normal hours of work are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.  Flexibility in hours will be required, including evening and/or weekend work due.  When possible, the manager will adjust the work schedule so that no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.