Job Description

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 144142
Department/Program: Dartmouth Community Mental Health, Mental Health & Addictions Program
Location: Dartmouth
Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) until x 1 position(s)
Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $32.1405 - $42.0063 /hour
Closing Date: November 09, 2022 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across . People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other's talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our , and enjoy access to enhanced and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq people. Working in Mi'kma'ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Clinical Manager, Mental Health & Addictions Service the Recreation Therapist will provide patient and family centred care to enable children and youth to acquire skill, knowledge and behaviour that will allow them to incorporate positive leisure experiences as part of a healthy lifestyle. The Recreation Therapist will develop individual, family and group interventions with the goal of enhancing the development of life-long leisure skills and attitudes, eliminating barriers to leisure, and optimizing the leisure involvement of children with mental health problems in partnership with families and the treatment team. The Recreation Therapist is responsible for the assessment of a child's or youth's recreational and leisure needs, setting realistic goals with the child/youth, designing and implementing appropriate interventions and plans, including appropriate documentation of the plan, as well as evaluating the interventions in an efficient manner. These interventions are completed with the child, youth and family within an interdisciplinary team approach.

Hours of Work

8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday, some evenings may be required.

Your Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree in Recreation or Leisure Studies with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation required.
• Certification as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist by the National Council for Therapeutic creation Certification (NCTRC) required.
• Two (2) years' experience working as a Recreation Therapist required; Mental Health and Addictions experience is preferred
• Current successful completion of a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Basic Life Support Level (BLS) Program within the last twelve (12) months or successful completion of a BLS Renewal Challenge Certificate required.
• Valid minimal Class 5 Nova Scotia driver's license required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in leisure/recreation assessment and intervention.
• Knowledge of leisure education and leisure counselling processes required.
• Knowledge of various mental and physical health conditions and their impact on health, well-being, and quality of life required.
• Effective counselling and communication (verbal & written) skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team as well as the ability to work independently required.
• Excellent time management, organization and problem-solving skills; demonstrated ability to set priorities required.
• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to family centred care required.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and promote interpersonal & community relationships required.
• Competencies in other languages considered an asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials. Additionally, as per Nova Scotia's COVID-19 Vaccine mandate, any offer of employment will be conditional upon submitting proof of full vaccination status. Medical exceptions or any other kind of requested exception based upon the Health Centre's obligations pursuant to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Code will be considered on a case-by-case basis

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.