New Dawn

Full-Time Part-Time Casual

Weekdays Weekends Evenings Nights Shift On-Call Holidays

Description

Job Description

Reporting to the Manager of Abbey Ridge, the Youth Worker is responsible for providing support and guidance to young individuals, helping them navigate challenges, develop life skills, and achieve their personal goals. This role involves working closely with youth, their families, and other support networks to create a positive and nurturing environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Building/Facilities:

• Fulfill cooking and cleaning responsibilities, adhering to all food safety protocols
• Contribute to the home’s organization maintenance to ensure a therapeutic milieu
• Identify the details of any damage/disrepair and report to Manager of Abbey Ridge
• Follow cleaning schedules and adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies to maintain staff and client safety and security at all times

Youth/Tenants/Programming:

• Assess and address the immediate and basic needs of the program’s youth
• Complete and maintain logs, files and records and ensure confidentiality is protected
• Engage youth in life skill development and goal planning that supports independent living: assist youth in developing practical skills for daily living, including budgeting, job readiness, academic planning, and time management
• Liaise with other agencies on behalf of youth and programs and participate in community committees, projects, or activities as appropriate; build positive relationships with the families, schools, and communities of the youth
• Form healthy relationships with youth, model healthy living and positive choices
• Facilitate and/or source a variety of programs for youth at Abbey Ridge
• Provide a supportive environment that centres youth empowerment and decisions
• Ensure that a quality, effective, and client-directed program is delivered
• Support self-administration of medications as needed
• Transport youth on occasion

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist in training new staff and students and supervising placement students as requested
• Participate in both New Dawn and Abbey Ridge internal/team meetings and PD sessions
• Ensure program delivery is congruent with the ND and AR mission, vision, and philosophy
• Contribute to a collaborative and cohesive work environment
• Look for potential improvements and help implement solutions
• Maintain professionalism, tact, diplomacy, and sensitivity so as to portray New Dawn in a positive manner, consistent with its values and vision
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, engaging in professional networks, and participating in professional organizations
• Respond to the needs of others with effective communication, mutual respect, and consistent follow through to build trust and workplace relationships
• Promote the mission and values of New Dawn both internally and externally
• Other duties as required

Qualifications

• Demonstrated high level of understanding of youth development and the issues of homelessness
• Demonstrated exceptional level of interpersonal, communication, youth service and organizational skills
• Experience supervising employees, and/or students, volunteers with demonstrated leadership, supervision skills and ability to develop an effective team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and using the Internet
• Physical ability to lift light loads, walk up and down stairs, and maintain a fairly active pace
• Extensive knowledge of community resources, government funding, and the social service delivery system an asset
• Strong understanding of facility management, security, and health and safety is an asset
• Relevant education in the social service field and/or experience working with youth
• High level of understanding of youth development and the issues of homelessness
• Demonstrated skill using anti-oppressive practice (harm reduction, narrative practice, a client directed approach and a social justice perspective)
• Knowledge of mental health issues, substance abuse and crisis intervention
• Physical ability to lift light loads, walk up and down stairs and maintain a fairly active pace
• Standard First Aid/CPR and Food Safety or commitment to secure upon hiring
• Proficiency in documentation, email and using the Internet
• Positive attitude and ability to work in a team environment

Core Competencies

• Teamwork
• Client Focus
• Communication
• Energy & Stress
• Quality Orientation
• Problem Solving
• Accountability and Dependability
• Ethics and Integrity
• Attention to Detail

Working Conditions

• Some travel may be necessary
• Some bending and lifting is required to clean/maintain home
• Manual dexterity is required to use desktop computers and peripherals
• Some evening and weekend work may be required
• Overtime as required

Screening Requirements

Due to the sensitive nature of our work with youth, this position is subject to a clean criminal record check including a vulnerable sector search and a clean child abuse register check. This position will involve transporting clients at times, two million liability insurance and an approved driver’s abstract is required.

Hours of Work

Full-time employees: 80 hours bi-weekly with shifts (usually 8 or 12 hours) that fall during days, evenings and awake-overnights, weekdays, and weekends.

Casual employees: Filling staffing needs working 8- or 12-hour shifts that fall during days, evenings and awake-overnights, weekdays, and weekends.

AIP Employer

New Dawn is proud to be an Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) employer. This means that New Dawn has been approved as an AIP employer and, as such, can endorse the AIP-PR application of an eligible employee.

Note: employees are responsible for verifying that the employment position/category is eligible under the AIP program, or any other immigration program/stream for which they intend to seek the support/endorsement of New Dawn.

