Job Posting: Counsellor/Casual

POSITION TITLE: Counsellor - Casual 

DEPARTMENT: Positive Wellness Program/Harm Reduction Services 

Campbell River & Courtenay 

SUPERVISOR: Manager, Courtenay and Campbell River offices 

BARGAINING UNIT: Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 

CLASSIFICATION: GRID 10 

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JOB SUMMARY 

Under the direct supervision of the Manager, Courtenay and Campbell River offices, or designate, the Counsellor is responsible for the provision and delivery of support and harm reduction services to individuals accessing our various programs and services. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES 

Positive Wellness: 

  1. Provides intake and assessment, brief counselling, crisis counselling, harm reduction counselling, advocacy, and referral. 
  2. Provides advocacy to clients by performing duties such as speaking on their behalf in areas such as housing, medical, legal and other support agencies. 
  3. Conducts individual information sessions, and develops educational materials to meet clients’ needs, as required. 
  4. Interviews and assists clients with the paper work required to obtain disability status. 
  5. Provides onsite supervision, support and continues to develop the Courtenay and Campbell River drop in program. 
  6. Provides outreach services to clients. 
  7. Works in collaboration with partner agencies to provide a continuum of services within the North Island Health Region. 
  8. Completes and maintains related records and documentation such as statistical reports for submission to the program manager. 
  9. Maintains both paper and electronic confidential client files. 
  10. Participates in regular supervision, staff meetings and staff development opportunities. 
  11. Performs other duties as assigned 

 

Harm Reduction Services: 

  1. Provides needle exchange services, distributing condoms, lubricant, alcohol swabs and other harm reduction supplies, as well as harm reduction/health promotion information. 
  2. Provides education on recognizing and responding to overdose, including providing Naloxone training and distributing Naloxone kits to service users. 
  3. Provides clients assessment, crisis intervention or short-term solution focused counselling, referral and advocacy. 
  4. Prepares the program space daily through leaning, taking messages and returning calls, emails, unpacking and stocking supply areas, reading and responding to the communication log, sharing information and discussing client issues with coworker(s) 
  5. Maintains the confidential client data base, collecting/recording accurate statistics for the needle exchange program. 
  6. Provides outreach and safe recovery of used syringes to the downtown community. 
  7. Participates in panel discussions, forums on harm reduction/health promotion 
  8. Provides support and debriefing to casual staff, students and volunteers 
  9. Performs other duties as required. 

 

Administration: 

  1. Shares office reception, answers enquiries, provides information and addresses issues by telephone and in person from a variety of sources such as clients, the public, and community agencies. 
  2. Provides referrals to the public or clients who are looking for or needing different services. 

 

QUALIFICATIONS 

University degree in health or social services, or equivalent combination of education and experience. AIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND JOB DESCRIPTION 

 

SKILLS AND ABILITES 

  •  Demonstrated knowledge of private and public financial aid systems. 
  •  Demonstrated skills in individual advocacy. 
  •  Demonstrated effective communication skills. 
  •  Working knowledge of the issues surrounding addiction, mental illness and communicable diseases. 
  •  Demonstrated understanding of health promotion, harm reduction, and empowerment models of social and health care. 
  •  Experience working in community based organizations; 
  •  Good organizational and time management skills 
  •  Understanding and knowledge of the social and physical impact of living with HIV/AIDS. 
  •  Good knowledge of Hepatitis C including basic medical terminology and harm reduction both theoretical and practical. 
  •  Understanding of safer using, tattooing and piercing. 
  •  Understanding of harm reduction, street vs. jail, poverty, dual diagnosis, addictions, living with chronic illness, etc. 

 

Applicants are asked to send 1 file including a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifications to: 

Sarah Sullivan, RSW  Manager; Courtenay and Campbell River Offices 
sarah.sullivan@avi.org 
fax: 250-334-8224 

Deadline for applications is 4pm, Friday, January 13th