ABORIGINAL CORRECTIONAL PROGRAM OFFICER – Group & Level WP-04

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Job Profile

Aboriginal Correctional Program Officers (ACPOs) are part of a team of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) staff who are dedicated to improving efforts to rehabilitate Aboriginal offenders. Aboriginal people account for three per cent of the adult Canadian population; however Aboriginal offenders make up about 20 per cent of the offender population. Enhancing our capacity to provide interventions for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders is one of CSC’s strategic priorities.

Every day, ACPOs teach one or more culturally-appropriate healing and treatment programs for First Nations, Métis or Inuit offenders. In so doing, ACPOs guide, motivate, and encourage Aboriginal offenders along their path to rehabilitation.

As an ACPO you will teach the skills and competencies necessary for safe reintegration into the community, while providing advice and assessing offenders’ attitude and progress. You will be responsible for class preparation, marking offenders’ work, and completing reports on offender progress and performance.

As an ACPO, you will also assist in the development and implementation of offenders’ correctional plans.

Work Environment

CSC has a presence from coast to coast -- from large urban centres with diverse populations, to remote communities across the North.

CSC operates under three levels of management: National, Regional and Institutional/Parole Offices. The National Headquarters in Ottawa performs overall planning and policy development for the Service, while each of the five regional offices implements CSC activities within the Pacific, Prairie, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic regions.

CSC operations include 57 penitentiaries at minimum, medium, maximum and multi-level security classifications. These institutions include facilities for women offenders, Healing Lodges designed to address the needs of Aboriginal offenders, and Regional Treatment Centres that provide mental health interventions to offenders.

CSC also operates 16 community correctional centres, and partners with 175 Community-Based Residential Facilities for offenders on some form of conditional release into the community. As well, CSC operates 84 parole offices and sub-offices in every region of Canada.

CSC provides a comprehensive range of research-based correctional programs for offenders. Along with programs designed specifically for Aboriginal offenders, there are programs designed to target women offenders, violence, family violence, sexual offending, substance abuse and general crime.

ACPOs deliver correctional programs to groups of up to 12 offenders. Classes take place within the institution or in the community. ACPOs also interact with offenders on a one-on-one basis after classroom hours as needed.

ACPOs work closely with other CSC professsionals, including Parole Officers, Correctional Officers, Primary Workers, Kimisinaws, Correctional Managers, Elders and Native Liaison Officers to share information about an offender's progress in their rehabilitation.

ACPOs work schedules vary. You may be required to work weekends and/or evenings during the week.

Career Development

CSC is a large government agency with a wide variety of occupations. Depending on your interest and skill set, career opportunities exist in a variety of positions in the organization, both within an institutional and community setting, as well as at regional or national headquarters.

About the selection process

CSC job opportunities are posted on www.jobs.gc.ca. Applicants are screened according to essential education and experience, and cultural competencies listed on the advertisement.

Applicants’ knowledge, abilities, skills and personal suitability may be assessed with a written test and an interview.

Training

As a newly-hired ACPO, you will be trained in a particular correctional program area. This training includes teaching methods and content relevant to the correctional program, correctional program policy, and the process to assess offender progress and to report on offender performance in programs. You will be evaluated after the training to ensure that you understand and are capable of presenting the program content. In addition, you will undergo quality review to ensure that you are delivering the programs on-site in an effective manner that is compliant with policy.

Ready to Apply?

Please visit www.jobs.gc.ca to learn about the job opportunities currently available at CSC and how to apply.