Job Posting
ASSESSMENT & CLIENT SUPPORT WORKER
1-year full-time contract (35 hours /week)
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic offers trauma-informed legal services and representation, counselling and multilingual interpretation, and drives system transformation to support women and gender-diverse people who have experienced violence. Rooted in the foundations of intersectionality, innovation, and a client-centered approach, we foster the skills and resilience of the people we serve and amplify their voices to create individual and collective change.
We are seeking a dedicated Assessment & Client Support Worker to join the Clinic’s Central Intake Team on a 1-year contract.
The Assessment & Client Support Worker will ensure immediate and effective communication with individuals contacting the Clinic for assistance. They will implement various risk assessment tools to determine the level of potential imminent risk and conduct safety planning accordingly. They will complete intake forms and gather the necessary information to assess the legal and non-legal needs of the clients. Based on the information collected and the needs of the client they will engage in short-term interventions on behalf of the clients and provide information as well as internal and external referrals.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
All duties and responsibilities will be conducted in accordance with Barbra Schlifer Clinic's Mandate, Mission and Values Statements.
1. CLIENT SUPPORT
- Perform intakes with an elevated level of efficiency, accuracy, and competence
- Identify limits or exceptions to confidentiality
- Implement containment and de-escalation interventions
- Assess safety, level of risk, and identify when the client is in high-risk and initiate protocols
- At times, assist the client in developing a safety plan to address imminent risk
- Assesses if the client has any housing needs and refer the client internally or externally to the Transitional and Housing Support Program
- Assess if the client needs counseling and provide the appropriate internal or external referrals
- Assess the client’s legal needs
- Provide information of a general nature in the areas of family, immigration and criminal law
- Assist clients with Legal Aid applications for immigration law based on our internal criteria
- Assists clients with Legal Aid Appeals of the denials of their Legal Aid applications for Immigration law issues based on our internal criteria
- Provide referrals to lawyers, community agencies and others as per the Clinic’s referral protocols
- Book appointments with internal staff (lawyers, counselors, transitional and housing support workers, court support workers, case managers)
- At times communicate with police officers to advocate for enforcement or protection orders or charges to be laid
- Communicate with representatives of the Victim Witness Assistance program to obtain bail conditions or identify the stage of criminal matters
- Follow up with clients to make sure they are connected and get feedback on the referrals provided
2. SUPERVISION, TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Ongoing professional development as determined, to ensure proficiency in all areas of responsibility
- Ongoing supervision and periodic performance evaluations
3. COLLABORATION AND RELATIONSHIPS
- Work collaboratively and respect the diversity of women within the context of a diverse agency
- Assess and respond to requests for information from other service providers
- Identify gaps in service and recommend achievable solutions to Management and Team
- Consult with internal and external service providers and other professionals to exchange information
- Communicate with Team Members to share information, provide debriefing opportunities and resolve problems
- Initiate consultation with the Manager of Client Services and Intake or her designate on complicated, high-risk cases
- At times, co-facilitate counseling groups or trainings to staff and external agencies
- Participate in Team and staff meetings
4. ADMINISTRATIVE /OTHER
- Maintain up-to-date client records and accurate notes on our Client Management System (EMHWare)
- Book interpreters for clients with language barriers
- Perform other tasks as assigned by management
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
- The Assessment & Client Support Worker is a member of the Clinic’s Central Intake Team and will work collaboratively with other staff, as appropriate
- The position reports to and is supervised by the Manager of Client Services and Intake
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in law, social work or counselling or other equivalent education
- Minimum 2 years fulltime experience working with women survivors of gender-based violence
- Strong understanding of feminist, anti-oppression and anti-racist frameworks
- Knowledge of legal and counselling services within the violence against women sector
- Familiarity with Ontario Family Law, Criminal, Immigration and Refugee and Child Welfare processes/systems generally and the experiences of survivor involved in navigating legal systems and social welfare systems
- Familiarity with a trauma-informed feminist anti-oppression anti-racist approach to supporting survivors and the demonstrated ability to apply theory to practice when working with survivors
- Ability to conduct a brief, fact finding focused interview, while containing and deescalating client is a compulsory skill for the position
- Ability to have compassion for and communicate effectively with clients
- Ability to exercise sound judgment when encountering difficult situations or performing job responsibilities
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with both clients and workers; communication is grounded in an understanding of trauma and its impacts
- Strong critical thinking skills
- Strong legal and mental health assessment skills that include knowledge of addictions and a harm reduction approach
- Excellent case note documentation skills and administrative skills
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Intermediate to advanced computer skills and familiarity with client management software systems that are computer based
- Commitment and openness to feedback from management and peers and to ongoing enhancement of skills as well as continued professional development
- Dedication to professional mentorship of students on placement through modeling of professionalism and professional integrity
- Experience working with women survivors of multiple forms of gender-based violence beyond domestic violence and sexual assault and working with language interpreters and American Sign Language and Deaf Interpreters are considered tremendous assets
Ability to:
- Make rapid, accurate decisions
- Provide client education throughout the intake process
- Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members
- Be unruffled and composed under periods of intense stress
- Correctly delegate tasks to others on the team
- Adjust to fluctuations in workload
- Communicate understanding of client expectations
- Multi-task and remain decisive
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Commitment to working collaboratively with and supporting women of diversity within the context of a diverse agency
- Engagement in a self-reflective, ethical and collaborative practice that is non-judgmental and empathic and reflects the vision and mission statements of the Clinic
- Incorporation of principles of diversity and equity in responding to the service needs of women
- Commitment to working toward removing systemic barriers to women’s independence and wellbeing
- Excellent interpersonal, organizational, time-management and critical thinking skills, written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work and support others in the context of a diverse environment
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a multi-disciplinary environment
- Be a self-starter, creative and highly motivated
- Share ideas and differences in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation
- Commitment to ongoing personal and professional development
SALARY: $53,251 annually. The position includes a comprehensive benefits package offered through
a group plan as part of our United Way membership following a successful probationary
period
DEADLINE: September 15, 2026. Posting will remain open until a suitable candidate is engaged
DURATION: One year FT (35 hours/week)
APPLICATION: Submit your cover letter and resume as attachment to: [email protected] with the
subject line of .
In your cover letter, please indicate where you found our job posting.
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes candidates from equity-seeking groups and is committed to providing accommodation for people with disabilities. Please let us know if you require accommodation due to a disability during any aspect of the recruitment process, and we will work with you to address your needs.
We thank all candidates for their interest.
However, only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE
Job Type: Fixed term contract
Pay: $53,251.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Vision care
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (preferred)
Experience:
- working with women survivors of gender-based violence: 2 years (required)
Work Location: In person
