Summary of the Position:
Grid Level: Grid 8A, $20.82/hour
Hours of Work: 20 hours a week - Monday 12:00 – 6:30, Tuesday 12:00 – 7:30 and Saturday 12:00 – 7:30
Work Location: AVI Courtenay/Comox, 355 6th St, Courtenay
Start Date: March 11, 2019
To Apply: To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org by 5:00pm on Tuesday, February 25, 2019.
JOB SUMMARY
The Harm Reduction Peer Educator will be part of an Outreach Education Team that will provide weekly outreach based engagement and support to identified supported living units, private housing units and people living outside in order to reach priority populations of people who use substances and share drug-use equipment. This Team will also deliver education workshops related to prevention, transmission and reducing risks of HIV and Hepatitis C for priority populations including people who use substances, women who use substances and indigenous people who use substances.
The Outreach Education Team will travel to rural and remote communities to determine priority locations for outreach and provide education to the people in these communities.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Under the direct supervision of the Manager or designate, the Harm Reduction Peer Educator will be part of an outreach team engaged in the following activities:
1. Provide weekly outreach based engagement and support to identified supported living units, private housing units and people living outside in order to reach priority populations of people who use substances and share drug-use equipment.
2. Provide information, resources, and support to priority populations in knowledge of risk factors associated with HIV and Hepatitis C
3. Provide support, referrals and accompaniment, as needed, to harm reduction and health care resources
4. Collaborate with BC Housing, John Howard Society North Island, Dawn to Dawn Care-A-Van and Positive Wellness North Island (collaborative STOP HIV project) in providing outreach-based support to reach priority populations.
5. Offer peer support using active listening skills, maintaining a non-judgmental attitude and keeping professional boundaries
6. Share up-to-date information about local drug use trends and practices with coworkers and peers as they emerge
7. Assist in the development of workshop content and instructional strategies and methods related to the transmission, prevention and risk factors of HIV and Hepatitis C to people who use substances and share drug-use equipment for priority populations
8. Participate in the development of promotional materials and evaluation tools for workshop attendees and project participants
9. Co-facilitate and/or facilitate peer education workshops and peer knowledge exchange circles related to prevention, transmission and reducing risks of HIV and Hepatitis C for priority populations including people who use substances, women who use substances
10. Consult with peers to determine how best to enhance skills, competencies and abilities to prevent HIV and Hepatitis C
11. Travel to rural and remote communities to determine priority locations for outreach, such as where people are gathering, living, congregating and provide education to the people in these locations
12. Participates in ongoing job training
13. 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 lived experience with HIV, hepatitis C, and/or illicit substances would be an asset.
• 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
• Experience in delivering peer education and/or health related workshops/trainings OR 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 communications skills including active listening skills
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices
• Working understanding of the importance of confidentiality and professional boundaries
• Working knowledge of local health and social services
• Ability to follow direction, provide/receive feedback, and engage in proactive problem solving.
• Ability to apply conflict resolution and de-escalation skills when tense situations arise.
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with volunteers, co-workers and community partners.
• Experience working with people from a diversity of backgrounds including people who use illicit substances, people who identify as gender non-conforming and gender-diverse, GBMSM, women, youth at risk, and Indigenous people.
• Working understanding of the importance of confidentiality and boundaries
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
• Ability to communicate effectively and apply conflict resolution skills
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.