Job title: Mental Wellness & Substance Use Counsellor – Community
Company: Government of Yukon
Expected salary: $87091 – 101013 per year
Location: Watson Lake, YT
Mental Wellness & Substance Use Counsellor – Community Job Details:
This posting is to fill a permanent full-time position working 75 hours bi-weekly living and working in Watson Lake, Yukon.
An eligibility list will be established in this competition and may be used to fill similar positions in other communities (excluding Whitehorse).
The successful candidate is responsible for locating and securing their own housing – this is not provided by Yukon Government. To find out more about Watson Lake, please visit
Watson Lake
The town of Yukon, or the ‘gateway to the Yukon’, is situated on the border of BC and Yukon and has population of approximately 700 people. Surrounded by lakes, rivers and trails, the opportunities to explore the outdoors are numerous. Watson Lake lies within the traditional territory of the Liard First Nation, part of the Kaska Tribal Council. Kaska is the name of the language spoken by the people and also refers to the cultural group of First Nations peoples who have inhabited the region between the coastal and rocky mountain ranges of northern British Columbia and the southeastern Yukon since time immemorial The community of Watson Lake consists of the town of Watson lake and the settlements of Liard First Nation including Upper Liard, Two-Mile Village and Two and a Half Mile Village. For more information about Liard First Nation please click , and for information about the Kaska Dena Council please click .
Our Team
Mental Wellness and Substance Use (MWSU) Community Hubs provide a wide range of mental wellness support in all Yukon communities. Our services include; individual counselling, outreach services, workshops, and community support. While working within a dynamic and compassionate team and collaborating with First Nation governments and community partners, we are dedicated to enhancing the well-being of community members.
Your Role
This position offers an incredible opportunity to serve as a community counsellor on the traditional territory of the Liard First Nation. As the initial point of contact for individuals in the community seeking mental wellness and/or substance use services from MWSU, you will play a vital role in connecting folks to programs and supports. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team of counsellors, mental health nurses and support workers, to ensure professional and cultural supports are in place to maximize the wellness and success of individuals. You will be responsible for intake, assessment, treatment planning, crisis intervention, aftercare services, consultation, community programming, psychoeducational presentations, individual and group programming to facilitate and coordinate client access to services.
In this position and as part of the Community Hubs team for MWSU, you will work as part of a larger team of mental wellness professionals, which includes counsellors, mental health nurses and support workers. As a member of an interdisciplinary team, MWSU Counsellors collaborate closely with First Nation Governments and partners in the communities they serve to support the holistic needs of clients and providing continuity across the care continuum. Flexibility and creativity are key skills needed to continually engage with, and contribute to, community-based and cultural programing with local First Nation and municipal governments.
For more information about the position, please contact Kristy Petovello, A/Manager, Community Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services at
For more information about the hiring process, please contact Leah Berman (HR Consultant) at:
Please do not email resumes to the email address above; resumes may only be accepted through E-recruitment, found . Please create an account to upload your resume.
Essential Qualifications
Please submit your resume clearly demonstrating how you meet the following qualifications – specifically – how your work experiences and related duties align with the essential qualifications shown below using the Month/Year to Month/Year format. Please note that selection for further consideration will be based on the information you provide in your resume.
- Bachelor’s degree in social sciences, Social Work, Psychology, Counselling, or related field
- Considerable experience working therapeutically (individual and group counselling, providing psych ed, facilitating assessments, etc.) with individuals impacted by mental health, trauma, and substance use in a mental health/social service setting
- Experience providing case management services, preferably in a mental health/social service setting
- Experience with crisis intervention and risk assessments with individuals in crisis
- Experience building partnerships and collaborating with First Nation Government and/or other community partners in a social service setting
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Suitability
Candidates should have and may be assessed on:
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment
- Ability to work collaboratively with community partners and stakeholders to build capacity and develop and deliver responsible community and cultural programming
- Ability to provide effective case management with experience in both individual and group counselling
- Ability to provide effective screening, mental health and addiction bio-psycho-social assessments, treatment planning and case formulations while working from a harm reduction and client/family/community-centred service delivery model
- Effective written and oral communication supported by strong conflict resolution skills
- Understanding of collaborative health care delivery systems, and the continuum of services available to clients at different stages of their lives; and,
- Understanding of and adherence to, a harm-reduction two-eyed seeing and trauma informed approach to adult client care
- Knowledge, and the ability to work within, the stages of change model, i.e., ability to adapt interactions to support engagement and the wellness of clients
- Ability to complete and maintain comprehensive clinical records
Additional Information:
Conditions of Employment: verification of post-secondary degree(s), Vulnerable Sector RCMP Security clearance, WHMIS 2015 (within one month of hire), TB screening, first aide (within 6 months of starting position) and valid class 5 driver’s licence or equivalent
Job Requirements: Regular travel to surrounding communities to provide support services.
Benefits of Employment:
- Yukon Bonus and Community allowances
- Extended Health and Dental benefits, pension, 4 weeks vacation to start as well as special and sick paid leaves.
- Professional development opportunities
- Relocation may be considered
Learn more about us!
We are the Yukon public service. Every day, we come together to serve the people who live here, and to make a difference in so many ways-from simple to extraordinary and everything in between. Here, you will find the diverse opportunities you desire to develop your career while enjoying a warm sense of community and vibrant artistic, cultural, and recreational amenities, all set in a spectacular natural environment.
To learn more why the Yukon Government is recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, please select the following link:
To learn more about what Yukon has to offer, check out these links:
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Eligibility List
12 months
Post Date
7 September 2023
Close Date
20 September 2023
Job Description
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