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.
Job Summary:
(Note: This position is one of two who will work closely together, Peer Community Advocate - Drug Poisoning Crisis and Community Advocacy Facilitator – Drug Poisoning Crisis.)
The Community Advocacy Facilitator - Drug Poisoning Crisis is responsible for producing and supporting events and programming to raise public awareness of the drug poisoning crisis and advocate for change to harmful drug policies. The Community Advocacy Facilitator will regularly consult with former members of the South Island Community Overdose Response Network (SICORN), focusing on building and maintaining meaningful connections with people with lived and/or living experience of criminalized substance use, Indigenous leaders and organizations. The Community Advocacy Facilitator will support advocacy and awareness raising projects and activities created by, and to improve the lives of, people who use drugs and their families/caregivers. This will include public engagement activities and advocacy to policy makers, with the goal of improving public understanding of drug policy and promoting a public health and human rights-based approach to substance use. Overall, the project aims to reduce stigma, provide education, build capacity and advocate for policy reform, in order to create welcoming environments for people who use substances in our community.
The successful candidate 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.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Connect, engage, and build meaningful relationships with community members and organizations who experience the drug poisoning crisis on a daily basis.
- Collaboratively amplify the perspectives and ideas of front-line workers, Indigenous partners, and those with lived and living experience of criminalized substance use and the drug poisoning crisis, and family members/caregivers.
- In consultation with the community partners, the Peer Community Advocate oversees the design, coordination and delivery of awareness and advocacy events and activities related to the project, including an event for International Overdose Awareness Day.
- Develops communications and advocacy strategies to engage key audiences, working towards improving public understanding of drug policy and promoting a public health and human rights-based approach to substance use, in partnership with stakeholders
- Coordinates regular meetings of stakeholders
- Provides support to the Peer Community Advocate - Drug Poisoning Crisis.
- Provides education and community awareness about harm reduction, opiate agonist treatment (OAT), overdose prevention, stigma, and more.
- Assists with the design, production and distribution of promotional materials.
- Provides other health promotion/community development work as needed.
- Maintains up-to-date and accurate knowledge of substance use, OAT, HIV, HCV and STIs including prevention, transmission, treatment, and emerging trends
- Supports other community organizations in their efforts advocacy and awareness raising efforts
- Attends meetings of, and liaises with, the Community Action Team
- Maintains files, stats and records related to all areas of the program, electronic and paper, including financials and program updates.
- Completes and submits monthly reports that include budget and program updates.
- Attends team meetings and individual supervision meetings as requested.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications: AVI values having a team with diverse experiences and encourages anyone with lived/living experience relevant qualifications to apply even if you do not have all of the requested education or training.
- Experience working within harm reduction, OAT, HIV/AIDS, HCV, STI and/or overdose prevention and awareness
- Experience working in solidarity with people who have lived experience related to: living with HIV or hepatitis C; racialized oppression; membership in the LGBTQ2S+ community; using criminalized substances; being a youth member of one of these communities (in community or professionally)
- Have lived or living experience with substance use and the drug poisoning crisis, an asset
- Experience in community liaison, development and support.
- Demonstrated experience facilitating education and awareness-raising initiatives
- Campaign-communications experience an asset
- Experience planning, promoting and launching educational activities and events (e.g. conferences, forums, and workshops)
- Experience and/or passion for advocacy to change harmful drug policies
- 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 with, and providing education to, diverse populations
- Good computer skills, including databases, word-processing, graphics and social media (e.g. Microsoft Publisher, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Facebook, etc.).
- Valid Class 5 BC Drivers’ Licence and access to a vehicle, an asset
- 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.
Skills and Abilities:
- Strong project and event coordination skills, including time, workload and budget management
- Strong public speaking and group facilitation skills
- Commitment to effective and respectful relationships with Indigenous communities within a professional role
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to collaborate effectively with co-workers, service users, community, policy makers and other service providers
- Knowledge of community-based education strategies
- Solid experience working with diverse populations
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends when needed
Position Details:
- Hours and Schedule: 8-10 hours per week during weekdays, with the specific days and times TBD collaboratively, contract ending at the end of October 2022
- Pay: $25.27/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU wage grid 31)
- 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 9.7% towards your pension account.
- Other Perks: 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.
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To Apply: please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org by 5pm on March 17, 2022
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 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 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.