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 more than 500 people living with HIV and hepatitis C and more than 3000 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.
Our South Island Education Team provides education and support relating to: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, STBBIs, substance use, harm reduction, overdose prevention and response, sexual and gender diversity, sexual decision-making, testing, treatment, and prevention strategies as a means of increasing community awareness and wellness, and reducing the further incidence of STBBIs. We provide support to, and work in solidarity with, people who have lived/living experience of HIV or hepatitis C, membership in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and using criminalized substances. The South Island Education Team is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees Nations), and we acknowledge the ways in which colonization is inextricably linked to the topics we discuss. The disproportionate impact of criminalization, the war on people who use drugs, the overdose crisis, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS on Indigenous communities is a direct and intentional result of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Health Promotion Peer Educator provides programming, education, and support relating to: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, STIs, substance use, harm reduction, overdose prevention and response, sexual and gender diversity, sexual decision-making, testing, treatment, and prevention strategies as a means of increasing community awareness and wellness, and reducing the further incidence of STBBIs. This includes assisting with co-facilitation, education, outreach, and other health promotion/community development work as needed.
The South Island Education Team’s work currently is focused on education for 3 groups: individuals who use criminalized substances, folks in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and health & social service providers. This position will be mainly supporting our work with folks in the 2SLGBTQ+ community and service providers. Beginning in September, the team member whose work focuses on education for folks in the 2SLGBTQ+ community will be reducing their hours, and some of their hours and work will be picked up by the successful candidate in this position. Although not likely in the near future, the hours for this position may eventually be reduced, upon return of the incumbent to their full hours.
The successful candidate is someone who identifies as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and is open to discussing the expertise that their lived/living experience has given them within their work. They are someone who embodies collaboration, works from a relational perspective, and is supportive and empathetic. They uphold 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 the South Island Education Team promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Works collaboratively with the Education Coordinator, other education team members, and program participants to facilitate the design, implementation, delivery and evaluation of educational workshops, projects, and events related to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, other STBBIs, substance use, harm reduction, overdose prevention and response, sexual and gender diversity, sexual health and sexual decision-making (in-person and online), including:
- Recruitment and delivery of workshops and leadership training series
- Community outreach
- Testing initiatives
- Development and involvement with events such as Pride, World AIDS Day, and World Hepatitis Day
- Other miscellaneous educational outreach initiatives
- Facilitates workshops and presentations for a diversity of communities (in-person or online)
- Provides one-on-one education, information, support, and referrals, in-person or online via email, Facebook, and AVI’s “Infoline”
- Maintains up-to-date and accurate knowledge of HIV, HCV and other SBBTIs including prevention, transmission, treatment, and emerging trends in relation to at risk groups such as 2SLGBTQ+ people, youth who use drugs, women, Indigenous people, and people who have been incarcerated
- Assists with the design, production, and distribution of promotional materials outlining and advocating AVI Health and Community Services’ educational services to the community
- Liaises and collaborates with other community organizations
- Attends regular one-on-one and team check-in meetings
- Where appropriate, provides training, mentorship, and supervision for other educators, volunteers and/or practicum students
- Maintains files, statistics and records related to all areas of the program, electronic and paper, and reports on program work
- Performs other related duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
AVI values having a team with diverse experiences and encourages anyone with lived/living experience and relevant qualifications to apply even if you do not have all of the requested education or training.
- Being a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community
- Experience working in solidarity with, and providing education to, people who have lived experience related to: living with HIV or hepatitis C; racialized oppression; membership in the 2SLGBTQ+ community; homelessness; sex work; using criminalized substances (in community and/or professionally)
- Have significant lived and/or living experience with criminalized substance use, an asset
- Experience working within harm reduction, OAT, HIV, hepatitis C, STI and/or overdose prevention and awareness
- Demonstrated experience facilitating workshops and/or education initiatives
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of HIV, hepatitis C, harm reduction, substance use and sexual health, or related facets of wellness that includes an intersectional perspective (i.e. acknowledges such factors as poverty, racialization, gendered oppression, etc.)
- 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, classism, homophobia and transphobia
- Good working knowledge of local health and social services
- Valid Class 5 BC Drivers’ Licence and access to a vehicle, an asset
- Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations (i.e. outstanding charges and convictions for physical or sexual abuse)
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to build relationships, collaborate and work effectively with co-workers, clients, community partners and service providers
- Strong public speaking and group facilitation skills
- Strong project and event coordination skills, including time, workload and budget management
- Commitment to effective and respectful relationships with Indigenous communities
- Solid experience working with diverse populations
- Good computer skills, including databases, word-processing, graphics and social media (i.e., Microsoft Office suite; Facebook, Twitter, Zoom, etc.)
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends when needed
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $25.27 per hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU wage grid 31)
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2019‐2022 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
- Hours and Schedule: 10 hours per week beginning ASAP. Schedule: Monday to Friday, between 10am-6pm, with the specific days and times to be worked out with the successful candidate. Occasional work on evenings and weekends may be required.
- Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately.
- Other Perks – Casual: At less than 15 hours per week, this position gets paid an extra 5% in lieu of vacation and 4.6% in lieu of stats, meaning your hourly rate is actually 9.6% higher than listed. If combined with another position at AVI to reach 15 hours or more, this position would then get 6% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives Stat In Lieu payments of 4.6% on each paycheque and has a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation are both accessible after your first 488 hours at AVI.
TO APPLY:
Please send an email to jobs@avi.org to indicate your interest in this position by October 26th at 5 pm.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity. 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.
It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and/or have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
As a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.