Why you should join the YESS family
YESS has a dedicated staff team committed to the well-being of Edmonton’s youth. We offer a great work environment with many opportunities to learn and grow as an individual and as part of the team. We offer competitive wages and benefits. Above all, we offer an opportunity for you to help youth from difficult realities overcome challenges and obstacles and become productive young adults.
YESS is an equal opportunity employer, committed to an inclusive and safe work environment for people of all backgrounds. All qualified candidates are encouraged to submit a cover letter and resume for the positions posted.
Due to the overwhelming number of applications we receive, we are unable to acknowledge every applicant individually. Only candidates who are shortlisted will be contacted.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I want to complete my practicum placement at YESS. How can I do this?
Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) accepts practicum students from many post-secondary institutions and programs. Your program must be directly related to youth work, such as Child and Youth Care, Social Work, Corrections, or Addictions and Community Support.
Practicum placements must be a minimum of 300 hours to be considered.
We do not have a set amount of practicum placements throughout the year and these placements are not guaranteed. Job postings with opening are done a few times a year and typically are posted 2 – 3 months before practicum students are required. Check back on the YESS career page often, to see if there is a posting for the placement period you are looking for. Applications for placements can only be made through an open job posting, we do not keep resumes on file for future openings.
Where would I do my practicum?
You will be able to choose the days and hours per week that fit with your schedule.
- 24/7 Sleep Shelter located at 93 Street and 82 Avenue: low-barrier shelter providing basic needs and stabilization, referrals to resources and emergency crisis support.
- Daytime Programs and Resources located at 93 Street and 82 Avenue: youth programming, harm reduction onsite, and connecting youth to city wide resources.
What would I do?
- Build healthy relationships with youth
- Assist with intakes and crisis diversion
- Housekeeping duties
- Manage youth access to services: meals, showers, laundry, donations, etc.
- Work with youth to achieve their goals and transition out of homelessness
- Maintain documentation records and entering information into a database
- Perform clerical duties to maintain youth support, youth goal setting and team communication
What does the ideal candidate look like?
You will have:
- strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- be organized and highly detail-oriented
- proven ability to build good relationships
- creative problem-solving skills
- ability to deal with ambiguity and be flexible
- respectful and appropriate behaviours and be a role model for youth
You will require the following prerequisites.
- Standard First Adi Certificate
- ASIST Certificate
- Training in suicide intervention and harm reduction is an asset
- Clear police clearance (CRIM) and a Child and Youth Intervention (CYIM) checks, both obtained within the last six months
- Basic computer skills
- Regardless of work location you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have an approved accommodation. Rapid testing will not be accepted as an alternative to vaccination, except individuals who cannot be vaccinated based on medical or other protected grounds outlined in the Alberta Human Rights Act
We wish you great success with your studies!
What does every employee need to have to work at YESS?
All employees are required to submit these valid documents:
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- Clean Criminal Record Check / Vulnerable Sector Check (no older than 6 months)
- Clean Intervention Record Check (Child & Youth) (no older than 6 months)
- Proof of class 5 driver’s license, $1 million liability insurance, and clean driver’s abstract less than 3 months old
Where can I get a Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check?
Currently these are available for submission online here:
How long does it take to get my Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Check?
You can head over to the government’s Nexus Business Office and obtain these on the spot. If you apply for this online it may take up to 2 days.
Where can I get an Intervention Record Check (Child and Youth)?
Currently all offices are closed, however, you can call the offices to see how to obtain these checks at this time. Here is the website to visit:
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- informalberta.ca
- You can also reach out to them directly at IRCEdmonton@gov.ab.ca to get the form to fill out and apply through email
- If you do not have your results back in time for an offer letter, we do require that you show us proof that you have applied for this check
How long does it take to get my (Child and Youth) Intervention Record Check?
Typically, this takes anywhere from 20 to 30 business days, however, this may take longer with the current circumstances
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- Currently it is taking upwards of 60 days to receive, so we highly recommend that all those interested in working at YESS apply for this regardless of the status of your application – this is also no cost to you to get.
I am looking to volunteer with YESS. How can I do that?
You will need to connect with our Volunteers Programs Officer for current volunteer opportunities.
What types of careers are there at YESS?
We have several different careers at YESS to fully support our operations. There are many frontline positions working with youth in shelter, supportive housing, and day programs. We also have departments that are dedicated to raising money and building community relationships to finance, administration, cooking, and maintenance. Feel free to reach out to Human Resources at 780-468-7070 Ext. 244 for any specific questions.
I tried to apply for a position but there was no “apply” button. What do I do?
First, try refreshing the page. If that does not work, try using an internet browser like Google Chrome to access the posting. If that also does not work, feel free to contact our Human Resources to help you out at 780-468-7070 ext. 244!
What kind of education do I need in order to work as a youth worker?
We accept a number of different programs run by various institutions to work with us, however, the most popular ones are:
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- Child and Youth Services
- Social Work
- Addiction and Community Service Worker
- Bachelor of Psychology
- Correctional Services Program
If you have experience working in the field but no direct education to support that, outline your direct experience in a cover letter when you apply to the position.