About The Link: Youth and Family Supports

For more than90 years, The Link has helped youth and families on a journey to healing, hope,and better lives. The organization is dedicated to walking alongside children,youth, and families as an inclusive community, strengthening and empowering asense of being, pride, and purpose. With over 15 diverse programs, The Link hasa community of caring staff that work together to provide support through a24-hour crisis line, youth resource centers, emergency shelters, mobile crisisteams, specialized foster care, healing homes, job readiness supports, andSkills4Life. With a strong foundation within the community and a focus onconnection, unity, and compassion, the organization provides a vital link foryouth and families in the province of Manitoba.

Position Summary
The Child & Youth Engagement Ally is a front-line, family-centredrole within Home Fire, a Family Preservation program designed through a FirstNations lens to strengthen families and help children remain safely at homerather than entering Child and Family Services care. This position providespractical, relational, culturally responsive, trauma-informed support tochildren, youth, and caregivers in home and community settings.

Working as part of the Home Fire team and reporting to the FamilyPreservation Manager, the Child & Youth Engagement Ally supports theday-to-day functioning of the program by implementing individualized child,youth, and family support plans; facilitating meaningful activities; promotingsafety and wellness; and documenting service delivery in accordance withorganizational policies, procedures, and confidentiality standards.

Reporting Relationships and Program Context
TheChild & Youth Engagement Ally reports to the Family Preservation Managerand works collaboratively with Home Fire team members, caregivers, children,youth, and relevant community supports. The position contributes to caseplanning, service coordination, information sharing, and team-baseddecision-making while maintaining appropriate qualified boundaries andconfidentiality.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Child, Youth,and Family Support

Provide in-home and community-based one-on-one care,supervision, engagement, and support to children and youth participating in theHome Fire program.

Build safe, trusting, respectful, and supportiverelationships with children, youth, and caregivers using a strength-based,family-centred, and trauma-informed approach.

Support children and youth who may be impacted bymental health challenges, trauma, family stress, conflict, poverty, addictions,abuse,or other circumstances that increase family vulnerability.

Encourage child and youth participation in activitiesthat promote emotional regulation, self-confidence, healthy relationships,cultural connection, skill development, and positive identity.

Provide practical support to caregivers and familiesin ways that promote family stability, wellness, autonomy, child safety, andthe achievement of family-defined goals.

Program and Case Plan Implementation

Work collaboratively with Home Fire team members toimplement individual and family support plans developed through intake,assessment, and ongoing case planning processes.

Deliver services that align with identified familygoals, program expectations, safety planning, and the needs and strengths ofeach child, youth, and caregiver.

Support family routines and household functioningthrough practical assistance such as meal planning, grocery shopping, mealpreparation, light housekeeping, transportation planning, and other supports asappropriate.





Communicate regularly and professionally withcaregivers and team members regarding scheduling, progress, emerging needs,risks, barriers, and planned activities.

Participate in team meetings, case discussions,service planning, training sessions, and other program-related activities asrequired.

Safety, Crisis Response, and Professional Practice

Providede-escalation, conflict resolution, emotional support, and basic first aidinterventions when required, within the scope of training and organizationalpolicy.

Recognizeand respond to immediate safety concerns involving children, youth, caregivers,or the home environment, and follow internal reporting and escalationprocedures.

Maintainprofessional boundaries, confidentiality, cultural humility, and ethicalconduct in all interactions with children, youth, families, colleagues, andcommunity partners.

Ensureservices are provided in a manner that is respectful of First Nations, Métis,Inuit, and diverse cultural identities, family systems, lived experiences, andcommunity contexts.

Completeassigned duties in alignment with organizational policies, program standards,documentation requirements, and applicable legislation.

Documentation and Communication

Maintaintimely, objective, accurate, and complete documentation of activities,interventions, observations, goals, outcomes, incidents, and follow-up actions.

Prepareand submit required reports, case notes, updates, and program documentationaccording to established timelines and quality standards.

Sharerelevant information with the Family Preservation Manager and team members tosupport coordinated service delivery, risk management, and responsive planning.

Communicatewith families in a respectful, clear, accessible, and professional manner thatsupports engagement and reduces barriers to participation.

