Health Promotion Peer Educator - VIRC Program

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 more than 500 people living with HIV and hepatitis C and more than 3000 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.

Our 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 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:

The Health Promotion Educator – VIRCC Program provides programming, education, referrals, and support relating to: HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and STI testing, treatment, and prevention strategies; substance use and harm reduction; and overdose prevention, including the use of naloxone, to incarcerated individuals at Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC).

The successful candidate is someone who embodies collaboration, works from a relational perspective, and is supportive and empathetic. They uphold 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.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

  1. Facilitates presentations and workshops to incarcerated individuals, in keeping with AVI’s “Peer Education” contract with VIRCC
  2. Participates in the planning of educational activities related to safer substance use and harm reduction; overdose prevention and response; HCV, HIV, and other STIs
  3. Maintains up-to-date and accurate knowledge of HIV, HCV and STIs, including prevention, transmission, treatment, and emerging trends, in relation to ‘risk groups’ such as 2SLGBTQ+ people, people who use drugs, Indigenous people, and people who are/have been incarcerated
  4. Liaises and collaborates with partner organizations, including administrative staff at VIRCC
  5. Attends regular check-in meetings
  6. Maintains files, stats and records related to the program, electronic and paper, and reports on program work
  7. Performs other related duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

AVI values having a team with diverse experiences and encourages anyone with lived/living experience and relevant qualifications to apply even if you do not have all of the requested education or training.

  • Experience working in solidarity with, and providing education to, people who have lived experience related to: living with HIV or hepatitis C; racialized oppression; membership in the 2SLGBTQ+ community; homelessness; sex work; using criminalized substances; incarceration (in community and/or professionally)
  • Experience working within harm reduction, HIV, hepatitis C, STI and/or overdose prevention and awareness
  • Demonstrated experience planning and facilitating workshops and/or education initiatives
  • Experience designing workshops and presentations, including using related technological platforms (e.g. PowerPoint, Zoom)
  • Have significant lived and/or living experience with criminalized substance use, an asset
  • Good working knowledge of local health and social services
  • Valid Class 5 BC Drivers’ License and access to a vehicle, an asset
  • Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations as well as security clearance to work within the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre (VIRCC). (Note: It is not necessary to have a completely clear record in order to pass VIRCC’s security clearance. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis for those with a record, depending on the date of the offense, whether the charges were dropped, and the nature of the offense.)

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • 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.)
  • 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, classism, homophobia and transphobia
  • Strong public speaking and group facilitation skills
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to build relationships, collaborate and work effectively with co-workers, clients, and community partners
  • Knowledge of community-based education strategies, those designed for PHAs, 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, Indigenous people, people who use drugs and people who are/have been incarcerated
  • Good computer skills, including databases, word-processing, graphics and social media (i.e., Microsoft Office suite; Facebook, Twitter, Zoom, etc.)
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Ability to work a flexible schedule

POSITION DETAILS:

  • Pay: $25.27 per hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU wage grid 31)
  • 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.
  • Hours and Schedule: 5 hours per week on Thursdays, 12-5pm. Specific dates and timing may be open to negotiation, if needed.
  • Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately.
  • Other Perks: At less than 15 hours per week, this position gets paid an extra 5% in lieu of vacation and 4.6% in lieu of stats, meaning your hourly rate is actually 9.6% higher than listed.  If combined with another position at AVI to reach 15 hours or more, this position would then get 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.

TO APPLY:

Please send an email with your interest in applying to this position to jobs@avi.org by Sunday October 16, 2022 at 5 pm.

AVI is committed to equity and diversity. 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 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.