SETTLEMENT WORKER IN SCHOOLS
Location: Saint John Regional Y
Status: Accepting
Job Level: Full Time - Contingent on continued funding
Placement Date: 01/04/2018
The YMCA of Greater Saint John responds to critical social needs in the community and works
to provide solutions. By nurturing the potential of children, youth and adults, the YMCA
connects people to life-building opportunities, as well as to each other and enhances their
quality of life. The YMCA of Greater Saint John offers a diverse set of programs at 12 locations
in the city and surrounding municipalities. There are 250 employees and 1,000 volunteers. In
2017 the YMCA engaged more than 40,000 people in its health, newcomer, childcare and camp
programs.
Newcomer Connections is a key pillar within the YMCA family. Established in 1993, Y Newcomer
Connections is a leading immigrant settlement centre focused on creating connections that will
transform our community into a lasting, healthy home for immigrants from around the world,
and from all walks of life.
POSITION OVERVIEW
Y Newcomer Connections works in partnership with local schools to support the settlement of newcomer
students and their families to our community. The Settlement Worker in Schools helps with the
orientation and registration of newcomer children in K-12 in Anglophone and Francophone school
districts. This position actively researches and makes referrals to appropriate support services. The
Settlement Worker in Schools also works in designated schools 2-3 days / week to provide practical
assistance to newcomer children and their families, to support Guidance Counsellors and EAL mentors,
and to help promote a welcoming and inclusive school environment. Evening and weekend work may be
required on occasion.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
This individual will assist newcomer youth and family settlement and integration in the
following key areas through the calendar year:
During the school year:
1. Provide orientation on the Canadian education system and schools in Saint John when
new families arrive in Saint John;
2. Work with newcomer families to register children and youth K-12 in local schools;
3. Liaise with schools to organize orientation sessions for newcomer youth and their parent(s); 4. Provide in-school support to newcomer children and youth, guidance counsellors, EAL mentors, and other relevant school staff, such as to: a. Assist with school activities relating to orientation week, parent-teacher appointments, and involvement in extra-curricular activities; b. Work with schools to recruit student volunteers as “buddies” or “mentors”; c. Ensure parents understand the schools’ expectations and their own rights and responsibilities; d. Facilitate and encourage the involvement of parents in the academic and social life of their children; e. Advocate for newcomer students in difficult situations with school personnel and students, and parents, helping all to understand the problems faced by the others; f. Support school administration to coordinate provision of cultural competency training for staff; g. Support school administration in charting options and pathways to post-secondary education; h. Collaborate with Integrated Services Delivery staff as required to support youth and their families who may experience physical disabilities, behavioural issues, mental health challenges or other barriers; During the summer/holiday season: 5. Coordinate back-to-school sessions to assist newcomer families with purchase of school supplies; 6. With the support of the Newcomer Youth Advisor: 7. Coordinate information sessions for summer employment opportunities where appropriate; 8. Make referrals to appropriate support services; 9. Coordinate the application process for children who require daycare/afterschool programs/summer camp services during the summer months; 10. Assist in planning YMCA summer day camps to serve youth, as applicable; On-going duties: 11. Build and maintain relationships with Anglophone and Francophone School District representatives and staff across the city; 12. Manage on-going client caseload to ensure regular check-ins towards client settlement goals; 13. Initiate activities and programs to further assist the integration of newcomer students into the school system, for both newcomers and local students (i.e. workshops on cyber-bullying, cultural diversity, etc.); 14. With the support of the Newcomer Youth Advisor:
a. Apply for P.R.O. Kids /Strong Communities funding for clients who require financial assistance in order to participate in community programs; b. Bring forward unique or especially difficult student challenges and needs to relative program staff; c. Assist caseload youth and parents towards settlement outcomes of integration and full participation in the broader community; 15. Input and maintain client records in the Y Newcomer Connections CRM database on a regular basis; 16. Report all client-related activity on the iCARE database on a daily basis; 17. Compile and submit regular report to the Supervisor, Client Support Services as requested; 18. Submit monthly expenses within the mandated deadlines; 19. Attend staff meetings; 20. Perform other duties as assigned by the VP, Newcomer and Community Connections. EXPECTED RESPONSIBILITIES  Acts as a champion for immigration, cultural competency and volunteerism;  Models appropriate behaviours in line with the YMCA of Greater Saint John’s mission, vision and values; establishes rapport and maintains effective relationship building behaviour with staff, volunteers and members.  Represents the YMCA of Greater Saint John and Newcomer Connections in a professional manner;  Understands and integrates the value of philanthropy and volunteerism and imparts this knowledge and beliefs upon staff, volunteers and members;  Self manages personal professional development;  Attends staff meetings as requested. SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS  A Bachelor's Degree, Community College diploma or similar from an accredited institution  Approachable and possessing a strong client-centric attitude  Heightened sensitivity to the needs of our immigrant community  A minimum of 3 years work experience in a cross-cultural environment  Exceptional oral and written communication skills  Exceptional organizational and inter-personal skills  Computer literate (MS Word & Excel)  Ability to work flexible hours  Must be fluent in the English language, knowledge of other languages is a great asset.  Knowledge of NB schools & the school system and policies COMPETENCIES
Communication: Communicates in a clear, professional, and timely manner and supports information sharing and goal achievement Creativity and Innovation: Develops new ways or adapts existing ideas to help us achieve desired results Relationship Building and Collaboration: Builds positive interaction both internally and externally to achieve work related goals Self-Management: Works independently with minimal supervision< > Ability to develop an appreciation for the challenges of our clientele and display needed patience and resourcefulness. Sense of Community: Demonstrates an awareness and understanding of community and responds to identified needs Teamwork: Actively builds teams and encourages open relationships for maximum organizational effectiveness WORKING CONDITIONS  As a full-time YMCA of Greater Saint John staff person. Your hours of work and location may be adjusted due to programming needs. There is no guarantee of number of hours worked within a work week.  The YMCA of Greater Saint John has a Joint Health and Safety Committee which meets on a monthly basis to discuss health and safety within the workplace. Questions or concerns about your workplace must be brought forward to committee members.  In this role, you will be required to work in an environment which is often busy with high levels of noise.  As a YMCA of Greater Saint John staff person you are responsible for your own travel to and from work.  You are responsible for the member/client’s safety on a daily basis. You will be required to perform first aid and CPR when and if necessary and you are certified to do so.  You will be responsible to follow and abide by YMCA SAM 2.0 Standards, ensuring a clean and well maintained centre is required by all staff persons. If you are interested in being a part of a dynamic team and developing your skills while embarking on the adventure of working for an organization dedicated to strengthening the foundations of community, we would love to hear from you! Please send your resume and cover letter with the following reference, Settlement Worker in Schools to: Lauren Demers, Recruitment Specialist
careers@saintjohny.ca | Fax: 506-634-0783 Name of Contact or Department: Newcomer Connections​

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