Youth & Family Counsellor I / II - Bowness Casuals

We're a not-for-profit mental health centre based in Calgary, with locations across Alberta. Our mission is to build good mental health and well-being so everyone can thrive in their community.

The Program

The Therapeutic Campus-Based Care continuum serves children with a range of mental health and medical needs, providing intensive supports and services to reduce the impacts of complex trauma, disruptive attachment, extreme behaviors, and emotional disturbances. By offering a safe, caring, and therapeutic live-in treatment environment with on-site support, children have opportunities to heal and develop skills that help them transition to less intensive and more independent environments with an increased capacity to cope, connect, and be safe.

Working from a multidisciplinary approach, Youth and Family Counsellors, along with Clinical, Nursing, and Mental Health professionals, provide day-to-day support within the program, school, and campus settings. Youth and Family Counsellors play a key role in each child’s healing journey by responding to individual needs, fostering goal setting and skill development, facilitating individualized treatment, and ensuring overall care and well-being. The team also offers ongoing recreational, pro-social, cultural, and therapeutic opportunities within the program’s milieu, creating a structured environment for growth and connection.

The Therapeutic Campus-Based Care continuum includes Cottages 1, 2, & 3, as well as the Under 12, Phoenix and George Wood Learning Centre programs.

Why Choose Wood’s Homes

You will have access to paid training in Wood’s Academy, a comprehensive onboarding experience that prepares staff to support high-acuity, trauma-responsive programs. Casual staff benefit from a collaborative and supportive environment with guidance from experienced team members, clinical staff, and program leadership. Working within the TCBC continuum offers meaningful experience in therapeutic interventions, structured milieu work, and trauma-informed practice, with opportunities to grow into part-time or full-time roles within Wood’s Homes.

The Position

Wood’s Homes is seeking Casual Youth & Family Counsellors to provide flexible, on-call support across the TCBC cottages. Casual staff play an important role in maintaining safety, consistency, and stability during staff absences, increased acuity, and times of higher activity within the programs.

Casual Youth & Family Counsellors report to the Team Lead and receive direction from the Senior Worker and Program Leadership of the cottage they are supporting for that shift. They work alongside full-time staff and contribute to the daily routines and therapeutic structure that support children’s healing and well-being.

Casual staff must complete required training and demonstrate due diligence in meeting the expectations of the Health and Safety Management System, COR Certification, and Practice of Wood’s Homes.

Responsibilities

Casual Youth & Family Counsellors work alongside full-time staff to support the safety, structure, and therapeutic rhythm of the cottages by:

• Maintaining predictable routines and a structured milieu that promotes safety, regulation, and connection.
• Engaging children in attuned, trauma-responsive interactions using Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and Three Pillars of Transforming Care.
• Supporting daily living routines, including room organization, chores, personal routines, meal support, and transitions throughout the day.
• Participating in on-campus recreational, educational, cultural, and therapeutic activities that foster regulation, belonging, and healthy coping.
• Assisting in responses to dysregulation or crisis, following individual safety and high risk plans and using TCI strategies within the scope of the role.
• Accurately completing shift documentation, including communication logs and incident reports, in alignment with program standards.
• Helping maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment, ensuring program spaces meet Licensing and COR expectations.
• Communicating safety concerns, child presentation, and important observations to Senior Workers, Team Leaders, and Supervisors.
• Participating in mandatory training and refreshers to remain prepared for work within high-acuity, trauma-responsive environments.

Qualifications:

Education in a related field (Social Sciences, Child and Youth Care, Psychology, Nursing or Peer Support), with one of the following:

• A Diploma or Two years completed in a four-year degree, or a two-year certificate,
• 2+ years of related experience.

Additional requirements:

• Current CPR and First Aid Certification.
• Must complete the four-day Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) training at hire and meet all conditions of employment within the six-month probationary period.
• Ability to work a variety of shifts including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Comfort working in high-acuity, trauma-responsive environments as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• A Class 5 driver’s license is an asset but not required for casual on-campus roles.

Additional Expectations for Casual Staff

Casual staff must be flexible and able to work across multiple cottages within the TCBC continuum. A minimum number of shifts per month is required to maintain active status. Casual status may be discontinued if expectations related to availability, reliability, or safety are not met.

Compensation

Casual Youth & Family Counsellors are paid according to the Wood’s Homes casual compensation grid, based on education and experience. TCBC casual staff receive a $2.00/hour acuity premium for all hours worked in the program and a $3.00/hour shift premium for hours worked between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Casual positions are hourly and do not include employer-paid benefits or pension.

Why choose us. We are committed to a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We empower and are advocates for our employees by welcoming, respecting and valuing their unique perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. At Wood’s Homes we embrace each other’s differences and strive to learn and grow from them. We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest in this position; however, only those moving forward in the selection process will be contacted.