Family & Natural Support Lead -

Reporting to the Director of Youth Programs, the Family & Natural Supports Lead provides individualized, intensive Family and Natural Supports (FNS) services to youth ages 12–24 who are experiencing significant family conflict, housing instability, risk of homelessness, or disruptions to their relationships with trusted adults. This position supports youth development and resiliency by helping youth strengthen safe, sustainable connections with family members and blends other natural supports, build skills, and increase their safety, stability, and resilience.

Working from a youth-led, strengths-based, trauma-informed and culturally responsive approach, the Family & Natural Support Lead builds trusting relationships, completes assessments, co-develops service and safety plans, facilitates appropriate relational interventions, and coordinates referrals with community partners. The role delivers non-clinical support within the training and scope, uses professional consultation for complex situations, and maintains accurate and confidential records in accordance with organizational.

This position must be accessible during program hours and available for emergency response Monday to Friday, supporting safe and seamless program delivery. This position requires a proactive leader committed to continuous improvement, collaboration, and innovation to advance the mission and vision of BGC Strathcona County while creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing setting for all children and youth.

Program Design:

Lead and support the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of the Family and Natural Supports program, including operational procedures, service delivery practices, tools, and resources that align with the FNS model and organizational priorities.

Lead the development and coordination of accessible referral and intake processes, strengthening internal and community referral pathways to ensure youth and families can access appropriate supports in a timely and welcoming manner.

Take a lead role in developing and maintaining community partnerships, referral networks, and collaborative service pathways that strengthen coordinated supports for youth and families and advance the prevention of youth homelessness.

Lead the development and application of relationship-centred practices, tools, and resources that support youth and families in identifying, strengthening, and sustaining safe and meaningful family and natural support networks.

Support organizational capacity building by developing FNS resources, sharing practice knowledge, and contributing to staff learning, collaboration, and the integration of family and natural supports principles across BGC programs.

Lead and contribute to program monitoring and continuous improvement activities, including the development of outcome measures, data collection processes, participant feedback mechanisms, and recommendations that strengthen program quality, effectiveness, and alignment with the FNS model.

Develop and facilitate opportunities for youth, families, and natural supports to meaningfully inform program design, implementation, and evaluation, ensuring services remain responsive to their experiences, strengths, needs, and priorities.

Contribute to the strategic development and sustainability of the Family and Natural Supports program by identifying opportunities for service integration, strengthening alignment with BGC programs and community initiatives, and recommending approaches to address emerging needs.

Youth Engagement, Referral & Assessment

1. Receive and respond to referrals from BGC youth programs, schools, community partners, child protection and justice partners, mental health providers, and youth self-referrals; establish initial contact and coordinate appropriate intake.
1. Build trust and engagement through a connection-first approach; explain the purpose and voluntary nature of intensive FNS services, confidentiality and its limits, and obtain informed youth consent and caregiver consent where required.
1. Complete comprehensive strengths-based intake and ongoing assessments examining housing stability, safety, family dynamics, emotional wellbeing, school or work engagement, system involvement, protective factors, and existing natural supports.
1. Identify the youth’s self-defined family and other meaningful adults, such as caregivers, relatives, Elders, teachers, mentors, or coaches; document relational strengths, barriers, readiness, and the youth’s desired level of involvement.
1. Assess presenting risk and service priority, including potential family breakdown and homelessness; consult with the Director of Youth and appropriate professionals when urgency, safety, or scope concerns arise.
1. Assist with waitlist follow-up and interim connections when service capacity is reached, including periodic safety and stability check-ins, timely referrals,



and escalation of urgent concerns in accordance with organizational procedures. Individualized Service Planning & Direct Support
1. Co-create an individualized FNS service plan with each youth, and with their identified supports where appropriate, that sets youth-defined relational goals, practical actions, safety considerations, communication strategies, and measurable outcomes.
1. Provide consistent one-on-one support, coaching, and practical assistance to help youth strengthen emotional regulation, healthy boundaries, communication, problem-solving, conflict navigation, and help-seeking skills.
1. Conduct regular youth check-ins and review service plans at least biweekly, adjusting contact frequency to need; complete formal reassessments approximately every 8–12 weeks and document progress toward goals.
1. Provide flexible, accessible supports in approved settings, including the CanTEEN Youth Hub, schools, community spaces, virtual appointments, and family homes when safe and appropriate; accommodate evening or weekend appointments as required.
1. Assist youth with practical barriers to stability and participation by navigating relevant housing, transportation, identification, education, employment, financial, cultural, and community resources, within approved program resources and worker responsibilities. Family & Natural Supports and Relationship Development

