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. 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
The Community Health Centre (CHC) is the longstanding program that has served the downtown Nanaimo area for over a decade. The CHC provides primary and complex care for clients from all walks of life, including people who use drugs, people from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, people living with HIV, and people living with HCV. Apart from our medical care, we also offer personal support, counselling, social services, outreach, education, and harm reduction.
The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service (EHR) is a newer program operating out of our Community Health Centre in Nanaimo. The EHR is a flexible, community-based, harm reduction program that will provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply along with wrap around supports. Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centered 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.
JOB SUMMARY
The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service Coordinator provides support to the clinical and non-clinical EHR teams and supports the program manager in executing the daily operations of the program. The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service Coordinator has a strong relational practice of leadership in harm reduction healthcare to support and supervise staff in their roles providing psychosocial support to program participants. The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service Coordinator supports staff who hold multiple, intersecting identities. The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service Coordinator will work closely with the Clinical Nurse Lead and Program Manager, who oversee the services and staff, and in collaboration with the Community Health Centre Management Team to align with the program’s strategic goals and operational requirements. This position reports to the Enhanced Harm Reduction Program Manager.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Supports leadership and front-line staff in the daily operations of the program, including spending time in the clinic space to support to service users, monitoring and ordering supplies, monitoring workplace safety and facilities, and maintaining the clinic space.
- Engages with staff to establish empathic relationships with clear and mutually defined boundaries. Provides supervision that is grounded in harm reduction, understandings of the impacts of trauma and violence, and include mentoring, feedback, and skills development.
- Contributes to mentorship and modeling of practice for staff that is in line with principles of social justice, trauma‐informed care, and cultural humility.
- Participates in the administration, reading, and recording of urine drug screens, clinical assessments, as well as transportation of service users.
- Participates in the case management, psychosocial support and systems navigation provided to program participants.
- Maintains the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents
- Participates in the development, implementation, and maintenance of administrative and operational policies and procedures.
- Develops and maintains relationships with community partners, including participating in relevant internal and external committees.
- Records data daily and prepares statistical and program information for reporting purposes in collaboration with the EHR Program Manager.
- Performs related duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- University degree at bachelor’s level in relevant field i.e. Education, Social Work, Social Sciences. Beyond basic education in addictions, mental health, or management.
- 1 ‐ 3 years leadership experience in a multi-union environment, and supervision of diverse teams, preferably within a non‐profit or community‐based organization.
- Experience delivering harm reduction programming and services directly with program clients/participants.
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice principles and practices, including harm reduction, anti‐ racism, decolonization, combating stigma related to drug use, HIV, heterosexism, HCV, and ableism.
- Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are criminalized for their drug use; people who are denied housing/precariously housed/warehoused; racialized identities; Indigenous & Metis persons; 2SLGBTQ+ identities; sex workers; people with disabilities.
- Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti‐racism and a demonstrated commitment to reconciliation and anti‐colonial learning/unlearning.
- Strong analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous people intergenerationally.
- 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 multi-union environment.
- 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.
- Current valid BC Drivers’ License, 1-year clean driver’s abstract, a reliable vehicle, the ability to maintain business use insurance, and the willingness to transport service users. AVI will compensate for the difference between personal use and business use insurance.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrated leadership skills in program management and supervision of diverse staff teams.
- Demonstrated experience with data collection, entry, and analysis, including the production of data visualization documents.
- In‐depth understanding of current systemic barriers and violence faced by people who use drugs 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 understanding of the continuing and on‐going impact of colonization, and anticolonial, 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 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.
- 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.
- Experience utilizing non‐violent communication.
- 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 on‐site at the Enhanced Harm Reduction Service, occasionally accompany staff on community outreach, and work offsite either from a home office or co‐working space.
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $36.30/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU paygrid 38 +10%)
- Hours and Schedule: 30 hours per week. Days to be determined. Shifts potentially falling between Monday to Sunday 9:30am to 5:30pm
- Term: Position runs to March 31, 2025
- Location: AVI Nanaimo Office and in the 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.
- Position Type: Regular, Part Time
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage after 488 hours with AVI. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- 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 6% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives Stat In Lieu payments of 5% on each paycheque and has a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation are both accessible after your first 488 hours at AVI.
- Proof of Vaccination: 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 resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org by 5 pm on December 20, 2023.
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.
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.
As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.
We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.