T.A.P. Practitioner

Role Responsibilities

Children and Family Services, the Youth in Transition Team is currently recruiting Practitioners in Edmonton and Rural Northwest/Northeast and Northern Alberta to support young adults through the Transition to Adulthood Program (TAP) and the Advancing Futures Program (AF).

TAP empowers young adults formerly in care to meet their full potential through self-selection of specialized pathways to support their needs. The pathways support educational, career, and employment life goals for young adults who are ready to pursue their aspirations. Additionally, TAP provides supportive pathways for program recipients who require a period of stabilization, focused life skills acquisition, or transition to adult support services programming.

AF assists program recipients who have been or continue to be in the care of Children and Family Services to access post-secondary education opportunities as they transition out of care and into adulthood. AF provides social and emotional transitional supports and the funding to support their educational goals as a means of obtaining a meaningful career.

As a TAP/AF Practitioner, you will deliver trauma-informed, relational case management that empowers young adults to navigate systems and access the supports they need to thrive. You will work collaboratively with program recipients, their natural support networks, and a wide range of internal and external partners to promote successful transitions to adulthood. Practitioners have the essential role of engaging a young adult's supportive network, as well as fostering connection with program recipients who have self-identified family, to ensure a robust natural support network is established and maintained, that will meet the recipient’s needs.

All TAP/AF program recipients will receive a comprehensive array of supports to meet their social, emotional and mental health needs. Furthermore, young adults will select a primary pathway (Stability, Adult Support Services, Career and Employment and Education (Advancing Futures) that best supports them in achieving independence.  

For any additional information regarding TAP (Transition into Adulthood Program), please visit: https://cs.int.alberta.ca/Child-Intervention/Pages/TAP.aspx

For information specific to Advancing Futures, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/advancing-futures

Key Responsibilities

Program Recipients Support & Planning

• Demonstrate excellent relationship-building skills that nurture trust and understanding with program recipients as they navigate the program's pathways, funding structures, and supports.
• Work with program recipients based on individualized mandates aligned with their Transition to Independence Plan goals and connections.
• Support program recipients in achieving their self-selected transition objectives before they are no longer eligible to receive support from Children and Family Services, as outlined in the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (CYFEA), its associated policies and regulations and TAP/AF policies.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Maintain positive working relationships and knowledge of internal and external stakeholders, including Child Intervention Delivery, CFS RESP Program, Youth Employment Connections Program, Youth Apprenticeship Connections Program and the Post Adoption Registry.
• Collaborate with Government of Alberta colleagues in Assisted Living and Social Services, Justice and Solicitor General, Advanced Education, Alberta Health Services, Mental Health and Addiction supports, and the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate.
• Build working relationships with career and employment organizations, mentoring programs, contracted service providers offering life skills, addiction and mental health supports, and various community agencies that assist young adults from care in meeting their transition goals.
• Practitioners will work collaboratively with post-secondary institutions to support TAP/AF recipients in accessing education and related supports throughout their post-secondary studies.

Knowledge & Practice Foundations

• Apply an active understanding of young adult developmental stages and trauma-informed practice, including intergenerational trauma and the long-term effects of trauma experienced in care.
• Demonstrate anti-oppressive practice and knowledge of mental health considerations, sexual and gender diversity, Attachment Theory, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, substance use and addiction issues, harm reduction and Emerging Adulthood Theory.
• Support Indigenous young adults from care by applying knowledge of colonialism, intergenerational trauma, the 60s Scoop, and the residential school system, and by fostering cultural reconnection through ceremony, teachings, Elders, and land-based practices.

