INTENSIVE THERAPIST ASSISTANT

LOCATION: Toronto, ON
POSITION TYPE: Full-time Regular (37.5 hours/week) 
POSTING CLOSING DATE: May 28, 2024

Lumenus Community Services is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We value a recruitment and selection process that is inclusive and barrier-free and we encourage applications from all individuals including, but not limited to, all cultures, religions, racialized communities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities and expressions.

Lumenus Community Services is looking for a full-time Intensive Therapist Assistant for the Day Treatment Program. The Intensive Therapist Assistant works with, and assists the Intensive Therapists in the daily program and provide coverage when an Intensive Therapist is absent. This position ensures that there is adequate coverage at all times to keep the children safe and able to be successful in their learning while at school.

The Intensive Therapist Assistant supports the Intensive Therapist in providing direct intervention for clients with significant needs and challenges affecting social, emotional, behavioral, communicative and/or developmental functioning. Intensive Therapist Assistant has skills in developing strong, positive, reinforcing relationships with clients. They provide counselling, coaching, instruction, direction and redirection for a range of daily challenges and problems in either a classroom setting or live-in treatment setting.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Accompanies all children to and from the bus and helps identify transportation issues at the driver level, helps to triage issues for problem-resolution, and informs Manager of all plans.
• Supports teachers and Intensive Therapists to plan, organize and manage activities collaboratively.
• Engage clients in play therapy (where age appropriate) and or physical activity as part of curriculum.
• Provides extra staff coverage during outdoor recess.
• Supports the Intensive Therapist to plan and deliver therapeutic interventions based on the intension of the program and the needs of the client.
• Supports the Intensive Therapists in implementing evidence informed interventions to address needs as part of program expectations.
• Provides additional classroom coverage to support small group work to address children’s specific needs (e.g., speech, academic, social, sensory etc).
• Ensures all program supplies and equipment are organized, maintained and safely stored.
• Responsible for preparing program materials to support specific classroom learning activities.
• Receives day to day assigned tasks from Intensive Therapist and Manager of Intensive Services.
• Intervenes using nonviolent crisis prevention and invention strategies to manage aggressive behavior.
• Travels between classrooms and program sites as coverage is needed.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Early Childhood Education Diploma or Child and Youth Worker Diploma or equivalent 
• A minimum of two years relevant experience working with preschool children

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Interpersonal relationship skills
• Time management skills
• Ability to support children both individually and in groups
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Knowledge of early childhood development and children with special needs
• Sensitivity to the needs of diverse populations

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Satisfactory clearance under the Vulnerable Sector Screening process
• NVCPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) certification and First Aid certification

TO APPLY: Interested applicants are invited to visit our website at and submit their cover letter and resume on or before May 28, 2024.

We ask applicants to make any accommodation requests for the interview or selection process known in advance by contacting the Human Resources Department. Human Resources will work together with the hiring committee to arrange reasonable and appropriate accommodation for the selection process which will enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner.

Lumenus believes that immunization against COVID-19 is an individual and societal responsibility and that we must do everything possible to protect our clients, families, employees, students, volunteers and contractors against the spread of COVID-19. As a condition of employment, proof of full vaccination or exemption under the Ontario Human Rights Code must be submitted to Human Resources seven (7) calendar days prior to start date.