Rexdale Community Health Centre

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Pathways to Education -
The Rexdale Community Health Centre

Program Coordinator - Student Parent Support Worker (SPSW)
Pathways to Education
(Permanent Full-Time)

The Rexdale Community Health Centre provides primary health care, community development and health promotion programs to diverse communities in North West Toronto.  The primary goal of the Pathways to Education program is to address the social determinants of health by providing programs and services to enhance the educational and employment success of youth in the Jamestown community. We work with high-school students to keep them in school, improve their academic success and help them move on to post-secondary education.

Working closely with Pathways to Education team, the Coordinator of Student Parent Support Workers is responsible to ensure the successful planning, implementation, evaluation and ongoing development of the supports provided by the Student Parent Support Workers. The position will oversee the work of several Student Parent Support Workers, and will work with other members of the Pathways team to ensure the effective planning and delivery of academic, social and financial supports.

Responsibilities include:

• Ensure the successful planning, implementation, evaluation and ongoing development of the supports provided by the Student Parent Support Workers.
• Provide leadership and direction to the SPSW team.
• Meet with staff regularly to provide coordination and monitoring of their activities through regular meetings and performance reviews.
• Act as a liaison with school or school board personnel, students, parents or referral agencies to assist SPSWs in addressing student needs and/or resolving challenges.
• Ensures that appropriate record-keeping practices are established and maintained, in keeping with Centre policies on Privacy and Confidentiality.
• Organizes student and parent orientations and other special initiatives such as parent information sessions and workshops.
• Ensure that systems are in place to facilitate communication with students, parents/guardians, school staff, program staff and volunteers.  Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these systems and make changes as required.
• Provide the Program Director with regular reports regarding the strengths and challenges faced by program participants and with the strategies being used to address these challenges.
• Identify gaps in service delivery and develop strategies to address these gaps, through program development, partnerships, advocacy or external resources.  
• Develop and implement strategies to strengthen parent involvement in students’ educational development.
• Work with the Program Director and Researcher to ensure that information needed for program monitoring, evaluation and improvement is available and current, including collection of accurate and timely data on student attendance, grades and program placement.
• Participating in Pathways and Health Centre meetings, teams and activities as required.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Knowledge of community and social service resources, in particular services for youth.
• Understanding of strengths and capacities of students, as well as barriers and challenges faced by students in the Rexdale/Jamestown community.
• Knowledge of adolescent development, high school system, career counseling, employment counseling, post-secondary options and transitions.
• Ability to work independently, work across teams, balance multiple priorities and communicate effectively.
• Experience in recruiting, training and supervising staff.
• Current knowledge of provincial education requirements and school board systems.
• Experience in community development and engagement with youth and parents.
• Experience in program development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Experience with relationship building, informal counseling techniques, and problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong organization and time management skills, and strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Desire to work in an energetic, fun, flexible, fast-paced, youth-oriented, urban Toronto environment.

Qualifications/Assets:

• Masters degree in education, social work or related field, or a combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years community program delivery experience with progressive responsibility in a community setting, preferably in a health or youth setting.
• Demonstrated success in a supervisory role.
• Demonstrated experience in volunteer recruitment, including creating partnerships and long- and short-term recruitment and retention strategies.
• Experience working in a unionized environment.
• Ability to speak a second language is an asset (i.e. Punjabi, Spanish, Somali).
• Proficiency in the use of computers and various software applications.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including some evenings and occasional weekends.
• Must be able to provide a security clearance.
• Access to a car is an asset.
• Knowledge of the Rexdale/Jamestown community is an important asset.

Salary Range: $44,516- $53,633
Excellent benefits and a great working environment!
Hours per week: 35
Starting date: Mid August
Status: Non-unionized position

Please apply in confidence to:
Sonia Rashid, Human Resources
sonia.rashid@rexdalechc.com
Please quote Program Coordinator – SPSW in the subject line
We would like to thank all applicants; only those invited to interviews will be contacted.
Closing date for internal applicants:  July 7, 2010
Closing date for external applicants:  July 21, 2010
Please note this is a unionized environment-UFCW Locals 175 and 633

The Rexdale Community Health Centre is committed to Employment Equity and encourages applications from people representing the diverse community we serve.