Social Program Officer

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

For this selection process, we will communicate with you by email. You must provide a valid email address to which you wish to receive communication regarding this selection process. It is your responsibility to inform of any change of address, telephone number and / or email address. You must ensure to check/view your email accounts including spam, promotion or other folders regularly as there may be a deadline for responses. Candidates who respond past the deadline risk being removed from the selection process.

Marks may be transferred from the # 2020-PEN-IA-PRA-160567 process. You are required to submit an application to this selection processes in order for your marks to be transferred

Duties

Social Program Officers plan, organize and deliver specific social programs to meet the recreational, social, cultural and personal development needs of the offender population. As a Social Program Officer you will be required to assist with arranging community volunteer groups that deliver activities of interest to the offender population and encourage and motivate offenders to participate in social programs and activities, making a significant contribution to their reintegration into society.

A Social Program Officer is required to work at all security level within an institution and may be required to work variable hours.

Work environment

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is the federal government agency responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts. CSC is responsible for managing institutions of various security levels and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community.

CSC is a people organization that values teamwork. We believe in continuous learning throughout your career and offer career development opportunities. CSC believes in an inclusive workforce therefore consists of skilled, diverse workforce that reflects Canadian population.

JOIN US today to make a difference in your community!

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified candidates will be established and may be used to staff positions of various tenures including permanent or temporary.

A local pool of qualified candidates may be established for acting purposes.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION:

• A secondary school diploma, or a satisfactory score on the Public Service Commission test approved as an alternative to a secondary school diploma, or a successful completion of a provincially/territorially approved secondary school equivalency test.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in organizing and/or monitoring social programs, including social, recreational or leisure activities.
• Experience in intervening with and/or supporting individuals who are working on changing their behaviour.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION:

• Successful completion of an accredited post-secondary program in Sports, Recreation, Leisure Activities, Social Sciences or any other area relevant to the duties.
• Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution or a combination of post-secondary education, training and experience related to the position.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in recruiting volunteers and facilitating volunteer run activities.
• Experience in the delivery of programs that prepare offenders for reintegration into the community.
• Experience working in a correctional environment.
• Experience working with Indigenous organizations or communities.
• Experience working with Ethno-cultural (not including Indigenous) organizations or communities.
• Experience working with individuals with mental health needs.
• *** Experience working with women in conflict with the law.
*** This element applies to positions in Women Offender Institutions.

Do you have experience working with Indigenous organizations or communities?

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

KNOWLEDGE:

• Knowledge of the Correctional Service of Canada’s Mission, priorities, and the Corrections and Conditional Release Act/Regulations.
• Knowledge of reintegration programs and related policies.
• * Knowledge of needs specific to women offenders, including Aboriginal women offenders, and gender-specific interventions.
* This element applies to positions in Women Offender Institutions.

ABILITIES:

• Ability to plan, facilitate, and evaluate the impact of social programs including social, recreational or leisure activities.
• Ability to establish partnerships with community organizations.
• Ability to provide leadership to volunteers and offender groups.
• Ability to motivate, positively influence, and assist offenders.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:

• Initiative
• Engagement
• Teamwork
• Sensitivity to Diversity
• Values & Ethics
• ** Sensitivity to interventions for women offenders, including Aboriginal women offenders.
** This element applies to positions in Women Offender Institutions.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION:

• Candidate must obtain and maintain a valid Standard First Aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 'Level C' with automated external defibrillator (AED) certificate from a qualified provider.

ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate orally and/or in writing in a language other than English/French that is reflective of the offender population.

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Employees must work shifts, variable hours, weekends, and statutory holidays.
• Employees may be required to work overtime.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - OR Enhanced Reliability security clearance

• Possession of a valid unrestricted driver's licence that conforms to provincial or territorial requirement may be applicable to some positions.
• All employees of the core public administration are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and attest to their vaccination status unless accommodated based on a medical contraindication, religion, or another prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their responses that they meet the essential education and experience qualifications. It is NOT sufficient to only state that the qualifications are met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Rather you must clearly demonstrate HOW, WHEN, and WHERE the qualification was met through substantiation by examples. Information on your described skills, experience, etc. provided in the screening questions should be supported by your resume. Failure to provide sufficient information will result in the candidate being screened out and rejected from the process.

We may assess the essential and asset qualifications using interviews, written tests (take home assignments or other), references or a combination of these or other assessment methods. Other sources of information (such as performance agreements, work samples, board member knowledge, etc.) may be used to assess the criteria identified on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language(s) of their choice.

A random and/or top down selection of candidates may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced details of its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service.
As per the new Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment and it applies to indeterminate(permanent), determinate (term), casual, and student hiring.
Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment then the hiring manager or a human resources representative will contact you in order to complete an attestation.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.