Housing Wellness Counsellor - Full-time, two year term

Job Title: Housing Wellness Counsellor, Full-time, Two-Year Term Position with possibility of extension

Location of Positions: QFN, Corner Brook, NL

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

Rate of Pay: Salary under review

Job Description: The Housing Wellness Counsellor provides advocacy, support, and a point of contact for individuals and families who are seeking housing supports with mental health challenges and or barriers. The Counsellor will use their network to remove barriers for the client to ensure they can access appropriate housing and mental health services. The Housing Wellness Counsellor will provide navigation to existing healthcare and housing services while connecting members to other community programs and supports.

he Housing Wellness Counsellor is dedicated to assisting Indigenous individuals in accessing appropriate housing and mental wellness services. This role involves guiding clients through intake assessments and identifying programs that integrate cultural and spiritual elements with conventional wellness practices. The focus is on promoting life, fostering community cohesion, encouraging prosocial behavior, empowering individuals, and building personal resilience. Additionally, the counsellor may address specific mental health issues, such as substance use disorders. The incumbent will work collaboratively with various departments within the organization, the community, service providers, and partner organizations.

The Housing Wellness Counsellor will work collaboratively with departmental staff and external housing and healthcare networks to ensure that individuals, families, and community members are able to access and navigate appropriate mental health and housing services.

Responsibilities:

1. Assist in navigating and addressing issues in the health care and housing system. This includes providing client advocacy and assisting with the navigation of related programs and services. 


2. Assist in removing barriers and challenges for clients to access appropriate services.


3. Provide appropriate mental health screening and assessment on client intake as needed.


4. Maintain a good working relationship with external stakeholders, such as government agencies, service providers, and other organizations.


5. Provide brief individual counselling, intake assessment, and mental health crisis interventions as required to meet the emergent needs of program participants and membership seeking services.


6. Co-facilitate group counselling sessions.


7. Support staff debriefing, psychoeducation and professional development.


8. Provide consultation and client support.


9. Provide case management as needed for clients with urgent needs related to connecting with social, emotional, physical, and spiritual resources in the community.


10. Develop information materials related to mental wellness.


11. Co-develop and co-facilitate programming with other Qalipu First Nation organization departments


12. Coordinate services from professionals as needed to support wellness programs such as formal group programs in accordance with best practices and provincial regulations


13. Participate in applicable committees and working groups


14. Consult with housing and health professionals and service providers regarding individuals’ access to services.


15. Liaise and advocate for the client’s health and wellness supports.


16. Liaise with the individual’s external supports, as required.


17. Attend appointments with individuals where appropriate.


18. Assist individuals with completing healthcare-related paperwork such as the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) reimbursement documents.


19. Assist in connecting the patient and their family with community cultural supports.


20. Maintain confidentiality and protect the privacy of members, internal operations, and activities of the Band.


21. Provide reports and keep records as required by Qalipu and Indigenous Services Canada.


22. Ensure files are stored and maintained as per the Canadian Privacy Act, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Qalipu Electronic Records Management System, and Quality Management Protocols for the Health division team.


23. Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

Education: A degree that meets the requirements to provide professional counselling services in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.  Registration with a provincial regulatory body, such as NLPB, NLCSW, or certification with the CCPA professional association, is a requirement.

Experience: This position requires a minimum of one (1) year of mental health facilitation, mental health screening, and or psychoeducation in either the housing field or health service. Demonstrated experience in program, and project development, delivery and management. The successful candidate will be culturally aware and competent, have excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills and experience working with the indigenous community.

Working Conditions: This position will have duties predominantly met during regular business hours. Some Travel and overnight stays may be required at times.  Additional travel and flexibility of work schedule may be required.  A driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle is a requirement of the position.

Full-time Term Employee Benefits:

Annual Leave: FT employees - Three weeks per year.

Statutory and Non-Statutory Holidays:  Employees are entitled to 13 days off to cover Statutory and Non-statutory holidays per year.

Summer Office Hours: Office hours during the summer months are from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Thursday, Friday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.  The schedule starts the later part of April and continues until the last week of September.

Christmas Break: the office closes down during the Christmas break; this is an added bonus that employees are entitled to. 

FT Sick and Family Medical:  Full Time Term Employees are entitled to 12 paid sick and family medical days per year.

Under 2 hours Medical Appointment: Employees may attend an appointment of less than 2 hours with no deductions to Sick and Family Medical.

Discretionary Bereavement: One day off per year for the death of a relative not included as immediate family, a close friend or neighbour.

Volunteer Program: Employees may volunteer outside of the organization up to 21 hours per year.

Apply: If you are interested in this position, please apply online with a resume, covering letter, and three professional references to: https://qalipu.bamboohr.com/jobs/ with subject line: “Housing Wellness Counsellor”. Submissions are to be addressed to:

Mrs. Janet McAuley, Human Resources Manager

Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation

3 Church Street

Corner Brook, NL A2H 2Z4

Deadline date for receipt of Cover Letter and Resume: Monday, June 16, 2025, at 4:00 pm.

Please note: The following documents are required: Diplomas/Certificates for Post-Secondary Education and Training. A Code of Conduct, and a Vulnerable Sector Query, both documents can be obtained from your local police dept.  Personal Immunization Records should be up to date. Proof of membership and good standing with a therapeutic counselling association or board.

QFN is an equal opportunity employer, in situations where candidates have equal credentials, preference will be given to aboriginal candidates. If you are a member of Qalipu First Nation please indicate it in your cover letter.