School-Based Substance Use Counsellor

Who We Are: 

arc programs exists to create thriving communities, free of systemic barriers and full of belonging, equity, and hope. We have a bold vision to ensure everyone in our communities feels connected and cared for and are excited to be expanding our team to help us accelerate our impact!

We're Hiring!

We are seeking a qualified individual to temporarily cover the role of School-Based Substance Use Counsellor in our Changes Program. This position is expected to start in mid-March 2026, and last until the incumbent returns from a leave. 

The School-Based Substance Use Counsellor is responsible for providing individualized early intervention and treatment services, on an outreach basis, primarily to youth attending high schools across School District #23. 

Hours/Schedule: 

This role is fulltime during the school year and transitions to part-time in the summer months, as recognized by the school district. 
 

• School year: 32 hours per week 

• Summer months: 30 hours per week 

The School-Based Youth Substance Use Counsellor will provide direct service primarily on-site at the assigned schools, working full-time Monday to Friday (please note that services are also provided over the summer break, not just during the school year). 

Responsibilities: 

The Counsellor must be familiar with a range of counselling modalities to provide a continuum of interventions that have differing levels of service intensity and duration and are based on the individual youth’s substance use and identified needs. 

School-Based Substance Use Counsellor responsibilities include: 

• providing assessment\service planning interviews with referred youth, and their families if appropriate 

• cooperating with referral agents, youth, parents and other service providers in developing individualized service plans (GPS and ISPRs), for all program participants 

• Supporting youth in developing age-appropriate life skills. 

• Providing individual counselling to youth, as per the goals of their ISPR and provide support and encouragement to reducing their reliance on substances and preventing the harm associated with substance use. 

• Providing Parent Advisory (PAC) substance use presentations and or SD23 Teacher/PROD  presentations as needed or requested. 

• Providing family /caregiver Substance Use support as per goals of the youth’s ISPR. 

• Providing counselling and encouragement to youth to support the development of a healthy  

• lifestyle.  

• Participating in client service planning and review- Integrated Case Management team conferences. Where a referred client does not have an integrated case management team, facilitate integrated case management through facilitating client intake and discharge case conferences with youth consent.  

• Writing client intake reports (assessment/Appendix C/interpretive summary, Goal Planner/GPS, ISPR’s, letter re brief service, etc.), program discharge reports, and provide other case administration procedures as per program guidelines and time frames, when .  

• Liaison with Substance Use services and other community service providers to facilitate the coordination and integration of services for client. 

Preferred Education and Experience:  

Educational requirements: 

• BA - CYC and 2 years related experience.  

• BSW and 2 years related experience.  

• BA and 3 years related experience.  

• CYC Certificate and 5 years related experience.  

To be successful in your role, you'll also need related experience in:  

• Adolescent substance-use counselling program.  

• Adolescent treatment program. 

• Youth and family counselling program.  

• Addictions treatment program.  

• Youth residential treatment program.  

• Adolescent life skills training program. 

Other Requirements:  

Given the nature of our work, please note that all shortlisted candidates: 

• Need a valid BC Driver's License, regional insurance, and a reliable personal vehicle. 

• Must undergo a screening process, including a criminal record search. 

Wage / Benefits: 

$29.95 – $ 33.20 per hour based on experience and education.  

Upon successful completion of a probationary period, full-time employees (minimum 20-hrs per week) are eligible for a full benefit package (including dental plan, vision coverage, life insurance, extended medical coverage, long-term disability plan, and RRSP or TFSA contributions)

New full-time employees are eligible for 3-weeks paid vacation to start, as well as paid sick days as described in agency policy. 

Why we’re an employer of choice!

Like most in the social services sector, arc programs is an equal-opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and ensure everyone on the team demonstrates cultural safety and sensitivity of all populations we serve.

But we believe there’s more to our work culture that promotes high levels of employee satisfaction and retention…

We are inclusive.

We use an anti-oppressive lens to inform our work with folx of all cultures, races, ethnic backgrounds, disabilities, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socio-economic status, religions, and other oppressions to enhance our approach to equality.

We are ever-evolving. 

We recruit and retain highly skilled staff and support their development through training, education, research, best practices, and innovation.

We foster a culture of continuous learning and lean into diverse perspectives, encouraging all voices to be heard and honoring the wisdom of Metaptmumk - 'all-around seeing,' a multidimensional way of knowing, doing and being that reinforces positive, reciprocal relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, while decolonizing western knowledge and supporting an intersectional lens to cultivate warm, reciprocal relationship - while engaging meaningfully with the provincial community social services sector, Indigenous communities and agencies. 
 

Discover more about our agency services and work culture at arcprograms.com.

If you feel a connection to our values and work, we'd love to hear from you!  

Click the "Apply for This Job" Button.

We appreciate your interest, but kindly note that due to the high number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted. 

We acknowledge that arc programs is situated in the ancestral, traditional and unceded territories of the Syilx peoples in the Okanagan and West Kootenay regions. We also acknowledge the Métis peoples and the Inuit who reside in these regions.