This is a until –filled competition. Candidates are encouraged not to delay submitting their application as this posting can close at any time after 10 business days with 24-hours posted notice. Resumes will be screened at regular intervals until the position is filled or the competition closes, whichever is earliest.
This posting
This posting will be used to fill one (1) term (until March 31st, 2027) full-time position working 75 hours bi-weekly. It will establish a 12-month eligibility list which may be used to fill similar positions.
This job is based in Whitehorse, with a fly in/out of Old Crow, Yukon. The successful candidate will be required to reside in Whitehorse, and travel to Old Crow on a regular rotation of 3 weeks in and 1 week in Whitehorse.
Who we are
This position's recruitment is a collaborative initiative between Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Health and Social Services Department and the Yukon Government Ministry of Health and Social Services. The position is full-time position based in Whitehorse, Yukon and will work closely with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation’s Health & Social Services Director.
Old Crow is a remote fly-in community with daily flights to and from Whitehorse. The population of Old Crow is approximately 300 residents, the majority of whom are Citizens of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. Additional supports located in the community include Yukon Government Health Services, RCMP, Mental Wellness and Substance Use community counselors, Probation and Justice Services, Chief Zzeh Gittlit School (Approx. 47 students registered from K4 – gr.12), an Anglican church, and services provided through the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Government. Yukon University also has a community satellite campus. A local Co-Op is open Monday to Saturday. The most common form of transportation within the community includes quads and snowmobiles.
Old Crow is the only community in the Yukon that does not have highway access. The community relies on Air North for transportation and delivery of goods to the community, with the exception of a winter road that is semi-annually built, when conditions allow, helping to haul essential supplies into the community. Old Crow is the only Yukon community located north of the Arctic Circle. People in Old Crow enjoy long summer days of heat and a period of 24-hour daylight and experience the short days of winter with cold weather conditions, large amounts of snow and frequent northern lights. The Gwich’in language is an essential element of the community.
The Vuntut Gwitchin have a vast Traditional Territory, stretching approximately 50,000 square kilometres located in the Northern Yukon region from the western border of USA and Canada to the Peel River and Richardson Mountains, and from northern Vuntut National Park of Canada to the Ogilvie Mountains. People of Old Crow rely on boats and snowmobiles to access their lands to practice harvesting and other cultural activities, which continue to be passed on from generation to generation.
The Vuntut Gwitchin rely heavily on the land and water for the natural resources that it provides. The Porcupine Caribou Herd continues to be an essential source of food and spiritual well-being for the people of Old Crow. The Porcupine Caribou herd migrates through the traditional territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin seasonally. The Vuntut Gwitchin have lived in and around this area for over 30,000 years. Other wildlife in the area include moose, beaver, wolverines, wolves, martin, lynx, muskrat, bears and many species of birds.
Vuntut Gwitchin refers specifically to the Gwich'in people who lived in Van Tat which translates as "people of the lakes." The wider Gwich'in nation is spread across northwestern Canada and Alaska. Gwich’in communities located in the Mackenzie Delta include Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik and Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Gwich’in communities located in Alaska include Fort Yukon, Arctic Village, Chalkyitsik, Birch Creek, Circle, and Venetie, Alaska. The Vuntut Gwitchin work to maintain close ties to their Gwich’in neighbours as their family ties extend beyond both the Alaska and NWT borders.
Your role
Yukon's Department of Health and Social Services aims to promote, protect, and enhance the well-being of Yukon people through a continuum of quality, accessible, and appropriate health, and social services. Support the Department of Health and Social Services to make a difference in Yukon and provide a range of support to families and children within Yukon communities.
- For more information on this job, please contact Brian Bendell, Manager Regional Services at 867-332-5043 or brian.bendell@yukon.ca.
- For more information about the recruitment process, please contact Katie Terrion HR Consultant at 867-335-2373 or katharine.terrion@yukon.ca
Your benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, we offer many additional financial and non-financial benefits.
Your career, your home, your lifestyle
We are the Yukon public service. Every day, we come together to serve the people who live here and make a difference in so many ways. Here, you will find the diverse opportunities you desire to develop your career while enjoying a warm sense of community and vibrant artistic, cultural, and recreational amenities, all set in a spectacular natural environment.
As part of our team, your achievements and enjoyment in both your work and personal life will be valued as you explore the many opportunities the Yukon, and the Government of Yukon, has to offer.
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Important application and job requirements
Essential qualifications
Please submit your resume clearly demonstrating how you meet the qualifications below. Selections for further consideration will be based solely on the information you provide in your resume.
- Bachelor of Social Work
- Recent social work experience and/or practicum in providing services to families, children and individuals
- Experience working in remote communities and indigenous cultural competency would be an asset to this role
- Prior child welfare/intervention experience within the last three years may be considered an asset
NOTE: If your Bachelor of Social Work Degree was obtained outside of Canada, you will need to confirm it has been assessed for equivalency through any member of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada (ACESC)
Candidates who are currently students in a Bachelor of Social Work Program, who can demonstrate the essential qualifications through internships, practicums, cooperative and voluntary placements, and that have verification of graduation in 2026 may be considered.
It may be helpful for you to review “Prepare your resume and cover letter”.
Desired knowledge, skills and suitability
If selected for an interview, candidates should have, and may be assessed on, the following:
- Demonstrated interest in rural Yukon social work.
- Ability to work in a multicultural environment with an emphasis on Yukon First Nation's culture; Strong knowledge and experience in social work principles and practices in child welfare and case management.
- Demonstrates interest in child and family services including child protection.
- Sound ethical decision making and judgement skills that demonstrates the capacity to complete family, children and individual assessments at a professional level.
- Excellent decision-making skills and practice guided by the Canadian Association of Social Work Code of Ethics.
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships and professional partnerships that demonstrates a professional level of written and oral communication.
- Ability to take a broad-based, strategic approach to community development in response to mandated client service.
- Ability to prepare affidavits or court documents and intervention services including investigations and core protection services; and,
- Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.
It may be helpful for you to review “The job interview process”.
Conditions of employment
You must meet the following conditions before being hired, or within the time frame noted.
- Criminal Records Check with Vulnerable Sector
- Valid Class 5 driver's licence or equivalent
- Verification of Bachelor of Social Work
- Demonstrate the potential to be delegated within 12-months of hire under the Child and Family Services Act
Job requirements
This job requires you to perform, and/or be exposed to, the following:
- Willingness to work in rural communities;
- Extensive air travel in/out of Yukon communities
- Provide coverage for other workers as needed;
- Frequent evening, weekend and statutory holiday work hours are required; and,
- Occasionally involvement in situations involving angry, abusive or abused clients and may be exposed to hazards from frequently working around volatile parents and/or children who are in crisis.
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