This is a dynamic and impactful opportunity for professionals who bring strong interpersonal skills, cultural humility, and a commitment to equity and inclusion. If you are dedicated to helping youth and young adults build meaningful futures, with the ability to travel, to meet program recipients in person, we encourage you to apply and join a team that is making a lasting difference.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Agility: TAP/AF Practitioners need to maintain a safe environment where program recipients can explore/lead change in their life and be supported. TAP/AF Practitioners should be able to anticipate the choices their program recipients are likely to make and be prepared with the outcomes.
• Build Collaborative Environments: TAP/AF Practitioners need to actively engage the natural support networks, community services and government supports connected to their program recipients and facilitate strategic dialog while concurrently anticipating individual needs/motivation towards the end goals / areas of connection, and coach dialog when conflict arises.  
• Develop Networks: TAP/AF Practitioners need to actively engage the natural support networks of their program recipients/facilitate strategic dialog while concurrently anticipating individual needs/motivation towards the end goals / areas of connection for their program recipients. 
• Systems Thinking: TAP/AF Practitioners will need to consider strategic relationships and services offered by service providers and GoA/ministry partners in the context of emerging adulthood and current science/physiological/ social models, and an understanding of their short/ medium/ long-term outcome for program recipients, and ability to recognize any unintended outcomes of the approach.
• Creative Problem Solving: TAP/AF Practitioners need to actively listen to their program recipients and support network for root causes, and solutions, to ensure that solution finding can accesses appropriate supports, utilizing resources from other areas, while providing systems feedback to the TAP/AF team

Qualifications

To be considered for this position you must have: 

Related university degree (Social Work, Humanities, Psychology, and Sociology) and 2 years of progressively responsible and related experience working with youth, youth transitioning to adulthood or working with young adults is required.

Equivalency: Master of Social Work (no experience required); OR related university degree and 2 years related experience; OR related diploma and 3 years related experience; OR related certificate and 4 years related experience.

Assets:

• Knowledge of the provincial legislation, policies and procedures as it related to Transition to Adulthood and Advancing Futures programs will be considered an asset
• Demonstrated experience applying and interpreting provincial legislation, policies, and procedures related to child intervention, including the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act (CYFEA).
• Experience providing day to day support to young adults currently in or formerly involved with Children and Family Services, including transitional planning, analyzing and evaluating program eligibility and/or navigating and linking young adults to community resources, assistance with education, employment, and life skills development.
• Experience working with youth and young adults facing addiction and mental health challenges, including collaboration with community-based supports and stakeholders.
• Experience engaging with Indigenous youth and young adults, with an understanding of cultural safety, intergenerational trauma, and community connection.
• Proficiency in using electronic databases and case management systems (e.g., CICIO) to maintain accurate and timely documentation.
• Knowledge and application of trauma-informed, anti-oppressive practices, youth development, harm reduction, and transition planning.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government ministries, community agencies, and service providers.

Please note candidates who recently interviewed for this position within the last 6 months and were unsuccessful will not be considered on this competition. We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Application Requirements

Hours of Work

• Hours of work are Monday to Friday – 36.25 hours per week.

Requirements

• As part of the application process, you are required to:
• Complete all pre-screen questions.
• A current résumé outlining relevant roles, responsibilities, and educational background. 
• A cover letter outlining why you are applying to this role and how your experience relates to the qualifications is required. 
  
  • In your cover letter please indicate what location you are interested in (Edmonton, as well as various rural regions across Alberta including Northwest Alberta (e.g., Grande Prairie and surrounding communities), Northeast Alberta (e.g., Cold Lake, St. Paul, Lac La Biche, and Lloydminster), and Northern Alberta (e.g., Fort McMurray and nearby areas).
  • Within your cover letter please outline: why you are interested in the TAP/AF practitioner role program, how you believe your professional experiences directly relate to transitioning young adults out of care and what unique experiences you have that would prepare you for this role. 

Travel and Vehicle Requirements

• Travel will be required in the role. Employees must have a valid Class 5 Driver’s License and access to a vehicle that is suitable to the requirements of this position.

Assessments

• Final Candidates will be asked to undergo an academic check as well as the required security checks such as a Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector check as well as an Intervention Record Check. 
• This role requires that you have a valid Non-GDL Full Class 5 Alberta driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle. This role will require between 50-60% travel depending on the office location you are situated in. 
• Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.
• Applicants who have social work education (Diploma, BSW, MSW) are required to be a member in good standing with current ACSW registration. Proof of registration prior to an offer will be required. The successful candidate is required to be a member in good standing with the Alberta College of Social Workers. 

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. 

Notes

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.