Mental Health and Wellbeing Specialist, Student Wellness Services

Description

Student Wellness Services in Student and Enrolment Services is currently seeking a Full-time Limited Term Mental Health and Wellbeing Specialist for approximately 12 months.

As a member of the Student Experience and Support (SES) team, this position reports to the Manager, Student Wellness Support and will work across the Student Wellness, Access, and Support (SWAS) portfolio. This requires working closely with a variety of staff and a variety of internal and external stakeholders. (e.g. Student Support Advisors, Counsellors, Student Accessibility Services, Student Success Centre, International Student Services, and other community agencies) who provide mental health, well-being, and social support to Students at the University of Calgary. This position is predominately located at the U of C Main Campus; however, travel to the other campuses may also be required on occasion. Work is complex, with peak periods during Sept-April. This is a unionized position working 35 hours a week, Monday to Friday, with the occasional requirement to work outside of regular hours.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Meet with students 1:1 (face-to-face/virtual contact with clients) who self-refer or who are referred by the campus community for mental health, well-being, &/or system navigation support, including being potentially at-risk.
• Provide approximately 20-22 same-day and other scheduled appointments per week.
• Assess the emergent nature of intakes and prioritize appointments accordingly.
• Perform routine screening for suicide and self-harm risks, and risk to others.
• Provide a mental health triage function to assess the level of risk of students being referred or students presenting in crisis.
• Assess the needs of vulnerable student communities, particularly international students, Indigenous students, and other at-risk communities.
• Provide short-term, solution-focused interventions to students to ensure they have the support required to achieve their identified goals.
• Connect students to internal resources and provide appropriate referrals to mental health services in the community to support the treatment of complex or urgent mental health and well-being concerns.
• Ensure currency in intercultural and diversity issues in all programming considerations.
• Ensure appropriate application of relevant policies, including Students-At-Risk and Non-Academic Misconduct. Recommend programming and training regarding working with and supporting at-risk student behaviors.
• Establish collaborative relationships with other university staff to support students.
• Work collaboratively with other Student Support Advising team members and Wellness Services staff.
• Ensure all analysis and reporting efforts comply with university processes, FOIP, and the Health Information Act.
• Demonstrate a high standard of performance in the provision of a welcoming first point of contact for students in the pursuit of mental health and wellbeing services.
• Contribute to a warm, supportive, and non-judgmental atmosphere for, students, graduate practicum students, interns, and staff.
• Maintain client files according to protocol and ensure files are updated in a timely, thorough, and ethical manner.
• Initiate registration of first-time clients and returning clients.
• Collect (and report on as required) intake and case management reporting data.
• Participate in regular Student Wellness and department staff meetings.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in social work or related field.
• Maintenance of professional registration is required (e.g., RSW).
• 3 years experience working in mental health.
• 2-3 years experience with crisis intervention, suicide intervention training, and at-risk behaviors.
• Experience working in a post-secondary environment (preferred).
• Clear police record check.
• Experience with outreach and collaborative programs.
• Strong leadership and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated strong regard for issues of confidentiality and dealing with highly sensitive material.
• Proven ability to work effectively with multiple departments, organizations, and people in sensitive and complex situations.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to model these skills to students and staff.
• Experience with presentation and group facilitation skills.
• Requires complex, conceptual, and practical expertise in the field of social work.
• Uses best practices and knowledge to help students access relevant resources.
• Ability to solve complex issues (e.g., students who are at-risk/presenting in crisis).
• Exercise good judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information.

Application Deadline:  August 15, 2024

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 2.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website. 

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.