AVI HEALTH & COMMUNITY SERVICES (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all. We take 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. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. 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.
The AVI South Island Education Team provides education and support relating to: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, STBBIs, substance use, harm reduction, overdose prevention and response, sexual and gender diversity, sexual decision-making, testing, treatment, and prevention strategies as a means of increasing community awareness and wellness, and reducing the further incidence of STBBIs. We provide support to, and work in solidarity with, people who have lived/living experience of HIV or hepatitis C, membership in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and using criminalized substances.
The South Island Education Team’s work currently is focused on education for the following groups: older adults living on the Westshore, individuals who use criminalized substances, folks in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, incarcerated individuals at Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC), and health & social service providers.
The South Island Education Team is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees Nations), and we acknowledge the ways in which colonization is inextricably linked to the topics we discuss. The disproportionate impact of criminalization, the war on people who use drugs, the overdose crisis, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS on Indigenous communities is a direct and intentional result of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization.
JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the Senior Director, the Education Team Coordinator works collaboratively with the Education Program Coordinator and other South Island Education team members to provide educational programming and events relating to: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, STBBIs, substance use, harm reduction, overdose prevention and response, sexual health, and sexual and gender diversity in the southern Vancouver Island region.
Within this collaborative team context, the Education Team Coordinator’s role focuses on the daily administration of the South Island Education team, including providing support to staff, coordination and delivery support for education programs, facilitating education programs in the community, carrying out administrative tasks, and tasks related to grant/contract obligations (e.g. reporting, assisting with grant applications). The Education Team Coordinator also supports the Education Program Coordinator as needed.
The Education Team Coordinator will support the staff on the South Island Education Team who hold multiple, intersecting identities including (but not limited to) people who use/d drugs, people who navigate their own mental wellness daily, people with lived/living experience of HIV and hepatitis C, and LGBTQ2S+ people - from a sex positive, person centered and harm reduction-based approach.
The successful candidate embodies collaboration, works from a relational perspective, is supportive and empathetic, and upholds AVI’s harm reduction, social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility values with staff and people accessing our services. They support and ensure that the South Island Education Team promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Engages with staff team to establish empathic supervisory relationships with clear and mutually-defined boundaries. Supervision and support will be grounded in understandings of the impacts of trauma, and include mentoring, feedback and skills development, all from a lens of harm reduction.
- Supports staff, through regular one-on-one and team check-in meetings, to develop and manage individual work plans, problem-solve challenging situations that arise, set and maintain boundaries, access time off and benefits, develop and maintain relationships with community partners, set professional development goals, successfully deliver programming, carry out program evaluation and reporting.
- Contributes to mentorship and modeling of practice for staff that is in line with AVI’s principles of social justice, trauma-informed care and cultural humility.
- As needed, supports the Education Program Coordinator in leading the collaborative design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and services in the Education Department.
- In collaboration with team members, designs and delivers educational sessions and special projects on HIV, hepatitis C, sexual health and STIs, substance use and harm reduction, homophobia and transphobia, to service providers and community groups as requested.
- Receives requests, schedules workshops and staff to facilitate, provides day-of coordination and transportation support, including serving as a back-up for staff who are scheduled to facilitate workshops.
- Leads recruitment and hiring, collaborating with Education team members in screening applicants, participating on interview panels, providing input into the development of interview questions
- Ensures appropriate staffing levels for the department and leads orientation of new staff
- Prepares departmental statistical information monthly, working with education team staff to complete reports as needed.
- Contributes to annual program evaluation reports (PHAC, Island Health, yearly report).
- Performs financial duties such reviewing and authorizing credit card, petty cash, and monitors expenditures related to program budget.
- Acts as Education Program Coordinator when they are away.
- Performs related duties as required.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are living with HIV or Hepatitis C; people who use criminalized substances; people who are denied housing/precariously housed; Indigenous persons; people who experience racialized oppression; members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community; sex workers; people with disabilities.
- 2 years of experience providing support and leadership to a diverse staff team, preferably within a non-profit or community-based organization
- Minimum 1-year program coordination experience (preferably education programs)
- 2 years of experience facilitating interactive educational workshops
- Excellent leadership skills including the ability to coach and mentor staff, engage in group process work (e.g. goal setting), facilitate conflict resolution and collaboration
- Demonstrated experience planning, promoting and launching activities and events, such as conferences, forums, and workshops.
- 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
- Thorough knowledge and understanding of HIV, hepatitis C, harm reduction, substance use and sexual health, or related facets of wellness that includes an intersectional perspective (i.e. acknowledges such factors as poverty, racialization, gendered oppression, etc.)
- Excellent organization, prioritization and time management skills, including ability to triage urgent demands and complex situations
- Demonstrated experience in leading teams within a union environment
- Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate effectively across different mediums, including using standard computer programs (e.g. Zoom, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
- Current Valid BC Drivers’ License
- Access to a vehicle, an asset
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $31.42/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU paygrid 38+10%
- Hours and Schedule: 37.5 hours/week, Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm, with some evenings and occasional weekends.
- Term: This position runs until March 31, 2024, with the potential for an extension dependent on funding.
- Location: AVI Victoria office and in the community as needed.
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2019-2022 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage after 488 hours with AVI. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. If not, after 488 hours, you will be eligible to join the Municipal Pension Plan. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account.
- Other Perks: This position gets 6% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives a paid day off for every Stat Holiday and Easter Monday and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 488 hours at AVI.
- Proof of Vaccination Required: AVI is under BC's Health Services Order and continues to require proof of vaccination and masking.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@avi.org by 5 pm on February 24, 2023.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and 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/or 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 AVI is 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.