Women's Counsellor (Relief/Casual)

Bryony House is seeking a Relief or Casual Women's Counsellors to join our team and play an important role in supporting women and children experiencing intimate partner violence. If you are passionate about crisis intervention, trauma-informed support, and have a flexible schedule, we would love to hear from you.

We are currently hiring for both relief and casual positions:

• Relief: Relief staff are unionized and are eligible for an hourly wage of between $30.52 - $38.27/hour. Relief staff are the first to be scheduled in advance for vacation coverage and are on call first for emergency shift coverage. Hours of work can include days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Relief staff can be mandated to work certain shifts if there is no other casual coverage available.
• Casual: Casual staff are non-unionized and are eligible for an hourly wage of $29.50/hour. Casuals are scheduled if no other relief staff are available. Casual staff are not mandated to work if there is no other coverage available, it is based purely on their availability.

Neither position are guaranteed hours. Please specify in your application which role type you are interested in being considered for.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Shelter Manager, the Women's Counsellor is responsible for providing crisis intervention, supportive counselling, advocacy, and shelter support services for women and children affected by intimate partner violence. Specific responsibilities include:

• Provide crisis intervention and support, safety planning and case management to residents.
• Advocate for clients and assist with referrals to community services and resources.
• Support women and children throughout their stay in shelter using a trauma-informed approach.
• Answer the 24-hour distress and crisis line and provide immediate support to callers.
• Complete intake assessments for women and children entering the shelter.
• Assist with household duties, and tasks to ensure the needs of the house and residents are met.
• Maintain accurate case documentation and statistics using organizational systems.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues while upholding organizational values and promoting a respectful workplace.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Social Work, Community Studies, Psychology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Current First Aid, NVCI, and CPR certification.
• Experience and knowledge of working with women and children who have experienced violence and trauma.
• Demonstrated knowledge of crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies.
• Experience supporting individuals who use drugs and/or are in recovery from addiction.
• Experience supporting individuals living with mental illness and the impacts of trauma.
• Proven dependability, reliability, and professionalism in an employment setting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage workplace conflict professionally.
• Basic proficiency with Google Workspace and willingness to learn HIFIS case management software.

A little bit about us

Bryony House

Bryony House (HTHA, Halifax Transition House Association) is Nova Scotia's first and largest transition house. Our services include operating a 24/7 emergency shelter and distress line for women, with or without children, experiencing intimate partner violence. Our mission is to provide emergency shelter and services for women and children experiencing intimate partner violence. Our values are:

• Dignity and Respect
• Empowerment, Empathy, Compassion
• Diversity and Inclusivity
• Integrity, Accountability and Trust
• Safety

Are you interested?

Work With Us

This role provides the right candidate with the opportunity to work with an amazing team of people dedicated to providing women and children a safe haven away from violence. If this sounds like the right fit for you, we'd love to hear from you!

Bryony House is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

Bryony House is an equal opportunity employer and a Unionized work environment: Public Service Alliance of Canada Local #80022.