School-Based Groups Caseworker

About Us:
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph (BBBSG), it is our collective mission to provide life-changing mentoring programs that ignite the power and potential of all young people.  We seek to put children and youth on a path to lifelong success and change the trajectories of their lives in positive ways. We are committed to the recruitment of volunteers, and dedicated to upholding the values and principles of the agency and to those whom we serve. Our organizational vision is that all young people realize their full potential.

General Purpose:
Caseworkers report to the Casework Manager. As program staff, they are required to follow the National Standards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. School-Based Caseworkers will interview school-based mentors, train school-based mentors, liaise with local schools, determine program placement within schools, and supervise their involvement.

The terms “Mentor” or “Volunteer” are used to refer to In-School Mentors and School-Based Group Mentors.

The Opportunity:
BBBSG is seeking an experienced and results-oriented individual to add to its Casework staff team. This individual should be a strong communicator and collaborator who will work closely with BBBSG’s staff, volunteers and community partners to successfully execute this active and engaging program.

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

Intake and Coordination of School Based Group (SBG) Programs:

• Liaise with school liaisons in local schools to inform them about the program
• Create a wait-list of schools who want SBG programs
• Determine school availability for programs and ensure appropriate space will be available
• Compare mentor availability with school availability and make group assignments
• Continue to monitor the wait-list for SBG programs, ensuring fair placements for schools and keeping wait-times to a minimum

Volunteer/Mentor Process:

• Provide necessary information to the volunteer during application process
• Review volunteer application and documentation
• Interview prospective volunteers
• Inform volunteers of their acceptance or rejection
• Re-assess and promote re-assignment of volunteers following closure of a group where appropriate
• Conduct program specific training for SBG mentors

Matching and Supervision:

• As new volunteers complete screening, match to appropriate schools/children
• Provide necessary intervention and support to volunteers and schools
• Provide ongoing communications with school liaison to develop a mutually beneficial relationship
• Match volunteers to local schools based on availability, skills and compatibility, taking in account the needs of the schools and the other School Based Programs happening there. Monitor match according to National Standards
• Provide necessary intervention and support to volunteers, mentees, and the school in consultation with the casework team
• Facilitate the ending process when groups end

Material Preparation and Presentation:

• Purchase required materials to stock supply bins for all SBG programs, in consultation with other school-based programs
• Provide required program materials to mentors for SBG programs
• Purchase and distribute grocery cards to SBG mentors

Placement Student Supervision:

• Monitor matches with placement students following National Standards, with additional assessments of student skills and growth
• Collaborate with the Casework Manager to complete student grading and official assessment procedures

Other Related Duties:

• Maintain case notes in accordance with National Standards – CRM
• Solicit program feedback from key stakeholders (e.g. liaisons) and adjust program content where required, consistent with National Standards, to meet the emerging need of children and youth
• Develop innovative program content, when appropriate, and implement accordingly, in partnership with management
• Perform administrative functions as required to manage caseload
• Provide regular reports to the Executive Director as required (e.g. statistics)
• Participate in promotion of the agency in the community and at special events as assigned by the Executive Director
• Attend meetings/events as directed by the Executive Director
• Accountable for receipts and petty cash as approved by the Executive Director
• Participate in development of policy, procedures & agency guidelines relative to service delivery
• Assist in training new team members and casework students