Summary of the Position:
Grid Level: Grid 21, $21.48/hour
Hours of Work: Variable, generally between the hours of 2:45pm - 10:15pm
Work Location: 713 Johnson Street, Victoria
Start Date: ASAP
Job Summary:
The Harm Reduction Peer Worker builds and maintains relationships with people who use drugs and who are experiencing other health and social issues such as poverty, homelessness, sex work, and living with HIV and/or Hepatitis C. They will contribute to the operations of the Harm Reduction Drop-In through providing information and peer support, assisting with maintaining a safe and clean program space, and co-facilitating educational and psychosocial support programs.
The Harm Reduction Peer Worker will monitor and support people using AVI’s Overdose Prevention Services, including being a part of overdose response with rescue breathing and naloxone administration when necessary.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Distributes safer drug use and safer sex supplies
- Provides harm reduction information and referrals for other services
- Monitor and support people who are injecting in the Overdose Prevention Room. Assess for overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided.
- Offers peer support through active listening skills and non-judgmental attitude
- Shares up-to-date information about local drug use trends and practices with coworkers and peers as they emerge
- Facilitates (or co-facilitates) weekly programming including Street School, Overdose Prevention and Response (including naloxone administration) and Women’s Space
- Attends regularly scheduled team meetings and individual supervision meetings
- Keeps records (statistics) about services provided
- Participates in ongoing job training at the Access Health Centre and in the community
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Education, Training, and Experience:
- Have lived experience with drug use and related health and social conditions such as poverty, sex work, 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 people who access AVI’s Harm Reduction Services
- Peer support/education and/or leadership training preferred. For example, participation in AVI’s Street College Leadership Curriculum is an asset
- Experience with overdose response, including administration of naloxone, is an asset.
- Demonstrated commitment to working in a team environment
- Comfortable approaching and initiating conversation with others and ability to build good rapport
- Interest in learning and eager to educate peers with a non-judgmental attitude
- Good communication skills including active listening
- Basic group facilitation skills
- Working understanding of the importance of confidentiality and boundaries
- Dependable and able to show up for shifts agreed upon with supervisor
- Working knowledge in the areas of harm reduction, safer drug use, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, mental health, etc.
- Working knowledge of local health and social services
- Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices
- Ability to keep a ‘cool head’ when tense situations arise
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to communicate effectively
- Ability to establish and maintain good rapport
- Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others
- Ability to follow direction, provide/receive feedback, and engage in proactive problem solving
We encourage applications from, but not limited to, Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, persons living with disabilities, persons who use/d illicit drugs, persons with experience of sex work, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.