Are you an enthusiastic and charismatic person who is passionate about working with offenders? Are you a self-starter and a highly-motivated individual looking to make a difference? This unique opportunity will challenge and reward you, as you work closely with supporting offender needs, as well as venture out into the community to form partnerships with existing employers and housing agencies.

Catholic Social Services is currently seeking a One year contract full-time (40 hours per week), Resource Specialist in EDMONTON to join our Elpida team. Providing excellent client-centered care, you are confident, thoughtful, and motivated to achieve success when supporting others in your community!

We look forward to interviewing energetic and creative people who are looking to make a difference in the lives of those who deserve a second chance.

Program Overview:
The Elpida programs are Community-based Residential Facilities (CBRF), commonly known as “halfway houses,” which support men and women on parole, transitioning from federal institutions to successful reintegration into the community. We are offering a new and exciting one-year pilot position to help offenders with their employment and housing goals, as well as other community needs.

Job Summary:
The Resource Specialist is primarily responsible for assisting, motivating, and facilitating the Elpida residents (federal offenders) in obtaining the community resources they need based on their Correctional Plans, especially in the area of employment. The ongoing support of the Resource Specialist aims to increase the safe reintegration of offenders into the community, and contribute to the reduction of recidivism by helping them find and sustain long-term employment and other supports.

It is vital that the Resource Specialist creates, develops, and fosters strong relationships with external organizations to ensure that offenders have timely access to services.

Reporting to the Program Manager, the Resource Specialist will be responsible for accurate data entry, tracking outcomes, targets, and milestones, while abiding by all funder requirements and Agency policies.

• Provide ongoing employment support to offenders from a variety of demographics in the areas of resume building, cover letters, job search, interview skills, and career planning Develop, nurture, and maintain positive relationships with local employers, businesses, and industry partners
• Refer offenders to potential employers
• Refer offenders to job fairs in the community, as well as to employment services and programs, such as academic upgrading, vocational skills training, and volunteer activities
• Provide information on housing resources, ID clinics, and connecting the residents with these resources
• Refer offenders to addiction and/or mental health recovery programs and services
• Provide specific cultural resources to offenders of different ethnic backgrounds, as well as resources to offenders in special populations, such as seniors or offenders with disabilities
• Raise awareness to staff, stakeholders, and community partners about offender needs in the areas of employment, recovery from addiction and/or poor mental health
• Develop, host and facilitate weekly Job Club sessions with offenders in a classroom setting
• Provide one-on-one support to residents across the four Elpida sites
• Report pertinent information to the supervising Parole Officers and participate in case conferences with other Case Management Team (CMT) members to provide updates on successes and challenges of offenders on the caseload
• Maintain professional boundaries at all times and adhere to organizational and ethical standards.

Responsibility for Information and Persons:

• Maintain custody of sensitive offender information, obtaining disclosures where required; maintain confidentiality of day-to-day offender activities, relating them only to the CMT
• Research information for the purpose of informing the offenders about community resources and opportunities
• Attend specialized conferences and/or workshops to be informed about industry trends, ultimately for the benefit of the offenders
• Assist with orientation of new offenders to the services provided
• Be responsible for Agency property, i.e. computer, phone, and other equipment

What This Job Requires:

• Diploma or degree in Corrections, Human Services, or equivalent
• Minimum three years in the Corrections field
• Past experience with pre-employment strategies and knowledge of the local labour market are considered assets
• A valid Class 5 driver’s license with a minimum of two years of Canadian driving experience
• Enhanced Security Clearance Certificate and Child Intervention Record Check (CIRC)

Enhanced Security Check, and Intervention Record Check are conditions of employment and the financial responsibility of the candidate.

What We Offer:

• The Annual salary for this position is $53,133.00 to $60.028.80 based on qualifications and experience. We offer flexibility and supportive working environment.
• Comprehensive benefit options when eligible
• Work within a highly collaborative, team-oriented organization, where your ideas are heard, and you can see your impact daily.
• Growth Opportunities: apply and grow your skills within a dynamic, innovative and expanding Agency that is taking a leadership role in our industry.

About Catholic Social Services:
You will be joining an established Agency that is guided by faith to care for and bring hope to people in need with humility, compassion and respect.

With 65 years of service delivery experience, Catholic Social Services is one of the largest multi-function social services agencies in Canada, with nearly 2000 staff, and hundreds of volunteers delivering over 100 different programs to people in need throughout Central Alberta and Edmonton.

Our values are at the core of everything we do!

• Humility: We acknowledge with gratitude our human abilities and limitations. We demonstrate humility by doing the best that we can with the resources that we have.
• Compassion: We respond to people in need with love. We demonstrate our compassion by caring for people without judgment and without condition.
• Respect: We demonstrate our respect by being personally present, open and attentive to those we care for and by honouring their dignity and freedom.

We thank all applicants. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Catholic Social Services is committed to fostering a diverse and representative workforce. In an effort to enrich our agency and reflect the communities we serve, we welcome applications from qualified individuals of all diverse groups and backgrounds.