AVI HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.
At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. For more info see www.avi.org
THE AVI COMMUNITY-LED CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM is a peer assisted care program and a mobile crisis response team, led by persons with lived/living experience and mental health professionals, who are able to de-escalate crises and develop community care plans with persons experiencing crisis. The CLCR Team is an alternative approach to responding to someone in crisis that focuses on health, wellbeing, and community support. Utilizing a community-based, client-centered, trauma-informed response, a peer- assisted model of care has been proven to help individuals navigate mental and social care services and reduce engagement with the justice system and emergency services.
As an emergency response service, CLCR staff provide a mobile response to mental health crises, including in complex and changing environments and to persons who may become escalated. Comprised of experiential responders and mental health professionals and supported by a Dispatch personnel and supervisory and management structure, all crisis calls will be attended by two team members who are trained in a range of trauma informed crisis management and de-escalation, suicide intervention and advanced first aid techniques. The team will also facilitate follow-up support to specialised services, case management, primary health care, housing support, mental health and substance use services.
Our PACT team provides services on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
VICTORIA HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TEAM (which includes the CLCR) provides services for people who use drugs and may be impacted by criminalization, systemic injustice and stigma. Harm Reduction services provides supports in various locations as we continue to look for a home for publicly accessible harm reduction services for all. Victoria Harm Reduction Services is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the CLCR Program Director, the CLCR Manager provides support and supervision of staff and the daily administration and operations of CLCR The CLCR Manager has a strong relational practice of leadership based in the principles of harm reduction and crisis management. The CLCR Manager will support the staff who hold multiple, intersecting identities including (but not limited to) people who use/d drugs, people who navigate their own mental wellness daily, people with lived/living experience of HIV and hepatitis C, and LGBTQ2S+ people - from a sex positive, person centered and harm reduction-based approach. The CLCR Manager will work alongside the Harm Reduction Services Program Manager and with the CLCR Program Director to align the program’s strategic goals and operational requirements.
The successful candidate embodies collaboration, works from a relational perspective, is supportive and empathetic, and upholds AVI’s harm reduction, social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility values with staff and people accessing our services. They support and ensure that CLCR promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve and the people providing services.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Key Responsibilities
1. Leadership and Team Management:
· Provide strong leadership and direction to team members
· Foster a positive team culture that values diversity, inclusivity, and collaboration.
· Manages staff recruitment, interviewing and hiring, work assignments, orientation, training and performance supervision according to work rules, regulations and collective agreements
· Conduct regular team meetings, performance evaluations, and professional development activities to support the growth and well-being of team members.
2. Program Oversight and Development:
· Ensure that all crisis interventions and assessments are conducted in accordance with the program standards, evidence-based practices, clinical guidelines, and organizational policies.
· Respond effectively to critical incidents or adverse events involving crisis team operations
· Alongside the CLCR Program Director, monitor the quality and effectiveness of crisis services through regular staff supervision and development of staff's skills, knowledge and capacity.
Reviews and authorizes credit card and petty cash expenses, and alongside the Director monitors expenditures related to program budgets.
QUALIFICATIONS
- University degree in Health or Social Services, (Public Health, Social Work etc.) or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3-5 years management experience and demonstrated leadership with program management and supervision of diverse staff team, preferably within a non-profit or community-based organization
- Experience delivering/managing crisis-based supports, programming and services directly with program clients/participants with a harm reduction lens.
- Demonstrated working relationships with local service care providers, including local non-profit and Emergency Services Personnel
- Extensive experience supporting staff working in crisis situations in the field
- Experience and capacity for debriefing critical incidents with the team
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice principles and practices, including harm reduction, anti-racism, decolonization, combating stigma related to drug use, HIV, hepatitis C, and challenging gendered oppression, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia
- Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are criminalized for their mental health and/or drug use; people who are denied housing/precariously housed/warehoused; racialized identities; Indigenous & Metis persons; LGBTQI2S+ identities; sex workers; people with disabilities.
- Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens
- Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and a demonstrated commitment to anti-colonial learning/unlearning
- Strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
- Knowledge of local Indigenous and non-Indigenous social services including housing, income and food security supports that may benefit persons served
- Demonstrated experience in managing human resources in a union environment
- First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents including overdose/toxic drug poisoning
- Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations
- To comply with current BC Public Health Orders, must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved medical exemption. Proof of vaccination status will be required for successful applicants for positions covered by the order.
- First Aid and CPR level C
- Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License with “Normal” Drivers Status
- Drivers Abstract and Factor Score (AVI will review the past year’s driving record. Drivers will need to have no suspensions or prohibitions or 1 passenger only restrictions or a Driver’s Factor Score of 1.1 or lower).
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrated leadership skills in program management and supervision of diverse staff teams
- In-depth understanding of current systemic barriers and violence faced by people who use drugs and/or experience mental health distress, and a working knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of anti-oppressive practice
- Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to coach and mentor staff, facilitate conflict resolution, foster empathic communication and demonstrate clear boundaries
- Demonstrated commitment to the policy and practice of harm reduction, cultural safety and trauma and violence informed practices in the provision of health and social services
- Demonstrated experience and understanding of crisis intervention in community settings and the implications of criminalizing folks in mental health distress
- Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing techniques
- Demonstrated understanding of the continuing and on-going impact of colonization, and anti-colonial, anti-racist practices and principles
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
- Positive approach, flexible, resourceful, and enjoys working in a dynamic, informal, and relational workplace.
- Excellent communications skills including in-person and also via technology (ie video calls, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams). Ability to quickly grasp fundamentals of new computer programs such as electronic medical record software.
- Excellent organizational, prioritization and time management skills
- Strong project coordination skills, including budget and workload management
- Ability to work with diverse groups of stakeholders including people impacted by poverty, substance use, criminalization, people who use drugs, service providers, funders and other community members
- Demonstrated ability to be flexible and versatile in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency
- Ability to work in a variety of settings on a regular basis, including at different worksites, occasionally accompany staff on community outreach, and work off-site either from a home office or co-working space
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $83,947.50 annually (equivalent to $43.05 hourly rate) per the HEABC paygrid for excluded managers.
- Hours and Schedule: This is a full-time position working Tuesday through Saturday, 37.5 hours/week; within the hours of 10am-6pm or 11am-7pm
- Location: 733 Johnson, Victoria, BC
- Start Date: As soon as possible
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2019-2022 and this role is an Excluded Position.
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D on the 1st of the month after this position begins. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- Pension: This position is immediately eligible to join the Municipal Pension Plan. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
- Other Perks: This position gets 8% vacation (equivalent of 4 weeks), receives a paid day off for every Stat Holiday and Easter Monday and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 3 months at AVI.
- Proof of Vaccination Required: AVI is under BC's Health Services Order and continues to require proof of vaccination and masking.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org by April 29, 2024, 5pm.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We would like to thank all those who apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.