Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc.
N.E.E.D.S. Inc. is pleased to invite applications for the following position:

Position Title:  Community Connector (1 positions available)
Program: Community Connections Program
Position Type: Full-time, 35 hours/week, contract until March 31, 2018 (with possibility of contract extension)
Hours of Work: Mondays – Fridays, daytime and evenings
Salary: $40,800 – $42,720 annually (based on combination of education and experience)

N.E.E.D.S. Inc. is seeking experienced and qualified individual for Community Connector position in our Community Connections Program.  Community Connectors will partner with and work out of (1 to 2) select schools in Winnipeg to help orient, connect and integrate newly arrived refugee children and youth to their new school and geographic community.  Programming will also focus on helping to bridge connections between refugee and non-newcomer students at each of the schools as well as engage parents and guardians.

Main Job Responsibilities include:

Programming:

• Developing supportive and productive relationships with newcomer youth and their families
• Participating in the school reception and orientation process
• Facilitating access for newcomer youth and families to school activities, committees, councils and associations
• Developing and delivering small and large group orientation programming including after-school, family and cross-cultural integration activities between newcomer youth and their Canadian peers
• Making appropriate and relevant referrals to community resources in a timely manner
• Providing short-term, settlement-related support to newcomer youth and their families

Administrative:

• Accurately building and maintaining client files in an effective and confidential manner
• Keeping accurate daily records of participants including registration and attendance
• Completing required monitoring and reporting activities
• Participating in required staff meetings
• Operating in accordance with the policies, guidelines, and protocols of the program and partner organizations.
• Regularly communicating and collaborating with the school administration and the Community Connections Manger at the NEEDS Centre to ensure appropriate service delivery
• Other duties as assigned

Skill Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work OR an acceptable equivalent/combination of education and experience
• Able to work cross-culturally with people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds
• Experience working independently under minimal supervision as well as in multi-disciplinary teams
• Understanding of the Manitoba Education System (supports, policies, procedures, etc.) as it relates to newcomer children, youth and families
• Understanding of settlement challenges and barriers that exist for newcomer youth and their families
• Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse individuals and cultures, school staff, students, families and community agencies
• Excellent communication (oral and written) and organizational skills
• Able to work under pressure in fast paced environment and manage crisis and conflict effectively
• Able to provide current criminal record check and child abuse check at start of employment

Assets:

• Able to work from a Trauma Informed Perspective
• Understanding of the impact war and conflict on children, youth, families and communities
• Understanding of the impact on poverty on children, youth and families
• Knowledge of community resources designed to support newcomer children, youth and families
• Additional languages other than English
• Current First aid, CPR training and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI)

Please submit a resume and cover letter explaining your interest, qualifications and related experience, including language ability, by Friday, Nov 24  @ 4:00 p.m. to:

Attention: Human Resources

Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc.

251 A Notre Dame Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 1N8

Or via email at: HRneeds at needsinc.ca

Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc. encourages applications from qualified candidates who reflect the diversity of the population we work with.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.