River Lodge – Child and Youth Care Counsellor

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

About Us:

Hull Services has had a long 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:

River Lodge is a therapeutic campus-based care program that provides intensive treatment to youth aged 12 to 17 with dual diagnoses. These youth have developmental delays and social and emotional deficits along with mental health issues. We provide safety and stability in a highly structured setting to help them attain success and reintegrate them back into the community. We strive to improve their self-regulation skills, social skills and adaptive functioning. Treatment practices follow a behavioural-family systems orientation where social learning methods are used to promote behaviour change. The program also has a strong focus on preserving family and cultural connections by providing support through family work and after care services.

The Position:

The program has an opening for a full time Child and Youth Care Counsellor. The schedule for this position requires flexibility to work a combination of weekday/weekend morning and evening shifts (shifts are generally 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.).

Reporting to the Program Coordinator, the Child and Youth Care Counsellor is a member of an interdisciplinary team which assesses, plans, implements and evaluates the treatment program(s) for youth. The Counsellor participates fully in all facets of program life and is responsible for our youths’ daily care, treatment, nurturance, supervision, health and discipline. The role is extensive and includes counselling, teaching and training, as well as recording and reporting.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Attend to the physical safety, esteem and developmental needs of the children.
Select and make appropriate use of behavioural interventions and strategies.
Communicate rules and behavioural limits and follow through on appropriate behavioural interventions.
Identify and act on goal-related teaching opportunities; use systematic plans of instruction, appropriate teaching methods and approaches to transfer information and skills.
Supervise, organize and implement daily living activities and see these as opportunities for educational and therapeutic interventions.
Use routines and activities to give children security and enable them to relate to others in socially acceptable ways; help the youth understand the need for routines and procedures.
Provide meaningful and responsible role modelling, as well as direct teaching in areas of grooming, hygiene, dress, nutrition and social manners.
Plan and carry out individual and group activities of a recreational nature.
Improve the quality of life for the children by attending to their physical environment.
Monitor and work directly with the children in all aspects of his/her life, e.g., liaise with parents and community groups.
Promote and safeguard children’s rights, interests and treatment by interceding on their behalf.
Act as an avenue of recourse or grievance for the youth and represent his/her interests.
Carry out advocacy responsibilities with regard to the children, youth and the Agency.
In working with people we serve, parents/guardians, co-workers, other professionals and the public, demonstrate appropriate conduct in terms of behaviour, appearance, and presentation and adhere to Agency expectations with regard to confidentiality.
Attend to team responsibilities in terms of participation, communication, and demonstrating a positive attitude.
Model socially acceptable values, e.g., integrity, fairness, and respect.
Participate in professional development activities.

Qualifications and Skills:

Degree or diploma in Child and Youth Care Counselling, Human Services or Social Sciences.
Experience in Therapeutic Campus-Based Care treatment preferred.
High level of personal competence in the formation and maintenance of caring and therapeutic relationships.
Ability to engage clients and families in the treatment process.
Demonstrated interest, commitment, consistency, and a high level of personal maturity and responsibility.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Cross-cultural competence; knowledge of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the recommendations, goals and activities of the commission.
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. 3 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.

To Apply:

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

This posting will remain open until July 17, 2026

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.