We're Hiring: Harm Reduction Support Worker - Weekend Team Lead - Victoria

Summary of the Position:

Grid Level: Grid 38, $27.29/hour

Work Location: AVI Victoria, 713 Johnson Street  

Hours of Work: 21 hours/week, Saturday to Monday from 2:45pm -10:15pm

Start Date: ASAP

End Date: March 31, 2020

To Apply: Please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@avi.org by 5pm on January 5, 2020. 

Job Summary:

The Harm Reduction Support Worker – Weekend Team Lead will provide supervision and support to the team of casual employees and to all employees of the Harm Reduction Services team.

This position will provide a broad range of low barrier, psycho-social supports to individuals accessing harm reduction programming and services at AVI. This position will also provide evidence-based educational and harm reduction interventions to individuals and priority populations to increase knowledge regarding HIV and other BBD transmission and prevention strategies, and facilitate behavior change to prevent transmission.

This position will provide oversight, support, and overdose response, including the administration of oxygen and Naloxone, to people using illicit substances in AVI’s Overdose Prevention Room.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

  1. Manages the drop-in and harm reduction services
  2. Provides ongoing supervision and support to staff
  3. Provides support and supervision to Harm Reduction Services staff
  4. Acts as a liaison between Harm Reduction Services staff and the manager to communicate and manage staff support needs, client concerns, and issues related to facilities and operations, and critical incidents
  5. Provides scheduling and administrative support to the team as directed by the Manager
  6. Responsible for harm reduction supply distribution and recovery
  7. Provides education and support to clients on safer drug use and safer sex, HIV, Hepatitis C, and STIs
  8. Provides overdose prevention education and first aid response, including education on the administration of Naloxone
  9. Uses brief assessment, active listening and crisis response skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals to other health and support services within the Access Health Centre and within the community
  10. Engages with clients in a collaborative, person-centered approach grounded in harm reduction to provide information and support
  11. Maintains the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents (such as overdose prevention and response), including the ability to use communication devices
  12. Facilitates workshops and support groups related to increasing health and wellness
  13. Maintains both paper and electronic confidential client files as required
  14. Engages in planning, evaluation, and program development as directed
  15. Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Education, Training, and Experience:

University degree in health or social services (Social Work, Psychology, Mental Health and Addictions Support Worker, etc.), or equivalent combination of education and experience

The Harm Reduction Support Worker – Team Lead will have a minimum of two years relevant work experience and will demonstrate the following minimum requirements:

  • Supervisory experience in the community social services sector, an asset
  • First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents
  • Direct service delivery and supervisory experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community-based programs and related provincial and community support services systems
  • Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges
  • Demonstrated skills, experience and knowledge in the areas of safer drug use, addictions, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, mental health, etc.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of social justice, health promotion and public health approaches and models of social support and health care
  • Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices
  • Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges
  • Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing techniques
  • Ability to apply sound judgement: stay grounded and use creativity, flexibility and assertiveness when working through complex and often urgent situations
  • Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co-workers, clients, community, and other service providers
  • Strong working knowledge of local health and social services
  • Demonstrated knowledge of group process and facilitation techniques

Skills and Abilities:

  • Ability to work weekends
  • Ability to manage staff and volunteers
  • Leadership experience
  • Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position
  • Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others
  • Ability to operate related equipment
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
  • Ability to organize and prioritize
  • Ability to observe and recognize changes in clients
  • Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients
  • Ability to analyze and resolve problems
  • Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills
  • Advocacy skills
  • Ability to work with a diverse clientele
  • Demonstrated skills, experience and knowledge in the areas of harm reduction/health promotion practices, safer using practices, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, poverty issues, mental health concerns and addictions
  • Ability to work under pressure and in crisis situations
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Understanding of diversity issues
  • Understanding of the psycho-social issues affecting people who use drugs

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.