Provincial and Demonstration Schools for the Deaf, Blind and Learning Disabled

$70,591 ‐ $91,516 (AMAPCEO)

The Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth is seeking enthusiastic and proactive individuals to deliver province‐wide non‐legal advocacy services for children and youth as defined in the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act, with responsibilities for Individual Advocacy, Systemic Advocacy, Caseload Administration and Outreach.

You will receive and respond to complaints from children and youth, address services delivery problems, quality of care, quality of life and rights protection/entitlement issues, assist and support children and youth in their participation in the advocacy process, refer children and youth to community‐based resources, and represent the views and preferences of children and youth to service providers.

In collaboration with public and private sector officials, you will develop policies/strategies to address issues and improve service delivery; identify and advocate for solutions to policy, legislative and procedural issues by working with government and service delivery agencies and liaising with advocacy committees, agencies, organizations and Ministry representatives. You will execute reviews; prepare reports; interview children and youth and deliver information and educational presentations to children and youth in residential care, service providers, and foster parents.

Excellent analytical, organizational, negotiation, persuasion, communication and problem‐solving skills are essential. Experience in mediation, conflict resolution and interviewing practices is required, as well as experience in providing advice on services available to children and families across Ontario. The successful candidate will have knowledge of diverse organizational structures and systems including government, child welfare, children’s mental health, developmental services, youth criminal justice, education, hospital, community services, and the provincial and demonstration schools.

Your university degree or equivalent, coupled with 8 years on‐the‐job experience in a related capacity is required. Knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth Act, Child and Family Services Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Health Care Consent Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code is essential.

The successful candidate for the Provincial Schools position will require fluency in ASL.

This position is covered by the AMAPCEO Collective Agreement and benefit provisions are consistent with those for classified staff under that agreement.

Please submit your resume with covering letter, quoting file PA‐2010‐01, to be received no later than 5pm March 15th, 2010, to the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth, 401 Bay Street, Suite 2200 Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2Y4, e‐mail or fax.

We appreciate all applications received; only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all applicants for their submission.

An Equal Opportunity Employer