1. With informed consent and appropriate safety screening, engage youth-identified family members and natural supports to explore willingness, capacity, strengths, and opportunities for safe, constructive involvement.
1. Facilitate appropriate family or natural-support meetings, restorative conversations, communication coaching, and conflict-resolution processes within the worker’s competence and organizational safety procedures.
1. Help youth and participating supports develop workable expectations, boundaries, communication agreements, and plans for addressing conflict and maintaining positive connections.
1. When a return to the family home is unsafe or inappropriate, support the youth to identify and strengthen alternative safe natural-support relationships rather than pursuing reunification as an automatic outcome.
1. Adapt engagement to youth-defined family structures, developmental readiness, identity, culture, and lived experience; connect participants to Elders, cultural mentors, identity-affirming resources, or interpretation supports when appropriate. Safety & Service Coordination
1. Complete safety screening at intake and throughout involvement; develop and revisit individualized safety and stabilization plans in collaboration with the youth and appropriate supports.
1. Recognize and respond to escalating conflict, housing instability, and other emerging concerns through de-escalation, appropriate supervision, safety planning, and timely coordination with qualified crisis or clinical services.
1. Follow organizational safeguarding, mandatory reporting, privacy, emergency response, and incident-reporting procedures; promptly report and document significant safety concerns through the established chain of responsibility.
1. Coordinate warm referrals, service transitions, and consent-based information sharing with FRN partners, schools, community service providers, housing resources, and relevant professional systems to reduce service gaps and duplication.
1. Participate in case consultation and coordinated planning with external professionals when authorized, maintaining clear skilled boundaries and avoiding activities outside the position’s training or regulated scope. Case Management, Documentation & Outcomes

1. Maintain a manageable caseload consistent with service intensity, allocated staffing, travel requirements, and case complexity; regularly review caseload priorities and capacity with the Director of Youth.
1. Keep timely, complete, secure and accurate case records, including referral information, intake and consent forms, risk and strengths assessments, service plans, meeting notes, collateral contacts, referrals, safety plans, progress reviews and file closure records.
1. Track service activity and intensity, including type of support, contact frequency and duration, active cases, referral sources, waitlist status when applicable, and relevant demographic and outcome information required by FRN reporting.
1. Use approved youth feedback, goal-scaling, pre/post assessment, relational mapping, and progress-review tools to assess changes in safety, stability, family communication, trusted-adult connections,



and youth resiliency.
1. Prepare accurate service summaries, program statistics and updates for the Director of Youth to support grant accountability, continuous improvement, and organizational reporting; safeguard personal information in all reporting.
1. Coordinate warm handoffs and agreed follow-up check-ins following case closure.
1. Build positive, professional and collaborative relationships with BGC colleagues, youth, families, schools, FRN agencies, cultural supports, and other community partners.
1. Apply trauma-informed, harm-reduction, anti-oppressive, culturally responsive and positive youth development approaches; pursue ongoing learning relevant to family systems, adolescent development, suicide prevention, safety planning, and conflict resolution.
1. Plan service endings collaboratively with youth, including a written transition or sustainability plan that identifies achieved goals, supportive relationships, coping and safety strategies, remaining needs, and next steps.
1. Perform other related duties as required, consistent with the purpose of the position, approved organizational policies, available capacity, and the employee’s qualifications and professional scope. Position Requirements & Qualifications

- Post-secondary diploma or degree in Social Work, Child and Youth Care, Psychology, or a related human services field, or a minimum of 10 years of directly relevant professional experience in a comparable field.
- Minimum of 4 years of experience working directly with youth, and/or families, preferably in community-based support, youth development, family services, or related settings.
- Strong understanding of adolescent development, family systems, positive youth development, strengths-based and trauma-informed practices, harm reduction, conflict resolution, and risk assessment.
- Demonstrated ability to establish meaningful, trusting relationships with youth, families, caregivers, and natural supports while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Experience supporting individuals and families experiencing complex challenges, including family conflict, housing instability, mental health concerns, social isolation, and other barriers to well-being.
- Knowledge and practical understanding of conflict mediation, de-escalation techniques, crisis prevention, safety planning, and appropriate referral and intervention practices.
- Ability to assess individual strengths, identify areas of concern, establish realistic goals, and develop and implement individualized support plans.
- Strong knowledge of community resources and the ability to collaborate with schools, social service agencies, mental health professionals, and other community partners to coordinate appropriate supports.
- Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including the ability to navigate difficult or sensitive conversations with professionalism, empathy, and sound judgment.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, family structures, identities, and abilities while maintaining an inclusive, culturally responsive, and non-judgmental approach.
- Strong organizational, time-management, and independent workload-management skills, with the ability to prioritize responsibilities, maintain accurate case documentation, and manage multiple active files.
- Ability to exercise sound professional judgment, maintain confidentiality, respect personal boundaries, and follow organizational policies and ethical practices when working with vulnerable populations.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team workplace that values communication, accountability, shared responsibility, and continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated ability to problem-solve, adapt to changing circumstances, think creatively, and make effective decisions in challenging or sensitive situations.
- Knowledge of computers and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, electronic recordkeeping, case documentation, and related administrative systems.
- Commitment to ongoing personal and career development, including participation in relevant training, reflective practice, and opportunities to strengthen professional knowledge and skills.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends, and provide services in schools, community locations, family homes, and other appropriate settings.
- Current and satisfactory Child Intervention Record Check and Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Check, in accordance with organizational requirements.
- Preferred or where applicable, along with training or certification in ASIST, safeTALK, nonviolent crisis intervention, cultural safety, anti-oppressive practice, restorative justice, or family conflict resolution

Pay: $58,000.00-$67,000.00 per year

Benefits

- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match

Work Location: In person

📌 Family & Natural Support Lead (Sherwood Park)
🏢 Boys & Girls Club of Strathcona County
📍 Sherwood Park