Counsellor - Crisis and Referral Centre

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

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

****IMPORTANT****

It is the responsibility of the candidate to clearly outline that they meet each of the screening criteria (i.e. Education and Experience Qualifications, both Essential and Assets) by RESPONDING TO THE SCREENING QUESTIONS IN THE ONLINE APPLICATION. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the requirement is met or to provide a listing of current responsibilities; rather, the candidate must provide concrete examples that illustrate how they meet the requirement. Lack of EXAMPLES and DETAILS may result in your application being rejected as the Assessment Board will have insufficient information to determine whether or not you meet the qualifications.

Your questionnaire answers should clearly identify your role in the noted example. A job title alone does not demonstrate that you have the requisite level of experience, so be sure to explain relevant responsibilities and/or actions that you took. Additionally, please be sure to provide sufficient information regarding timelines & duration; scope of work; project or job complexities (as appropriate); etc. You MUST provide verifiable, relevant and concrete examples from your work history that clearly demonstrate how you acquired the required experience. Relevant and concrete examples MUST include substantiating details that clearly outline the breadth and depth of your experience, as well as relevant timelines. It is NOT sufficient to only state that the qualification is met, or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities.

Failure to clearly demonstrate in your responses HOW you meet the screening criteria (Essential Education, Experiences and ASSETS) may result in the rejection of your application. Inconsistencies in the application package MAY result in your submission being rejected.

Duties

You will have to:

- Answer phone calls and chats, assess the nature of the calls and messages, assess the urgency and eligibility of the person, respond to the client's primary concern.
- If necessary, provide immediate psychological support to the client.
- Assess the client's needs and conduct a risk assessment for referral to a network of mental health professionals.
- Provide information and expert advice on programs to assist the client in making an informed decision and wise choices.
- Provide effective case management.

Are you the right person for the job?

You must have a high degree of empathy, good listening skills and respect for diversity. As a key member of our multidisciplinary team, you must enjoy working independently and as part of a team. On a day-to-day basis, you must exercise good judgment and be reliable. As the first point of contact for our diverse client base, you must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and be able to manage the stress of providing advice and guidance under tight deadlines. You will need to manage new requests in a number of contexts, so you will need to be able to assess risk and judge when a situation should be escalated. You will also be required to assess crisis situations and use crisis intervention techniques to defuse tense situations.

Interested in learning more about this opportunity? Know someone who would be perfect for the position? Share the job or click on the link to apply online!

Work environment

Are you interested in working at a cutting-edge organization that values both your physical and psychological health and wellness, provides rich career development opportunities and rewards innovation? Health Canada is among Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2021 in addition to being recognized as Top employer for Young People since 2015 and as Best Diversity Employer since 2010! Don't miss your opportunity to no only enjoy the unparalleled benefits of the public service, but to get so much more on our award-winning team!

Intent of the process

We offer an environment that is intellectually stimulating and supportive. We also offer an array of benefits and flexible work arrangements that can help you balance your work and private life. There are also many opportunities for personal and career development, through training, coaching, performance reviews.

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:
• Master's degree from a recognized university in counselling, social work, psychology, sociology or
another discipline relevant to work of the position.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:
• Experience in psycho-social assessment, counselling and crisis intervention.
• Experience in client case management.
• Experience in building and maintaining effective working relationship with clients, Mental Health and other Professional counsellors.
• Experience working with a diverse clientele.

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

ASSET TRAINING:
• Training in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST).

Degree equivalency

ASSET EXPERIENCE:
• Experience in working within an Employee Assistance Program model.
• Experience in telephone and chat counselling.

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

Various language requirements
Language Proficiency:
Bilingual imperative CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC, BBB/BBB

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES:
• Ability to handle stress while making important decisions within short timeliness.
• Ability to employ crisis intervention techniques in defusing potentially volatile situations.
• Ability to employ and manage Critical Incident Stress Management and trauma debriefing techniques.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, including through telephone and chats.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to evaluate risks.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:
• Thoroughness
• Dependability
• Respectful of diversity
• Judgement
• Strong empathy and listening skills

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

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Willingness and ability to work overtime occasionally.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Conditions of Employment:
• Willingness and ability to obtain a membership from of a professional association of counsellors, psychologists or social workers.
• Willingness and ability to work any of the rotational day shifts: 7:30-15:30, 8:00-16:00, 8:30-16:30, 9:00-17:00, 10:00-18:00,11:00- 19:00, 12:00-20:00.

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

1. A written examination will be administered.

2. Reference checks will be sought.

3. An interview will be administered.

4. Please identify clearly your substantive group and level and your employment status on your resume and/or application form.

5. Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

6. CANDIDATES WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR POSSIBLY MISSING INFORMATION.

7. For this process, emails are the most efficient way to communicate with you. CANDIDATES WHO APPLY TO THIS SELECTION PROCESS MUST INCLUDE AN EMAIL ADDRESS THAT ACCEPTS EMAIL FROM UNKNOWN USERS (SOME EMAIL SYSTEMS BLOCK THESE TYPES OF EMAIL). If you do not wish to receive results by email and if you change your email address during the process, it is your responsibility to inform us.

8. Candidates that fail to confirm their attendance at the written exam or the interview; will be considered to have withdrawn from the process.

9. If a candidate is no longer interested in this position and has chosen to voluntarily withdraw, they must notify as soon as possible.

10. Candidates are advised that their exam or interview will only be rescheduled under these exceptional circumstances:
o Medical reason with certificate
o Pre-arranged travel with proof
o Pre-scheduled training with proof
o Pre-arranged exam/interview for another Government of Canada staffing process with proof
o Pre-approved vacation with proof
o Death in the family
o Other exceptional reason deemed acceptable by the Selection Board (e.g. Jury Duty, etc.)

11. Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

12. Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed. Meeting one or many of the asset qualifications may be a deciding factor in appointing a particular candidate amongst the qualified candidates. Please note that one, some or all of the asset qualifications could be used at the screening phase.

13. If you required technical support to apply for this position, please contact jobs.gc.ca at: http://emplois-jobs.gc.ca/centres/contactcontactez/index-eng.php

14. Please note that candidates are responsible for submitting their application by the closing date in order to be considered. No applications will be accepted once the deadline has passed.

15. Foreign educational credentials must be assessed by a recognized credential assessment service. If you have been educated outside of Canada, it is your responsibility to have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian educational standards. For more information, please see the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) at
http://www.cicic.ca/927/identifytheorganization-responsible-forrecognition.canada.

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.

Apply online