Wellness Counsellor & Youth Engagement Navigator

Wellness Counsellor & Youth Engagement Navigator

What We Do

YESS is a not-for-profit agency working with youth facing difficult realities. Based in Edmonton, our Youth Support Centre provides immediate and low-barrier 24/7 sleep support and individualized wrap-around supports for young people aged 15 -24.

We work collaboratively within a network of care, focused on the prevention of youth homelessness by providing youth with the necessary supports to stabilize their housing, improve their wellbeing, build life skills, connect with community, and avoid re-entry into homelessness.

We are committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion, and to cultivating an environment where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported. YESS is an equal opportunity employer and always strives to ensure all employment decisions are grounded in equity, fairness, and merit.

What You Will Do

The Wellness Counsellor & Youth Engagement Navigator provides individualized, trauma-informed, and youth-centered support to youth accessing YESS shelter and recovery programming. This role blends counselling, intake and triage, youth engagement, and program navigation to support stabilization, recovery, emotional regulation, and meaningful participation in programming.

The role serves as a key frontline wellness anchor, offering one-on-one counselling, facilitating daily recovery-oriented meetings, coordinating and delivering workshops, and connecting youth to internal and external supports. The Wellness Counsellor & Youth Engagement Navigator helps youth move from crisis toward healing, connection, and readiness for longer-term goals such as housing, education, employment, and independence.

Hours of Work: Full-Time, onsite, 40 hours per week as per the assigned schedule. As YESS provides 24/7 services, the regular work schedule includes evenings and weekends. Flexibility to work a variety of shifts is required.

Key Responsibilities

Counselling, Assessment & Wellness Navigation

• Provide one-on-one supportive, single-session, and short-cycle counselling to youth experiencing trauma, mental health challenges, substance use concerns, and housing instability.
• Conduct holistic wellness assessments and risk triage.
• Review and evaluate intake and assessments completed by the Safety and Stabilization staff to develop safe, individualized, and growth-oriented support plans for our sheltered youth.
• Support youth in identifying strengths, barriers, goals, and next steps.
• Provide navigation and referrals to internal and external wellness, health, mental health, addiction, and cultural supports.
• Support transition planning related to recovery, life skills, housing readiness, and community integration.

Recovery Program Support

• Facilitate daily recovery-oriented group meetings and wellness check-ins for youth engaged in recovery programming.
• Provide weekly one-on-one support to youth in the recovery program to strengthen motivation, accountability, and emotional regulation.
• Support youth in developing coping strategies, routines, and recovery-focused goals.
• Coordinate or connect youth to internal and external recovery resources and supports.

Group Facilitation & Program Delivery

• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate workshops and group programming in areas such as:
  • emotional regulation and coping skills
  • life skills and independent living
  • social media literacy and digital safety
  • educational and personal development topics
  • healthy relationships and communication
  • wellness education and self-awareness
  • creative expression
  • cultural and community connection
  • etc.
• Facilitate developmental and engagement-based programming tailored to youth experiencing trauma and housing instability.

Trauma-Informed Arts, Culture & Recreation

• Facilitate or coordinate trauma-informed expressive programming such as:
  • Painting
  • Pottery
  • Crafts, including beading
  • Writing and storytelling
  • Singing and songwriting
  • Drama, sketch, improv, and stand-up comedy
  • Musical instruments such as guitar
• Organize sports, recreation, and community-building activities that promote belonging, confidence, teamwork, and positive use of time.
• Facilitating groups, workshops, arts-based activities, recreation, or community programming.
• Use arts, culture, and recreation as intentional engagement tools to build protective factors, reduce disconnection, and strengthen recovery.

Youth Engagement & Relationship-Based Support

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with youth in shelter and recovery program.
• Meet youth early in their stay at the shelter and support consistent engagement in wellness programming.
• Encourage participation in structured programming, community activities, and pro-social opportunities.
• Promote youth voice, choice, and voluntary participation while balancing structure, safety, and accountability.

Referral, Coordination & Systems Collaboration

• Build and maintain relationships with community mental health, recovery, cultural, educational, and recreational resources.
• Collaborate with internal teams including Food Programs, and Safety & Stabilization, to ensure coordinated care.
• Communicate with service providers and partners to support continuity of care and smoother transitions.
• Advocate for youth needs while respecting privacy and confidentiality.

Documentation, Outcomes & Reporting

• Maintain accurate and timely case notes, assessments, plans, and program documentation.
• Track participation, referrals, progress, and wellness-related outcomes.
• Participate in case conferencing, youth planning, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Contribute to evaluation, continuous improvement, and wellness outcome tracking.

Other Duties as Assigned

Key Outcomes

• Improved emotional regulation and coping
• Reduced crisis incidents and escalation
• Increased youth engagement in programming and recovery supports
• Stronger continuity from intake to counselling to referral and follow-up
• Improved access to mental health, recovery, cultural, and community supports
• Increased readiness for housing, education, employment, and independence.

Core Competencies & Expectations

These core competencies outline the key behaviors, values, and expectations that guide how employees contribute to the YESS's mission and work effectively with others.

• Demonstrate integrity by acting with honesty, fairness, respect, and maintaining confidentiality in all interactions.
• Communicate effectively through active listening, clear messaging, and respectful, transparent dialogue with team members and stakeholders.
• Deliver results by meeting performance expectations, taking initiative to solve problems, and supporting team success.
• Provide service excellence by responding professionally and compassionately to the needs of youth, partners, and colleagues.
• Apply strong problem-solving and judgment to assess situations, identify solutions, and seek support when needed.
• Foster teamwork by collaborating effectively, contributing positively to team culture, and valuing diverse perspectives.

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma, degree or certification in Recovery, Life, Wellness Coach, Child and Youth Care, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, or a related human services field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Registration with CYCAA, or eligibility to register, is an asset.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in social field and/or working with youth facing complex realities.
• Direct experience in:
  • trauma-informed care
  • crisis intervention, de-escalation, and debriefing
  • safety planning and risk assessment
  • motivational interviewing
  • coaching
  • one-to-one support and short-session counselling
  • facilitating groups, workshops, or therapeutic/recreational programming
  • working within a multidisciplinary nonprofit environment
• Experience with youth homelessness, mental health, addictions, concurrent disorders, and recovery-oriented practice.
• Experience facilitating arts-based activities, recreation, or community programming is an asset.
• Experience using case management or database systems such as ETO is an asset.

What You Bring

• Valid First Aid Certificate completed within the last twelve months.
• Motivational Interviewing
• Mental Health First Aid, ASIST or equivalent suicide intervention training
• NVCI or TCI training
• Trauma-informed care training
• Clear police clearance (PIC) and a Child Intervention (CIRC) check, both obtained within the last six months.

YESS is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive and safe work environment for people of all backgrounds.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those shortlisted will be contacted.