Experience

Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of thehistorical and ongoing impacts of colonization, residential schools, childwelfare involvement, systemic barriers, and trauma on Indigenous peoples,families, and communities in Canada.

Experience working with children, youth, caregivers,and families using strength-based, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, andrelationship-based approaches.

Experience supporting people who may be navigatingpoverty, housing instability, family conflict, grief and loss, mental healthconcerns, addictions, abuse, intergenerational trauma, or involvement withsocial service systems.

Ability to engage children and youth throughdevelopmentally appropriate activities that reflect their interests, strengths,culture, goals, and support needs.

Strong interpersonal, verbal, and writtencommunication skills, including the ability to document clearly and interactrespectfully with families and colleagues.

Ability to work independently in home and communitysettings while also contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary teamenvironment.

Strong organizational skills, sound judgement,reliability, flexibility, time-management skills, and the ability to adapt tochanging family and program needs.

Knowledge of Indigenous cultures, traditions,community resources, family systems, and local service networks is consideredan asset.

Demonstrated self-awareness and reflective practice,including the ability to recognize how personal experiences, values,



and biasesmay influence professional interactions and decision-making.

Commitment to creating safe, positive, meaningful,and empowering experiences for children, youth, caregivers, and familiesreceiving services.

Education (Degree/Diploma/Certificate)

Post-secondary education in a human services, childand youth care, social work, education, psychology, Indigenous studies,community development, or related field is preferred.

An equivalent combination of education, relevantemployment experience, volunteer experience, community involvement, and/orlived experience will be considered.

Emergency First Aid and CPR Level C certification arerequired.

ASIST, crisis de-escalation training, non-violentcrisis intervention, mental health first aid, or willingness to obtain relevantcertifications is considered an asset.

Core Competencies
Culturalresponsiveness and humility

Demonstrates respect forIndigenous worldviews, family systems, community knowledge, and culturallygrounded approaches to wellness and safety.

Relationship-basedpractice

Builds trust throughconsistency, compassion, respectful communication, and appropriate professionalboundaries.

Trauma-informedsupport

Understands the impact oftrauma and responds in ways that promote safety, choice, collaboration,empowerment, and dignity.

Childand youth engagement

Creates meaningfulopportunities for children and youth to participate, express themselves,develop skills, and experience positive connection.

Teamcollaboration

Shares informationappropriately, follows direction, contributes to case planning, and supportscoordinated family preservation services.

Accountabilityand documentation

Maintains accurate records,follows procedures, meets deadlines, and communicates concerns promptly andprofessionally.

Conditions of Employment

Satisfactory Criminal Record Check with VulnerableSector Search, clear Child Abuse Registry check with acceptable Prior Contactchecks, and clear Adult Abuse Registry check, all completed within the lastthree months.

Ability and willingness to travel throughout Winnipegand Southern Manitoba as required by program and family needs.

Valid Manitoba Class 5F Driver’s Licence and access toa personal vehicle are preferred; alternate transportation methods may beconsidered.

Ability to work varied hours, including days,evenings, and weekends, based on the needs of children, youth, families, andthe program.

Compliance with all organizational policies,procedures, training, confidentiality requirements, and professional standards.

Accommodationsare available for applicants with disabilities upon request. If you arecontacted by The Link regarding a job opportunity, please know that you arewelcome to request accommodation at any point in the process. All informationreceived regarding accommodations will be kept confidential.

Positionstatus: Full-Time – 80 hours biweekly

Hours of work: This position requires aflexible schedule that may include daytime, evening, and weekend hours. Workhours may vary based on family availability, child and youth needs, programneeds, and scheduled activities.

Union: No

PostingEnd Date: Openuntil filled
Site: The Link: Youth and FamilySupports
Work Location: 175 Mayfair Avenue;in community
Salary Range: $37,050.00 - $49,2000.00

TheLink is an equal opportunity employer, Indigenous people, women, visibleminorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The Link iscommitted to developing and retaining a diverse workforce. We thank allapplicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will becontacted.

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📌 Child & Youth Engagement Ally - Home Fire Preservation Program (Manitoba)
🏢 The Link: Youth and Family Supports
📍 Manitoba