Victim Services Worker

Position overview

This opening is for one permanent part-time role based in Dawson City, with a schedule of 60 hours every two weeks.

About the department

The Department of Justice works to help keep Yukon safe, secure, and healthy for people who live and work there. The team focuses on strong relationships, sound governance, and community well-being, with an emphasis on healing and service delivery that supports Yukoners.

Role summary

Victim Service Workers assist people and families affected by crime. The work includes guiding clients through the criminal justice process, explaining victim rights, providing advocacy, short-term counselling, information, safety planning, and referrals to community programs and services. Support may also include help with protective orders and assistance during urgent or crisis situations.

The role is expected to be compassionate, client-focused, and culturally responsive, with awareness of the lasting effects of colonization and systemic inequities faced by Indigenous Peoples. The position involves regular contact with justice system partners such as RCMP, Public Prosecution Services of Canada, Yukon Community Corrections, the Justice Wellness Centre, and Youth Probation. It is based in Dawson City, with occasional travel to other Yukon communities to provide victim services support.

Guiding principles

The department emphasizes reconciliation with Yukon First Nations, teamwork, service to clients, initiative and innovation, and clear communication. Staff are expected to approach their work with empathy, inclusion, integrity, respect, and professionalism while supporting continuous learning and improvement.

Key duties

• Support victims of crime and their families through case coordination and client-centred service.
• Provide risk assessment, crisis response, de-escalation, and short-term counselling.
• Help clients with safety planning, protective-order applications, and connection to community resources.
• Work with justice-system and community partners to coordinate services.
• Travel periodically within Yukon to deliver victim services as needed.

Required qualifications

Applicants should show, through their resume, how they meet the qualifications below. Only the information included in the resume will be used to decide who moves forward.

• A post-secondary degree, or an equivalent background, in social work, psychology, criminology, or a related field.
• Front-line experience with client-centred risk assessment, crisis intervention, safety planning, and case management, especially in situations involving victims of crime, sexualized violence, intimate partner violence, or child abuse.
• Experience working in emergency, crisis, or other high-pressure environments.
• Experience supporting and advocating for Yukon First Nations and/or Canadian Indigenous peoples; experience with LGBTQI2S+, BIPOC, and/or newcomer communities is also considered an asset.
• Experience providing information and support to victims of crime is an asset.
• Experience in a justice-related setting is an asset.
• Bilingual proficiency in French and English is considered an asset.

Candidates with equivalent education, training, and/or experience may also be considered.

Knowledge, skills, and suitability

• Understanding of Yukon First Nations history and resistance.
• Ability to work in a respectful, non-judgmental, inclusive, and empathetic way.
• Capacity to provide culturally responsive service and build cultural competence.
• Strong victim-centred case management, crisis intervention, de-escalation, and counselling skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, plus conflict-resolution ability.
• Knowledge of support programs in Yukon and experience collaborating with service providers and rural communities.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Skill in balancing professional ethics and personal boundaries in a small community.
• Commitment to decolonization and continuous personal learning.

Diversity and inclusion

Victim Services aims to build a diverse and inclusive team and encourages applications from Yukon First Nations and other Indigenous peoples, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), LGBTQ2S+ community members, and people with lived experience of violence, trauma, victimization, or other systemic barriers.

The organization also values skills and knowledge gained through community involvement, cultural teachings, and lived experience. Applicants who do not match every listed qualification exactly but believe they are a strong fit are encouraged to apply.

Employment conditions

• Security clearance, including Vulnerable Sector Clearance, is required.
• A valid Yukon Class 5 driver’s licence is required.

Contact information

For questions about the role, contact Andrea Vaags, Supervisor of Victim Services, at Andrea.Vaags@yukon.ca. For recruitment questions, contact Ilze Pretorius, Human Resource Consultant, at Ilze.Pretorius@yukon.ca. Technical support for the application system is available at (867) 667-9453 or E-Recruitment.clientsupport@yukon.ca. Resumes should not be emailed to these addresses and will only be accepted through the e-recruitment system.

Eligibility list

Eligibility list duration: 12 months.