Compensation Package

Salaried Employee Compensation Package 

New Dawn Enterprises believes in supporting the well-being of its employees and, in service of this, has created the following compensation package for permanent, salaried employees of New Dawn Enterprises, in addition to their salaries.

Canada Life Group Benefits: Medical, Dental, Life Insurance

New Dawn offers its employees group benefits provided by Group Health. Fifty percent (50%) of these benefits are paid by the employer, except for Long-Term Disability benefits which are fully (100%) paid by the employee. The plan also includes a component for Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and Vision Care. Dependent life is also included.

Self-Directed Registered Retirement Savings Plan

Employees may choose to begin participation in New Dawn’s Self-Directed RRSP plan after completion of three (3) months of employment. Employees may contribute up to 5% of their gross salary, deducted from their pay cheque. This is matched by the employer to a maximum of five percent (5%).

Professional Development

New Dawn acknowledges and is committed to the ongoing professional development and lifelong learning aspirations of its staff. The acquisition of new position-relevant skills and perspectives by employees creates a stronger, more informed, and modern organization.

Employees are strongly encouraged to research and outline education and/or professional development opportunities to discuss with their manager in the creation of their work-plan.

Paid Holidays

New Dawn observes thirteen (13) public holidays and other days for which staff will be paid. They are: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Civic Holiday, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day

In the spirit of family, the President reserves the right to close the office between Christmas and New Year’s to enable employees to spend time with their families. This option will be reviewed, and a decision made annually depending on operational requirements. These non-statutory days will have no impact on employee vacation time.

Paid Vacation

All new employees entering the organization as a salaried employee will earn 15 days of paid vacation during the annum.

Mental and Physical Health Days 

Employees will be entitled to seven (7) days paid leave at the beginning of each calendar year. This can be carried forward to a maximum of fifteen (15) days total. It can be used for physical and metal wellness/illness and appointments for the employee or their family members.

Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP)

New Dawn’s Group Benefits Plan also includes the provision of an Employee and Family Assistance Program. The Employee and Family Assistance Program (EAP) is a support system that employees and their families can turn to for confidential help with stress, anxiety and depression, family and relationship issues, addictions, legal and financial difficulties, health and nutrition concerns and workplace and career difficulties. The program is confidential and optional and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Café Marie Discount

Employees of New Dawn Enterprises can take advantage of a 20% discount at Café Marie, located in the Eltuek Arts Centre.

Years of Service

The Years of Service Recognition Program recognizes and rewards the service of New Dawn employees at milestones in their careers. All permanent full-and-part-time New Dawn employees are eligible to receive the Years of Service award.

STAR Program

New Dawn is proud to recognize and reward the excellent work and achievements of its employees. Managers at New Dawn will be given an annual budget to provide ongoing and immediate recognition to their direct reports throughout the year.

Corporate YMCA Membership Program

In an effort to create more opportunity for staff health and wellness, New Dawn offers a corporate membership in partnership with the Cape Breton YMCA. The corporate membership gives staff a 12% discount on the cost of membership, additionally New Dawn pays half the cost of an individual discounted membership.

New Dawn

New Dawn is Canada’s oldest Community Development Corporation. Since 1976, we’ve been working to create a more just, healthy, and self-determined community by responding to local needs and driving long-term, systems-level change. Today, New Dawn continues to focus on self-reliance, resilience, and community-led transformation. Every day, we engage thousands of community members and employ over 150 Cape Bretoners through programs and services that are practical, creative, and grounded in care. Our work spans health and social care, housing, the arts, youth, immigration, and community development. Some of these services generate revenue, which we reinvest into our organization — fueling sustainability and deepening community impact.

Abbey Ridge

The Abbey Ridge Supportive Living Program provides a safe, supervised, and supportive transitional housing option for youth who are between the ages of 16 and 24. Abbey Ridge has two locations in Glace Bay with each home servicing different age groups.

The youth in the supportive living program are at high risk of negative life outcomes due to a lack of resources and support. The program aims to overcome this barrier by assisting youth in identifying and reaching their own personal goals through support, empowerment, and advocacy. The program offers a supportive environment that fosters the development of life skills and independence.

Location Information

Community

Sydney

County

Cape Breton Regional Municipality

Province

Nova Scotia

Country

Canada

Opportunity Information

Employer

New Dawn

NOC Code

Social and community service workers (42201)

Experience Required

Yes

Available Openings

8

Pay Type

Hourly

Pay Period

Hourly

Remuneration Per Pay Period

$21.00/hour

Estimated Weekly Hours

—

Start Date

April 30th 2026

End Date

—

Language

English

Language Proficiency Level

Posted on

April 30th 2026

Expires

May 14th 2026