About The Link: Youth and Family Supports

For more than 90 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 a sense of being, pride, and purpose. With over 15 diverse programs, The Link has a community of caring staff that work together to provide support through a 24-hour crisis line, youth resource centers, emergency shelters, mobile crisis teams, specialized foster care, healing homes, job readiness supports, and Skills4Life. With a strong foundation within the community and a focus on connection, unity, and compassion, the organization provides a vital link for youth and families in the province of Manitoba.

Position Summary

The Child & Youth Engagement Ally is a front-line, family-centred role within Home Fire, a Family Preservation program designed through a First Nations lens to strengthen families and help children remain safely at home rather than entering Child and Family Services care. This position provides practical, relational, culturally responsive, trauma-informed support to children, youth, and caregivers in home and community settings.

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

Reporting Relationships and Program Context





The Child & Youth Engagement Ally reports to the Family Preservation Manager and works collaboratively with Home Fire team members, caregivers, children, youth, and relevant community supports. The position contributes to case planning, service coordination, information sharing, and team-based decision-making while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.

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 the Home Fire program.
- Build safe, trusting, respectful, and supportive relationships with children, youth, and caregivers using a strength-based, family-centred, and trauma-informed approach.
- Support children and youth who may be impacted by mental health challenges, trauma, family stress, conflict, poverty, addictions, abuse, or other circumstances that increase family vulnerability.
- Encourage child and youth participation in activities that promote emotional regulation, self-confidence, healthy relationships, cultural connection, skill development, and positive identity.
- Provide practical support to caregivers and families in ways that promote family stability, wellness, autonomy, child safety, and the achievement of family-defined goals.

Program and Case Plan Implementation





- Work collaboratively with Home Fire team members to implement individual and family support plans developed through intake, assessment, and ongoing case planning processes.
- Deliver services that align with identified family goals, program expectations, safety planning, and the needs and strengths of each child, youth, and caregiver.
- Support family routines and household functioning through practical assistance such as meal planning, grocery shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping, transportation planning, and other supports as appropriate.
- Communicate regularly and professionally with caregivers 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 as required.

Safety, Crisis Response, and Professional Practice

- Provide de-escalation, conflict resolution, emotional support, and basic first aid interventions when required, within the scope of training and organizational policy.
- Recognize and respond to immediate safety concerns involving children, youth, caregivers, or the home workplace, and follow internal reporting and escalation procedures.
- Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, cultural humility, and ethical conduct in all interactions with children, youth, families, colleagues, and community partners.
- Ensure services are provided in a manner that is respectful of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and diverse cultural identities, family systems, lived experiences, and community contexts.
- Complete assigned duties in alignment with or

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