AVI HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organization, 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 work within a social justice and health promotion framework – ensuring equity and access to services for all – and from a harm reduction perspective, understanding that clients are the best sources of knowledge regarding the services and supports they need.
At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. AVI provides comprehensive, accessible and effective education, prevention, care, treatment and support services to residents of Vancouver Island with offices in Victoria, the Westshore, Nanaimo, the Comox Valley and Campbell River. For more info see www.avi.org
Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centred team in promoting the health, dignity and well-being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex-positive and harm reduction-based education, prevention and/or support services.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
AVI Health Centre is a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Nanaimo. We provide Primary Care, HIV, Substance Use, STBBI, PrEP, PEP, and HCV medical services, as well as outreach, supports, and social programming for our clients. We also provide education services for the communities we support and for health and social services students and professionals that work with the same communities. Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service (EHR) works within the AVI Health Centre and is a Safe Supply Initiative that is a flexible, community‐based, harm reduction program, integrated into our CHC to provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Nanaimo Enhanced Harm Reduction initiative is a flexible, community-based, safe supply model with health care provider oversight. Its goal is to save and affirm the lives of people who use drugs by providing safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic supply.
The EHR Peer Support Worker applies their lived/living experience of illicit drug use to build and maintains relationships with people who use drugs, specifically with those individuals who are supported by the EHR Program. They will practice harm reduction in their relationships to build trust and provide community peer support. They will work as part of the EHR team, which includes nurses and physicians, to increase accessibility to pharmaceutical alternatives to toxic drugs and to respectful, non-judgmental health care. The EHR Peer Support Worker will be integral to building stronger community connections with people who face ongoing health and social barriers such as poverty, homelessness, and criminalization.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provides clinical and outreach support in a variety of settings including in clinic space, parks, encampments, shelters, supported housing and drop-in centres, for example.
- Distributes safer drug use and safer sex supplies.
- Distributes naloxone kits and provides information and training in overdose prevention and response.
- Provide witnessed consumption support and supervision. Assess for overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided.
- Works collaboratively with the EHR team to identify potential EHR participants, provide information regarding access to pharmaceutical alternatives to street drugs, and assist with assessments and intakes.
- Participates in service user care by administering and reporting on drug screens, system navigation, external referrals, and other services.
- Provides harm reduction information and support for systems navigation and referrals for other health and social services.
- Connects regularly with EHR participants and offers peer support through active listening skills and non-judgmental attitude.
- Works with the EHR team to develop and execute care plans based on participants needs.
- Liaise between EHR participants and EHR nurses and physicians to support participants to be heard and assist with keeping communication open and accessible.
- Attends morning team huddles, scheduled team meetings and individual supervision meetings.
- Maintains daily charting about all service user interactions.
- Keeps records (statistics) about services provided.
- Participates in program evaluation activities.
- Facilitates the transportation of service users to and from the clinic and other care settings.
- Facilitates the transportation of biohazardous products for laboratory testing for clinical purposes.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Have a minimum of two years’ experience working within harm reduction outreach settings
- Have lived/living experience with illicit drug use and related health and social barriers such as poverty, homelessness and/or other physical or mental health issues. Have personal experience accessing harm reduction services for safer drug use support and/or accessed other services designed to meet the needs of people who use substances.
- Have a current knowledge of the local street scene and cultural norms related to street life and can relate as a peer with participants of the EHR Initiative.
- Direct service delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community-based programs and related provincial and community support services systems.
- Experience with overdose response, including administration of naloxone, is an asset.
- Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens.
- Demonstrated commitment to working in a team environment.
- Comfortable approaching and initiating conversation with others and ability to build respectful rapport.
- Interest in learning and eager to share information with peers with a non-judgmental attitude.
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co-workers, clients, community, and other service providers
- Working understanding of the importance of confidentiality and boundaries.
- Working knowledge in the areas of harm reduction, safer drug use, OAT, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, mental health, etc.
- Demonstrated cultural safety and humility, and trauma-informed practices.
- Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
- Strong interpersonal and direct communication skills (verbal and written).
- Ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport.
- Leadership abilities supporting independent work as well as ability to work collaboratively with others.
- Ability to keep a ‘cool head’ when tense situations arise and willingness to engage in proactive problem solving.
- Ability to work under pressure and in crisis situations.
- Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills.
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $30.64/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU paygrid 34)
- Hours and Schedule: Casual. Shifts falling between Monday to Sunday 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Start date and End date: As soon as possible and ending on March 31, 2025
- Position: This is a casual position
- Location: This position will work out of AVI’s Nanaimo office and with work with community as needed.
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2025 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
- Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account. If you are not already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan, part time staff may become eligible after 2 years with AVI.
- Other Perks: This position gets paid an extra 5% in lieu of vacation 5% in lieu of stats, meaning your hourly rate is actually 10% higher than listed.
- Proof of Vaccination Required: AVI is under BC's Health Services Order and continues to require proof of vaccination.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply, please send your expression of interest to jobs@avi.org by February 25, 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.
Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.