Northern Youth Action for Prevention Program Coordinator

Full-time position available to work with youth, adult allies, and communities in Northern Saskatchewan to reduce alcohol use and alcohol-related harms and improve health and well-being.

The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute coordinates the Northern Youth Action for Prevention (YAP) Program in close partnership with the Northern Alcohol Strategy.

The position will be located in La Ronge or Prince Albert, with the possibility of other locations in the North. Travel throughout the province to meet program objectives is required.

Northern Youth Action for Prevention (YAP) Program

Using the philosophy of youth engagement and a harm reduction approach, the Northern YAP Program is committed to meaningful engagement with youth, adult allies, and communities in the North, including those engaged with or interested in the Northern Alcohol Strategy.

YAP is a youth-focused, upstream prevention program that is part of a larger program focused on reducing the occurrence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). YAP supports youth to make informed decisions about their own practices related to alcohol and encourages the creation of resources and projects to raise awareness and share evidence-based information.

Evidence-based education, resources, presentations, and trainings are offered to help youth, adult allies, and communities work together to improve youth health and well-being.

Saskatchewan Prevention Institute

The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute is a provincial non-profit organization. Our goal is healthy children. The Prevention Institute strives for excellence in primary prevention and knowledge translation and exchange to reflect current best evidence and meet identified needs in diverse communities.

As a member of the Prevention Institute team, you will be part of a healthy and effective work environment that is committed to professionalism, integrity, accountability, and teamwork. The Prevention Institute provides a flexible work environment, fostering a healthy work-life balance.

As an employer, the Prevention Institute believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion create a team that is best able to meet our goals. The Prevention Institute is committed to hiring and employment practices that provide equal opportunities.

Responsibilities

The Program Coordinator will be responsible for the coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the YAP Program in Northern Saskatchewan, including:

  • trainings and activities to increase awareness and build the capacity of communities, service providers, adult allies, and youth to address alcohol use and alcohol-related harms
  • collaborations with youth, communities, and agencies in the development and support of local initiatives to promote health and address alcohol use and related harms
  • education and support for meaningful and authentic youth engagement to a variety of sectors and communities
  • continued expansion of the YAP Program’s reach throughout northern Saskatchewan

Reporting to the Program Manager and Executive Director, the Coordinator is specifically accountable for:

Program Coordination and Planning

  • Lead the implementation of work plan activities and report on progress.
  • Prepare proposals, budgets, operational plans, timelines, and reports to ensure the work plan is completed in a timely manner.
  • Work with the Research and Evaluation Team to evaluate projects, resources, and the program.

Financial Accountability

  • Direct program expenses in accordance with organizational and funder requirements.

Knowledge Exchange and Information Sharing

  • Consult with diverse stakeholders, specifically youth, youth-serving agencies, and youth focused committees, to identify educational, resource, and training needs.
  • Aim to understand and address the unique needs of a variety of communities and cultural groups in Canada in relation to upstream FASD prevention.
  • Stay up to date on emerging trends, needs, and research.
  • Ensure work is guided by current evidence and best practices, including promotion of best evidence to meet identified needs.
  • Disseminate messaging in diverse forms (print, virtual, media campaigns).

Capacity Building and Training Provision

  • Support community initiatives to improve the health of young people and reduce prenatal alcohol exposure.
  • Provide service providers with professional development and training opportunities to increase skills, competency, and knowledge related to youth engagement and the upstream prevention of FASD.
  • Build a network of trained facilitators across the North and support their ongoing educational and training needs.
  • Provide opportunities for the development of education and resource materials by youth, including promoting the Youth-led Community Health Grant Program.

Partnerships and Relationships

  • Develop and formalize partnerships with other agencies to achieve program and organizational objectives.
  • Build meaningful and trusting relationships with communities, adult allies, Elders, youth, agency partners, and others.
  • Engage youth to help them examine factors associated with their health, make informed decisions about their own health-related practices, and create positive change in their communities.

Skills & Expertise

  • Understand and implement the principles of youth engagement, harm reduction, health equity, reconciliation, strengths-based approaches, and trauma-informed practices.
  • Awareness and sensitivity of diverse populations in Saskatchewan, including the ongoing impacts of colonization on the health of Indigenous Peoples.
  • Awareness of the diverse strengths, available supports, ongoing initiatives, and persistent as well as emergent needs in Northern Saskatchewan.

Performance Competencies

The Coordinator will demonstrate the following behaviours (performance competencies) in their work:

Relationship Building

  • Demonstrates understanding and openness towards others; values diversity in background, thought, and practice; and builds rapport by nurturing and valuing positive relationships both inside and outside the organization.

Teamwork and Collaboration

  • Demonstrates the ability and seeks opportunities to work cooperatively within a team and with a variety of individuals inside and outside of the organization to achieve optimal results.

Communication

  • Demonstrates an ability to communicate effectively in a wide variety of situations, to improve outcomes, and to achieve results.

Continuous Learning

  • Demonstrates a desire to deepen and broaden understanding and skill by staying up to date on best evidence, current trends, and promising practices and actively pursuing opportunities to build capacity and knowledge that can be applied to identified needs, programming objectives, and the Institute’s strategic goals.

Knowledge and Expertise

  • Demonstrates proficiency in the knowledge and skills specific to the position and uses expertise to serve the objectives of both the team and organization as a whole.

Innovative Thinking

  • Demonstrated experience creating new or significantly different and useful ideas, methods, processes, products, or services to meet/exceed organizational objectives.

Flexible and Adaptable

  • Demonstrates an ability to adapt and thrive in an atmosphere of changing priorities and circumstances.

Initiative

  • Demonstrates initiative without specific direction; completes tasks by removing barriers and locating necessary resources.

Required Qualifications and Experience

  • A certificate, diploma, or degree from a post-secondary institution is required. Relevant areas of study may include but are not limited to, youth work, social work, nursing, or education.
    • 3+ years of experience in a relevant sector (e.g., youth support, justice, community services, or social services) will be considered if post-secondary education has not been completed.
  • Experience using evidence-based information in decision-making and/or the sharing of information (i.e., resource development, presentations, trainings) is required.
  • Experience working directly with youth on collaborative projects and a demonstrated ability to engage with youth in respectful, open, and non-judgemental dialogue.
  • A valid driver’s license.

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

  • an understanding of youth engagement, adult allyship, trauma-informed practices, and harm reduction
  • experience with facilitation, training, and professional development provision in virtual and in-person settings
  • a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with diverse partners and communities, including professionals, youth, community members, Elders, and others

  • The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute requires the submission of a satisfactory criminal record check prior to employment.

    Salary Range

    The starting salary range for this position is $48,750 to $58,000, dependent on experience and qualifications.

    To apply:

    Send a cover letter, resume, and three references by 8:00 a.m. on July 22, 2022, to:

    Lee Hinton, Acting Executive Director
    Saskatchewan Prevention Institute
    1319 Colony Street, Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z1
    Email: [email protected]
    Phone: 306-651-4300
    Fax: 306-651-4301

    Thank you for your interest and application. Only those candidates chosen for interviews will be contacted.