Envision Counselling and Support Centre is going beyond the job ads in an effort to recruit Family Support Staff.

This is to help out with the increased uptick in need here in the southeast.

Elizabeth Lambe, a family support coordinator with Envision, said there is usually a big uptick in need in the Christmas season as well, which is why they're clarifying what they're looking for in workers.

"A person doesn't have to have a degree per se," she said. "We like to see background and experience, and education is really important too, but as I interview people, we talk a lot. And that is how you get your feeling of whether a situation or a person is suited to this."

Lambe said they are hoping for more 'flexible' people to address the needs of the community.

"What we are looking for in those positions is individuals that have an ability to be professional, they need to take initiative, be reliable and be able to bend and flex and meet people who might be in crisis," she explained.

"We are there without judgment. We know that nobody wants to have situations happening in their homes that are stressful and upsetting, or nobody decides that they, you know, want to become addicted to narcotics or something," Lambe expressed. "However, it does happen. And anyone who is experiencing that deserves the same respect as a doctor or lawyer does, because they're all people."

She said a background in supporting others is ideal.

"Perhaps there's a background in special needs or working in a caring situation," she noted. "We're also really looking for people that are willing to be bendy and flexible because there isn't a lot of guarantees with this job, so you know, taking it on as a part time, casual position is perfect for someone who has something else that they do to rely on for consistent income, but maybe they they feel the need that they want to give back to the community and it's not something that a person has to do full time."

Lambe said the job is highly rewarding.

"Like super, super rewarding. And Envision offers the training, we offer the mentorship and the support to the workers, so that no one's ever going out there on their own thinking. They don't have to be able to come up with all the answers. We work as a team, and teamwork is very much at the core of what we do to try and support anyone that we're working with, no matter what their needs are."

Simply reaching out for help in a vulnerable situation, she noted, is courageous and worthy of respect and attention.

"It's the vulnerability of opening up your story to others," said Lambe. "Our Family Support Program and our Counseling program, and all of our outreach programs, we very much value and respect that vulnerability that others are opening up to us and our workers. Our family support workers foster that."

She said the entire job is relationship-based.

"We work on a relationship with with families, but we also work on a professional relationship, so that, at the end of the day, when our families are done with us, they can wave and they say, 'thank you, you've really helped us. We're good now'. And that's super satisfying, when when those types of things are happening when you get to work yourself out of a job. It's the best feeling in the world."

She said she'd also love to answer any questions people may have.

"The thing with family support is that it is a perfect second job for a person because of the ability to work a night or weekend and not have a super huge amount of commitment. But at the same time, the work environment and the training and the experience is just second to none."

"The rewards. are very, very rewarding and again the work environment, the team of everyone, no matter what role, Envision is a very supportive and empowering place to be."

She added the demand is likely to increase leading up to the Christmas season.

written by Marna McManus