Mental Health Clinician - Nanaimo, BC

Are you passionate about youth mental health and the outdoors

Take a Hike Foundation is seeking a Registered Mental Health Clinician with a passion for the land education and supporting vulnerable youth and families to become part of our Programs Team in Nanaimo BC. We are looking for potential interest and encourage you to send over your application!

The Organization:

Take a Hike Foundation is on a mission to empower vulnerable youth to unlock their full potential and achieve personal success. We move towards this mission by engaging vulnerable youth in a fulltime program of intentional and continuous therapy learning on and from the land adventure academics and community. We have set an ambitious goal of partnering with every school district in BC with the need capacity and commitment to equip vulnerable youth with the skills required to graduate high school build healthy relationships and navigate their own path to success. .

The Opportunity:

Each Take a Hike program has one fulltime Mental Health Clinician to support vulnerable youth in changing their lives. The Mental Health Clinician will work regular classroom hours on designated Take a Hike school days typically 5 days a week and will accompany the team on all the program field trips (once a week).

This role requires full participation in weekly field trips learning from the land as well as multiday wilderness trips; typically two multiday trips per year ranging in length from 2 to 5 days. We are seeking a Mental Health Clinician who is an adventurer at heart and truly values the positive impact of spending time in nature; someone who recognizes that impactful therapeutic breakthroughs can happen outside of an office setting perhaps in a canoe or on a hiking trail.

Key Competencies:

• Demonstrated understanding of attachmentbased and traumainformed therapeutic models of support.
• Grounded in antioppressive practice with a commitment to Indigenous Reconciliation and AntiBlack Racism.
• Demonstrated knowledge of child and adolescent development mental health and standards of practice.
• Demonstrated ability to apply counselling modalities for youth outside of a traditional office.
• Knowledge of or experience with couples and family therapy.
• Collaborative team player able to establish and maintain positive working relationships within a multidisciplinary team.
• Must be comfortable in the outdoors able to care for self and others regardless of the weather and conditions.
• Willingness to grow in their skills and comfort through weekly out trips hiking paddling and regular time in nature.
• Ability and skills to camp overnight on selfpropelled outdoor experiences.
• A passion for supporting vulnerable youth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identityaffirming Individual therapy with youth during school hours.

• Family therapy sessions to support parents / guardians of youth.

• Supportive group counselling sessions addressing relevant youth issues.
• Work as part of the classroom team providing leadership in mental health learning and mental health practices.

• Participate in all parts of the program including multiday camping trips volunteering and events.

• Liaise with the entire staff team and external agencies that can provide additional support to youth.

• Build relationships with school district and community partners to ensure Take a Hikes success within the community.

• Facilitate youth assessments to enhance care support engagement and collaboration on treatment goals and for metric and data collection purposes.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Must have one of the following: a Masters in Counselling Psychology or a Masters in Social Work (clinical focus).

• Registered member in good standing with an appropriate Regulatory College.

• 3 years of experience with youth and people in crisis and confident with group facilitation processes.

• Previous experience in an educational setting is an asset.

• Valid drivers license and access to a vehicle is an asset.

Terms and Compensation:

We offer a salary of 75K85K commensurate with experience based on a 37.5hour work week. The ideal start date for this position is August 2025.

Take a Hike is proud to offer generous benefits that enable Take a Hike employees to thrive personally and professionally which include:

• Professional Wellbeing: internal and external learning opportunities professional development budget and training opportunities.

• Life Balance: 5 weeks starting vacation for MHC generous paid time off.

• Physical and Mental Wellbeing:Health Spending Account Employee Assistance Program employer paid Extended health and Dental and travel health coverage.

• Financial Wellbeing: 4.5% RRSP matching program short term and longterm disability coverage and life insurance.

• Community Wellbeing: Shared values (Wellbeing Relationships Exploration Gratitude Growth) Open communication and yearly departmental retreats.

This is a fulltime permanent position located in Nanaimo BC.

How to Apply:

If this position is of interest to you please submit your cover letter and resume to our online portal Collage by May 26th 2025.

Take a Hike values the diversity of the people it hires and serves. Diversity at Take a Hike means fostering a workplace in which individual differences are recognized appreciated respected and responded to in ways that fully develop and utilize each persons talents and strengths. Individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQIA Indigenous Black people of color people living with disabilities and candidates with lived experience in mental health are encouraged to consider this opportunity. In accordance with provincial Accessibility Acts reasonable accommodation will be provided upon request throughout the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Reconciliation can be found on our website here.