Victim/Witness Services Worker (Bilingual - En/Fr) - OPS

Help people navigate the most difficult times of their lives. Bring your empathetic communication skills and understanding of complex case management, needs assessment, emotional support and client advocacy to a dedicated team as we support victims and witnesses of crimes while they participate in the criminal court process.

View full job description online.

About the job

As a team member of the 5-person Victim/Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) office in Cornwall, every day will be a little different depending on the needs of your clients and your case files. You can expect the typical day to include activities like:

• Informing clients about their case, victims' rights, and what they need to know about and can expect during the criminal court process

• Navigating the court process alongside your client to educate and help them understand their role in the criminal justice system

• Providing emotional support and crisis intervention to vulnerable clients through a trauma-informed and victim-centered lens, including assessing risks and needs

• Maintaining relationships with criminal justice partners and community agencies to advocate on behalf of your clients and refer clients for services like counselling and safety planning

• Documenting throughout the case management process to create timely and accurate case notes

• Participating in projects to review and improve services, committees to collaborate and build relationships, and public education activities to promote the program

Read about the Victim/Witness Assistance Program and how the program helps victims and witnesses of crime.

Note: This position requires regular travel to the L'Orignal, Brockville and Alexandria VWAP offices as well as other offices and courthouses within the region.

Details:

• Job Title: Victim/Witness Services Worker - Bilingual (English/French)
• Organization: Ministry of the Attorney General
• Division: Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division
• City: Cornwall
• Language of Position(s): Bilingual English/French
• Job Term: 1 Temporary (up to 12 months, with possibility of extension)
• Job Code: 03521 - Executive Officer 1 B/U
• Job ID: 229736

What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• You have proficiency in English as well as in oral and written French at the advanced level
• You have a valid class G Ontario's driver's license (or equivalent) with ability to travel to other offices and courthouses within the East region.

Technical Knowledge

• You have the ability to support marginalized and vulnerable clients who are victims or witnesses of crimes, including but not limited to intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and homicide
• You have crisis response and intervention skills to help clients in need
• You can interpret and apply relevant legislation and policies about victims of crime and court proceedings to support clients in their understanding of legal court processes

Judgement and Problem Solving Skills

• You can identify risks to clients, develop case plans, make appropriate referrals and communicate to justice partners
• You can address complex client needs based on information provided
• You can recommend new services or service improvements and foster co-operation when implementing changes
• You can collaborate with your team members and manager on complicated and contentious issues

Communication, Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills

• You can support clients from diverse communities and be sensitive to their needs
• You can network with community agencies and work together with criminal justice partners
• You can write reports and case file summaries
• You can help develop and deliver training programs and public education sessions
• You can contribute to an inclusive environment for your team members and clients

Case Management, Organizational and Planning Skills

• You can manage a large caseload of files with little supervision
• You can prioritize work in an environment with challenging and urgent deadlines

Computer Skills

• You can use a variety of MS Office software for communication, reports, and presentations
• You can work with database systems to access and maintain case and client records
• You can use video conferencing systems and applications to engage with clients

Don't meet every qualification?

If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!

How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

What we offer

We are a supportive and compassionate team who play a crucial role in navigating people through some of the most difficult experiences of their lives. We offer a comprehensive training program to ensure that all Victim/Witness Services Workers have the skills needed to support both their clients and themselves.

We know the work can be demanding emotionally and are committed to the wellness of our employees. This includes mental health support through a trauma-informed lens, training and resources on compassion fatigue, burnout and vicarious trauma, and continuous support from your management team.

Our local leadership teams at VWAP offices foster a supportive and inclusive environment, empowering Victim/Witness Service Workers to make meaningful impacts for our clients.

The Ontario Public Service is one of Ontario's largest employers. Employees work for 30 ministries, with offices in more than 70 cities across the province. We offer:

• a career that can grow across ministries and job functions
• flexible learning and developmental opportunities, including education and mentorship programs
• many employee networks offering support for and education about underrepresented groups

This role comes with a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes:

• a defined-benefit lifetime pension plan (guaranteed, ongoing inflation-protected income after retirement)
• optional enrolment in group health, dental, life and disability benefits
• a range of vacation and leave options
• an Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides confidential counseling services
• Inclusive Counselling Services, which provides confidential mental health support from professionals belonging to diverse communities

About security checks:

• A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities.
• If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in.
• Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

You must apply online through the Ontario Public Service Careers webpage.

The deadline to apply is Monday, May 26, 2025 11:59 pm EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.

1. Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
2. Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
3.  Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
4.  OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
5. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Please be advised that the results of this competition may be used to form an eligibility list of qualified candidates to potentially fill future vacancies represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). In accordance with the Collective Agreement, eligibility lists are shared with OPSEU representatives. By applying to this competition, you are providing consent that your name may be shared with OPSEU representatives.

All external applicants (including former employees of the Ontario Public Service) applying to a competition in a ministry or Commission public body must disclose (either in the cover letter or resume) previous employment with the Ontario Public Service. Disclosure must include positions held, dates of employment and any active restrictions as applicable from being rehired by the Ontario Public Service. Active restrictions can include time and/or ministry-specific restrictions currently in force, and may preclude a former employee from being offered a position with the Ontario Public Service for a specific time period (e.g. one year), or from being offered a position with a specific ministry (either for a pre-determined time period or indefinitely). The circumstances around an employee's exit will be considered prior to an offer of employment.

• This ad is also available in French.

We thank you for your interest. Only those selected for further screening or an interview will be contacted.

The Ontario Public Service is an inclusive employer. Accommodation is available under the Ontario's Human Rights Code.