Braiding the Sweetgrass – Facilitator

Hull Services has an organizational commitment to pursuing truth and reconciliation, decolonization and anti-oppression.

About Us:

Hull Services has long had a reputation for providing leading edge child, youth, and family mental health services. We work with children, youth and families who have experienced mental health struggles, behavioural problems, developmental delay, neglect, abuse and trauma. Hull offers them an opportunity to seek well-being and happiness, with a focus on mental health. Hull’s vision is for resilient young people and families to thrive within communities that support their mental health and well-being. Hull’s programs and services include prevention and early intervention, family-based treatment, school-based services, community group care, campus-based care, adult services and education and training. Located in Calgary, we have been serving Alberta’s young people and families for 60 years, and support over 8,000 young people and families each year.

For more information about Hull Services, please visit our website: www.hullservices.ca

The Program:

Braiding the Sweetgrass is a program offered to Indigenous families in Calgary by Hull Services. This program guides Indigenous families through the effects of intergenerational trauma (IGT) to a place of well-being. In Braiding the Sweetgrass (BTS), families experience culture, community and reconnection on their journey of healing. The primary goal of BTS is to create a foundation upon which we can build a future for healthy Indigenous families, free from the trauma cycle.  Hull has developed this unique approach blending Traditional healing practices and Western understanding of brain development and the effects of trauma. Elders are important wisdom keepers of Traditional knowledge and a team of selected Elders from a variety of tribes have been integral contributors to the development and delivery of the program. Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) has provided the lens for understanding trauma and working with culture to heal the effects of IGT.

The Position:

Braiding the Sweetgrass is looking for a full-time Facilitator. This position will work in an unstructured workweek, including evenings and weekends in order to accommodate family visits, group and community gatherings. BTS Facilitators work in collaboration with the Program Coordinator, Program Director, Indigenous Resource Coordinator and other program Facilitators to effectively develop and deliver programming.

Preference will be given to individuals who have lived experience with Indigenous Canadian cultures.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate programming as set out in the Braiding the Sweetgrass program design and objectives, with consideration for unique needs of the people we serve
• Work with Elders and clinical specialists to integrate Traditional and Western approaches to programming and well-being
• Ensure effective administration of the program by actively participating in team meetings and preparing for all program related activities (i.e. marketing, recruiting, intake, data collection, etc.)
• Plan and/or support extended opportunities for past participants that may include monthly gatherings, access to Elders, ceremony, mentorship programs, workshops and community engagement
• Plan and deliver content specific programming to participants according to program mandate
• Write debriefing notes following each programming session specific to participants
• Engage in home visits with participants in between programming dates
• Create and keep current and up-to-date files according to CARF guidelines
• Provide advocacy for the people we serve in the Indigenous community and beyond
• Enhance cultural connections for families

Qualifications and Skills:

• Degree or diploma in Human Services or a related field
• At least 2 years of relevant experience
• Well-developed time management and communication skills
• Ability to work well in a team environment as well as independently
• Demonstrated organizational and administrative skills, and ability to manage multiple projects and tasks
• Demonstrated initiative and reliability
• Extensive knowledge of Indigenous culture(s)
• Extensive knowledge of intergenerational trauma — the causes and the impacts
• Open to participation in activities, ceremonies and practices to promote well-being and Indigenous culture
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse Indigenous program in a non-Indigenous specific organization
• Understanding of or open to learning NMT and brain development concepts as it relates to trauma
• A solid network of relationships with other family-serving organizations, and the Indigenous community and resources
• Flexibility and availability for evening and weekend work
• A Police Information Check, which includes a vulnerable sector search, is required (or is in process of being completed) prior to employment
• A Child Intervention Record Check
• Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and ability to drive Agency vehicles is preferred (min. 2 years driving experience with a class 5/GDL class 5 license)
• Completion of ASIST, First Aid, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention and Certified with CYCAA would be considered an asset

How to Apply:

• If interested, please direct your cover letter and resume to careers@hullservices.ca
• Please indicate “Your Full Name – BTS Facilitator” in the subject line of your email

Application open until a suitable candidate is found. 

Note: We personally review every application received through careers@hullservices.ca and our team will give your application due consideration. It may take up to two weeks to review all applications. If your qualifications and experience match our requirements we will contact you directly.

At Hull, one of our core values is Inclusion and we seek to understand people’s lived experience, holding a deep respect for their unique backgrounds, ethnicities, abilities, cultures and identities. It is our desire to humbly build trust and mutual respect with the people we serve who have often been marginalized and oppressed for their differences. To achieve this, Hull seeks open, self-aware individuals who reflect the diversity of those we serve and can help us build a safe, healthy, inclusive culture. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, place of origin, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, family status, or sexual orientation.