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 take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all. 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
THE VICTORIA SAFER INITIATIVE is a flexible, community-based, prescribed safe supply model with health care provider oversight. Its goal is to save and affirm the lives of people who use drugs by providing safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic supply. SAFER is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
JOB SUMMARY:
The SAFER Coordinator will work closely with the SAFER Manager to supervise daily operations at the SAFER Clinic. This role includes staff scheduling, providing supervision and support for program staff, coordinating the delivery of non-clinical programs and services, and carrying out administrative and operational tasks related to the office and facilities. This position will also provide a range of psychosocial and health-related supports to SAFER participants. They will practice harm reduction in their relationships to build trust and assist participants to navigate access to the SAFER program and to other health and social supports.
The SAFER Coordinator will have a strong relational practice and demonstrated ability to support team members who hold multiple, intersecting identities, including people who use(d) drugs, people with disabilities, people with lived experiences of HIV and hepatitis C, and members of the LGBTQ2IS+ and BIPOC communities. They will ensure that all staff and programs promote the health, dignity and well being of the people that we work with while maintaining a commitment to providing an excellent quality of service, and act as an ambassador for AVI in the community.
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 SAFER Team promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve.
KEY 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, cultural humility and social justice.
- Supports staff, through regular one-on-one and team check-in meetings problem-solve challenging situations that arise, set and maintain appropriate boundaries, access time off and benefits, set professional development goals and successfully deliver programming.
- In collaboration with the Manager, recruits new staff and volunteers by performing duties such as screening applicants, participating on interview panels, providing input into the development of interview questions, and hiring and orienting new staff.
- Collaborates with Manger and CNL to coordinate collaborative staff meetings, and trainings
- Assists staff with navigating the Inclusion scheduling system, leave management forms, and accessing seniority reports and information regarding benefit accruals.
- Ensures appropriate staffing levels in the clinic by scheduling staff and calling out casual shifts as required. May be required to work in clinic as part of minimum staffing.
- Performs administrative and operational tasks as requested by the Program Manager, including ordering office supplies and stationary, organizing office documentation, maintaining electronic alarm codes for staff and addressing issues related to internet and technology.
- Develops and maintains relationships with community partners, including acting as a delegate for the Program Manager and participating in relevant committees and working groups.
- Compiles and prepares departmental statistical and program information, including working directly with program staff to complete reports as needed.
- Acts as a liaison between the Clinical Nurse Lead and Manager to communicate and manage staff support needs, client concerns, and issues related to facilities and operations, and critical incidents
- Tracking and responding to issues raised by the Occupational Health and Safety committee and implement recommendations.
- Attends community partner meetings, as required and helps maintain relationships with other direct service providers and funders.
- Liaises between SAFER participants and SAFER team members to support participants and assist with collaborative and proactive problem-solving as needed.
- Maintains confidential records in accordance with privacy requirements.
- Fosters safety by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents such as overdose and other medical emergencies.
- Engages in planning, evaluation, reporting, and program development as directed.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- University degree in Health or Social Services, Counselling, Social Work, Psychology, etc, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum two years of supervisory experience and working in solidarity with people who have lived experience related to: living with HIV or Hepatitis C; the LGBTQ2IS+ community; using criminalized substances; colonialism or racialized oppression; poverty and homelessness.
- Three to five years of demonstrated experience in delivering &/or managing programming and services directly with program clients/participants with a harm reduction, and trauma informed lens.
SKILLS & ABILITIES:
- Excellent leadership skills including the ability to coach and mentor staff, engage in group process work (e.g. goal setting, debriefing), facilitate conflict resolution and collaboration
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co-workers, clients, community, and other service providers
- Experience working in solidarity with diverse populations including people who are criminalized for their drug use and/or mental health; people who are denied housing/precariously housed/warehoused; racialized identities; Indigenous & Metis persons; LGBTQ2IS+ identities; sex workers; people with disabilities.
- 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
- Excellent organization, prioritization and time management skills, including ability to triage urgent demands and complex situations
- Demonstrated experience in leading teams within a unionized environment
- Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
- Proficiency with standard computer programs (e.g. Zoom, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
- Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing techniques from a trauma informed lens.
- Positive approach, flexible, resourceful, and enjoys working in a dynamic, informal, and relational workplace.
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
- Current First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents, including opioid overdoses that involve rescue breathing and administering naloxone.
- Proof of COVID19 vaccination as per government health orders.
- Current Valid BC Drivers’ License
- Access to a vehicle, an asset
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $36.30/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: 37.5 hours per week
- Schedule: This role covers a five day stretch, which includes the weekend. The schedule is either Friday to Tuesday or Thursday to Monday, day shifts.
- Weekend Shift Premium: Any shifts worked on the weekend (1x/week minimum is intended for this position) will be paid an additional $0.50/hour premium.
- Term: Position runs to March 31, 2024, subject to funding.
- Location: AVI Victoria’s SAFER Clinic and Head Office, as needed.
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2025 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
- Position Type: Regular Full 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. 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 6.1% 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.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to jobs@avi.org. This posting is open until filled.
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.