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 people living with HIV and hepatitis C and 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.
PROGRAM SUMMARY:
AVI Health Centre is a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Nanaimo. We provide Primary Care, HIV, Substance Use, STBBI, PrEP, PEP, and HCV medical services, as well as outreach, supports, and social programming for our clients. We also provide education services for the communities we support and for health and social services students and professionals that work with the same communities. Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
The Enhanced Harm Reduction Service (EHR) works within the AVI Health Centre and is a Safe Supply Initiative that is a flexible, community‐based, harm reduction program, integrated into our CHC to provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply.
JOB SUMMARY:
The Enhanced Harm Reduction Support Worker will apply their own lived/living experience of criminalized drug use to build and maintain relationships with EHR clients. They will practice harm reduction in their relationships to build trust and provide peer support. The EHR Support Worker will be integral to help establish and maintain a positive, respectful environment within our CHC and to act as a EHR service ambassador in the community. This position reports to the Program Coordinator.
This position will be scheduled to work 20 hours per week: Monday to Friday, from 2 pm to 6 pm each day.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Work collaboratively with the CHC Teams and EHR Service to identify potential participants, provide information regarding access to pharmaceutical alternatives to street drugs, and assist with assessments and intakes.
- Provide peer support in a variety of settings such as on‐site at our CHC, parks, encampments, shelters, supported housing and drop‐in centres.
- Distribute safer drug use supplies, safer sex supplies, safer hormone injection supplies, and naloxone kits, and provide information and training about their use.
- Monitor and support people who are using substances. Assess for overdose symptoms and respond with co‐workers with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided.
- Maintain the safety of all CHC spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents.
- Provide harm reduction information and referrals for other health and social services.
- Connect regularly with clients and offer peer support through active listening skills and non‐judgmental attitude.
- Liaise between clients, care coordinators, nurses, the clinic staff, and physicians to support participants to be heard and assist with keeping communication open and accessible.
- Identify and develop safety plans with people who are using substances who are at increased risk of toxic drug poisoning or overdose.
- Contribute to a positive, respectful environment.
- Attend regularly scheduled team meetings and individual supervision meetings.
- Keep records and participate in ‘team charting’ to assure comprehensive documentation.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Minimum two years’ experience working within harm reduction settings.
- Have lived/living experience with criminalized drug use and related health and social barriers.
- 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.
- Experience responding to critical incidents and overdose, including administration of naloxone.
- Support to obtain first aid certificate is available, if necessary.
- Have current knowledge of the local drug trends and can relate as a peer with service users.
- Demonstrated working knowledge of community‐based programs and related community support services.
- Comfortable approaching and initiating conversation with others and ability to build respectful rapport.
- Interest in learning and sharing information with peers with a non‐judgmental attitude.
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them.
- Working understanding of the importance of confidentiality and boundaries.
- Demonstrated understanding and commitment to harm reduction principles and practices.
- Working knowledge in the areas of safer drug use, OAT, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, HCV, and mental health a benefit.
- Commitment to honor Indigenous communities, their ways of knowing, and learning about the ongoing impacts of colonial violence with humility.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Ability to work in cooperation with others.
- Ability to communicate clearly and with respect, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to establish and maintain rapport with participants and observe for changes in health and wellbeing.
- Comfortable approaching and initiating conversation with others and ability to build respectful rapport.
- Ability to work in settings that can be high energy and stressful with self‐awareness.
- Ability to keep a ‘cool head’ when tense situations arise and willingness to engage in proactive problem solving.
- Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
- Ability to work outdoors during all types of weather in all seasons.
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $26.42/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU paygrid 34)
- End Date: This position runs through to July 28. 2023.
- Location: This position will work out of AVI’s Nanaimo office and in the community of Nanaimo.
- Hours and Schedule: This position will be scheduled from Mondays to Fridays, 2 pm to 6 pm (20 hours/week.)
- 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.
- Position Type: Regular, Part Time
- 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. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account. If you are not already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan, part time staff may become eligible after 2 years with AVI.
- Other Perks: This position gets 6% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives Stat In Lieu payments of 4.6% on each paycheque and has a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation are both accessible 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:
This posting is being posted internally only. To apply, please send your statement of interest to jobs@avi.org by 5 pm January 3, 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.