Part Time Peer Support Worker OAT advocate/NA/AA Support Position

Open Until Filled Summary:

The primary role of the Peer Support Worker will be to gather community members that require a daily witness and bring them to the health center to receive their medications. Another key role will be to provide NA/AA meetings throughout the week. The peer support worker will be working closely with the prescribing doctor and pharmacist. Will be in communication with them regarding medications, dosing, missed treatments, and if the individual needs any tests or uring drug testing. This role works as an embedded team member of the health centre and works alongside staff to provide peer support from lived experience and coordinates and facilitates access to the peer support program for patients and families receiving services from the health centre. This position provides variety of supports to assist clients living with mental illness/substance use such as emotional and social supports, life skills assistance, information, resources and demonstrations It is a resource for both clients and healthcare providers by providing emotional support and patient advocacy, and promoting health provider relationships that are trauma informed, free of anti-Indigenous racism, and person centred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability and willingness to share lived experience of substance use or co-occurring substance use and mental illness
• Knowledge of diverse Indigenous communities’ social, historical, jurisdictional, and cultural context, and Indigenous views on approaches to health and wellness
• Ability to engage clients with a focus on client service and client comforts
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients and their families
• Knowledge of harm reduction principles and activities
• Ability to work with a culturally diverse population
• Knowledge of available programs
• Knowledge of substance use/mental illness recovery approaches
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to organize and prioritize
• Ability to analyze and problem solve
• Ability to model, instruct and teach life skills
• Ability to observe and recognize changes in clients
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to use effective interpersonal skills to establish/maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, the public and other agencies
• Ability to operate related equipment, including hardware and software systems, or a willingness to learn these new skills with support from the employer
• Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills
• Physical and mental ability to carry out the duties of the position
• Ability to operate related equipment

Education and Experience:

• Lived/living experience in areas such as structural inequity, interpersonal trauma, racism, trauma, substance use, poverty, sex work, and/or physical or mental health challenges
• Lived experience of Indigenous culture and practices
• Current valid Class Five BC Driver’s License
• Basic first aid
• Naloxone training
• Knowledge in substance use, harm reduction, mental health, homelessness and/or health services navigation
• Peer support training is an asset but not a requirement

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring that clients are provided with appropriate support to match them wherever they are at in their wellness journey
• Assists clients with community integration activities, and accompanies clients to a range of community services, and appointments
• Supports the client to meet individual needs, goals, and situational requirements by assisting in the client’s navigation through systems such as health care, government and/or housing services, and supporting their continued progress
• Assists the client towards self-managing all aspects of their life, including their mental illness, substance use and other health conditions by such methods as sharing information and lived experience perspective, practical problem-solving, and linkages with peer supports and consumer advocacy groups
• Distributes medication to clients as per established policy and procedure as assigned
• Facilitate connections that increase accessibility to Indigenous (First Nation, Metis and Inuit) cultural services
• Maintains an awareness of current community resources including health care services, social, economic, recreational, employment, educational services and resources, and other agencies.
• Utilizes the information to assist clients to access services and problem solve with the client as required.
• Participates in program planning, development, evaluation and quality improvements activities that facilitate team goal setting, by attending meetings and providing input
• Ensures a safe and healthy working environment by observing universal precautions and infection control procedures
• Participates by providing input in staff meetings, quality improvement initiatives, committees and in-services
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Required Training: Required:

• The Provincial Opiod Addiction Treatment Support Program
• Addiction Care and Treatment Online Course • Peer Connect BC (highly recommended)

Recommended: • Peer Support Canada Please submit your cover letter and three (3) references to Health Manager @ health.director@tlazten.bc.ca