Counsellor / Therapist in Supportive Housing

About this position

Counsellor / Therapist in Supportive Housing

Reports to: Clinical Director; Executive Director; receives supervision from Clinical Supervisor

Positions Available: 1 full-time (35 hours per week) 

About Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services

For 83 years, Porchlight Counselling and Addiction Services has been supporting our community with counselling, building healthy relationships, community engagement, and most recently, with addictions services. We want everyone to have access to affordable, caring, person-centred, trauma-informed, culturally-appropriate mental health supports that meet their unique needs. Our vision is for a community where there is equality, respect, empathy, and inclusion, and this is why we get up in the morning and do the work that we do. But we’re not there yet.

That’s where you come in.

Working at Porchlight means getting up each day and interacting with a diverse and supportive staff team committed to living our values through everyday interactions with our community. We provide a broad array of programs and supports including counselling, community outreach, and addictions case management and residential supports. We are an accredited organization with Canadian Council of Accreditation and a member agency of both Family Service Ontario and Addictions and Mental Health Ontario.

Our team enjoys working collaboratively and we strive to value each other, because we know people are our most important resource. Our staff and volunteers work to support each other and value a healthy work-life balance. We see our clients as people first and aspire to walk alongside them towards growth and healing. We invest in our staff and work to support their growth as both individuals and team members. If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive, we want to hear from you!

In this specific role, you will be part of a multi-agency team providing counselling supports to individuals living in supportive housing environments across Waterloo Region. As part of a multi-disciplinary team that includes primary care, addictions, mental health, and community supports, you will support clients on-site, providing therapeutic counselling and supporting individuals towards their goals. 

About You

You are a passionate mental health professional and registered counsellor committed to supporting your clients and community. You know that access to mental health supports is an equity issue, and that makes you excited about joining a community-based non-profit organization that is dedicated to access and equity in mental health.

You may be a highly experienced clinician, or new to the profession, but no matter where you are in your career, you get excited about new knowledge and experience, and want to work in a collaborative learning environment where you and your colleagues share and work hard to grow as individuals and as a team. You are tired of the status quo and ready to find people who are not going to accept things the way they are. You are eager to be a part of a growing community mental health team that is committed to listening, learning, and holding each other accountable. You want the freedom to try new things under the guidance of a supportive leadership team and staff environment.

While you’re comfortable and confident in your role as a clinician, you know that access to counselling alone doesn’t fix our community’s mental health crisis. Instead, you see intersections, and so you keep your knowledge of other community supports and resources current. While these additional supports and services in the community can make a big difference, you know that there are greater systemic issues we need to confront, which makes you feel good about working for an organization that advocates and collaborates with the community on behalf of and with our clients. The pandemic has taught you that while it might be easier for us to advocate as individuals, you recognize that the systemic changes our sector needs can only happen through community care. We can go fast if we go alone. But we go far if we work together.

Areas of Professional Responsibility

• To provide personal therapeutic counselling to individuals, couples, and families living in supportive housing, to assist them to improve their life situation

• To work with clients to identify problematic areas and client strengths, establish manageable goals, and support clients in actualising these goals, ensure the client is aware of the limitations of counselling and individual therapists training/expertise, and develop a plan to complete counselling goals

• To provide information and education to children and families, individuals, couples, groups, organizations and the larger community about the agency and its services

• Following procedures in a timely manner

• To maintain related activities to the counselling process such as maintaining appointment schedule, case notes, case conferences, client files and documentation, letter and report writing and assisting with monthly statistics

• To prepare and participate in supervision meetings to deal with difficult case situations and to develop knowledge and skills

• To seek supervision/consultation related to crisis or mandatory reporting

• To proactively request support or changes to manage clinical and administrative responsibilities

• To improve personal expertise in counselling by coordinating or attending workshops, courses, and networking sessions and by reading current material

• To participate in collaborative team meetings, including staff meetings, monthly group supervision, and provide support and mentorship for others on the Porchlight Team as determined by the clinical team

• To cooperate with other local agencies and sit on committees to learn about community resources and assist with referrals to these resources

• To assist non-counselling staff with difficult or sensitive client matters or other agency concerns whether through the phone or in person

• To exhibit a thorough knowledge of agency policies and procedures as well as applicable program funders and their requirements

• Other responsibilities as mutually agreed upon with the Clinical Director and/or Executive Director

Qualifications:

• M.S.W. or other equivalent Master’s level education

• Member in good standing with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), or the College of Registered Psychotherapist of Ontario (CRPO)

• Committed to Porchlight's mission, vision, and values and to building an inclusive workspace, including striving to be anti-racist, accessible, LGBTQ2S positive, aware of class dynamics, and power/privilege
• Experience working with unhoused, underhoused, and precariously housed individuals is an asset

• Exceptional communication skills

• Ability to apply work on a team as well as independently

• Excellent initiative and self-motivation skills

• Training and/or experience in play or art therapy, children or couples counselling, and other professional development is a strong asset.

Employment Conditions

The successful candidate will be offered a permanent position with the agency. Compensation is based on the agency salary grid ($52,798-$62,881, depending on experience) + enrollment in extended health benefits, EAP, and 3% RRSP matching. This position starts at 3 weeks of vacation, plus the week between the Christmas holidays and New Years, along with generous sick and personal time allocations, and a flexible and supportive working environment. 

Application Instruction

As a community-based organization, we strongly encourage applications from candidates who reflect the diversity of our community including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, racialized, living with a disability, and/or 2SLGBTQIA+.

Interested applicants should submit their cover letter, resume, and references to camerond@porchlightcnd.org stating the job title in the subject line. This position will be open until a suitable candidate is found. We thank all candidates for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls or email inquiries please.

In recognition of the equity considerations with interviews, we want to be respectful of your time. As such, candidates selected for an interview will receive a $50 honorarium in recognition of their time and preparation in their application.