Join Our Team:

Imagine being part of an organization that adds value to our community, cares about its staff, and creates a supportive workplace environment. Starling Community Services (formerly Lutherwood) is a progressive, not-for-profit health and social service organization that strengthens people's lives by providing mental health, employment, and housing services to more than 16,000 people annually in Waterloo Region and Wellington County.

We need great people like you to help us realize our mission and support communities where everyone experiences mental wellness, opportunities for employment, a place to call home, and a sense of belonging.

There are two Casual Relief Worker, CAPP positions available starting on July 21, 2025, working various hours per week.
Your Role:
Operates the Child and Parent Place Centre during child and parent supervised visits and exchanges. Facilitates visits and exchanges between high-conflict parents. Works in alignment with the agencys commitment to equity, and from an anti-racist and anti-oppressive perspective to further create a sense of belonging at the Agency.
Tasks:
Program Operations:
1. Coordinates and directly supervises visits and exchanges during the Centre's operating hours, observing, monitoring, and supporting high-conflict families, and families with various lived experiences.
2. Ensuring emotional and physical safety and well-being of children, parents and staff.
3. Sets up and disassembles equipment each day, ensuring the facilities and materials meet the clients needs taking into consideration accessibility, accommodations, and childs stage of development creating a child focused environment.
4. Completing appropriate cleaning and disinfecting protocols between visits for infection control and prevention.
5. Assist with general care of infants/children and model safe interactions when necessary (ex. Diaper changes, bottle feeding etc.)
6. Acts as a facilitator for children and parents, using role modeling and coaching to promote parenting skills, communication and healthy child and parent relationships.
7. Acts as a resource for families and refers them to other resources within the community.
8. Assists parents and children to resolve conflict and reduce distress during visits, intervening or terminating visits when necessary.
9. Awareness of a variety of different types of trauma (i.e. physical, emotional) and trauma experiences (eg. Race and gender-based trauma) that may be experienced by children and youth victims and their families.
10. Uses verbal de-escalation and crisis intervention to defuse potentially hostile client situations and take appropriate action to reduce risk accordingly.
11. Able to mitigate risk to personal safety and the safety of others due to drug paraphernalia, harmful substance use, serious mental health crisis, violence or threats of violence, and weapons.
12. Implements strategies for families from safety plans.
13. Assesses environment for safety concerns ensuring panic buttons and walkies are used and the building is locked and secure at all times.
14. Records factual observation notes on client visits and exchanges with a high level of accuracy and detail.
15. Maintains a high level of confidentiality when working with sensitive and personal client information.
16. Participates in debrief with Centre lead prior to and at the end each visit.
17. Ensures families are aware of policies, adhere to policies and agreements for service and provides feedback to families following visits when required.
18. Attends staff meetings.
19. Responsible for transporting confidential client information to and from Centre.

Administrative Functions:

20. Maintain client files/iSAID database according to program and ministry policies and procedures.
21. Knowledge of MS Office Software, video conferencing platforms and working with database systems.

Your Talents and Experience:
Degree or diploma in family studies, social work or a related social science.Minimum of one year experience in related work. Excellent interpersonal skills with adults and children. Ability to engage and communicate with adults and children in an accepting and supportive manner. First Aid certification an asset. Demonstrated skills in assessing individual needs, interpersonal situations and determining appropriate interventions. Skills in crisis intervention and conflict resolution are essential. Demonstrable understanding of the dynamics of families experiencing mental health difficulties, addictions, domestic violence, separation, divorce and child access. Passionate, aware, and willing to learn about equity, antiracism and anti-oppression and to embed anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices into the role. This position includes weekend work. This position requires working out of Cambridge, Kitchener and Guelph locations.

Whats in it for you?
Rate of Pay: At Starling Community Services all salaries are categorized under a series of "bands" determined during our job evaluation process. When determining the rate of pay for external hires, a candidates past related experience will be taken into consideration along with where others with similar experience currently fall within the band.
Note: most new team members will start between the starting salary and the mid-point of the range.
Job Band D (hourly wages): Min - $22.88, Mid - $23.64, Max - $24.47
A positive work culture, inclusive workplace policies, and employee wellness initiatives.
Eligible to join the HOOPP defined pension plan on a voluntary basis.
Access to our Employee and Family Assistant Program which provides free and confidential counselling, resources and services.
Paid vacation (pro-rated to start date and hours for position; accumulated bi-weekly).
Discounted GRT passes through membership with Travel Wise.
Employee Referral Incentive Program.
Agency Orientation and Training modules.
Professional development and tuition reimbursement opportunities.
Staff appreciation events.
If you are community-focused and share our values and commitment to equity, we want you to grow with us. Please submit your application through BambooHR, in confidence, no later than 4 pm onJune 20, 2025.
This is an internal and external posting.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If you don't have every single requirement and the exact level of experience listed in our description, but the skills and experience needed for the role still resonate with you, please consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and quality; therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require any support submitting your application or during the interview process by contacting Human Resources at [email protected] or by calling 519-707-1958 ext. 1247.

Our Commitment to Equity:

To better serve the diversity of our community, the agency is dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for both clients and staff, with particular attention to supporting BIPOC communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, and other historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. We understand that addressing systemic inequities is crucial to fulfilling our mission and promoting the well-being of the communities we serve.

Our equity strategy is guided by core principles that emphasize celebrating diversity, building strong partnerships, prioritizing client service, and recognizing equity is a shared responsibility.