Position: Mental Health Advocate – Full Time
Location: Newton (office location) and Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley (outreach)
Hours: 35 hours/week
Salary: $26.78/hour
Start Date: ASAP
We are looking for a Mental Health Advocate to join our Advocacy team! This individual should be a strong positive model by being energetic, creative, and resourceful while also possessing strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM:

The Newton Resource Centre offers a variety of services for individuals who a living in poverty including those who are homeless. These programs focus on supporting individuals to obtain and maintain essential income and living resources including income assistance, other government benefits, and affordable rental housing. Our Housing Support Services assist individuals who are homeless and at imminent risk of homelessness. This team works collaboratively to address the unique and complex needs of each individual as well as works in partnership with other service providers in the community to address the needs of this target population.

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

Reporting to: Manager, Advocacy Programs
Providing legal advocacy services to disadvantaged individuals in the Fraser Health Region. This position requires an experienced individual to provide comprehensive legal advocacy services in the areas of income assistance, provincial disability benefits, federal income security programs and residential tenancy. The advocate will be experienced in working with people with mental health conditions; providing support, information, and referral; written communications on behalf of the client as well as an accompaniment to meetings, tribunal hearings and dispute resolution hearings; mediates and negotiating with government agencies and landlords. The advocate will also provide outreach services in the Fraser Valley at the Mental Health Offices and at the Mental Health Club Houses.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 2 years of post-secondary education and 2 years’ advocacy experience or a combination will be considered
• Effectively utilize Office suite including Excel, Word, Outlook and central data systems, managing electronic records, file management and reporting skills necessary
• Awareness of poverty and homelessness related issues
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills including public relations, oral and written skills as well as public speaking ability
• Exercise good judgment and the ability to negotiate and mediate on behalf of clients with government agencies and landlords.
• The ability to function independently and under pressure and effectively manage the crisis, emergency situations and challenging clients
• Have a strong sense of social justice and a resilient desire to assist and improve the lives of marginalized people
• Work from a client service and solution-focused approach
• Understand the spectrum of issues related to poverty and experience in working with people with mental illness; sensitive to a diverse client base and ability to deal tactfully with sensitive client issues
• Ability to read, understand and interpret applicable legislation and awareness of government processes and procedures required.
• Knowledge of local community resources
• Clear criminal record check
• Unrestricted Class 5 B.C Driver’s License and clean driving abstract (mandatory)
• Proof of SIN
• First Aid/CPR/NCI training is provided by Sources upon hiring
  As this is an outreach position, working at various sites across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley, a vehicle, valid class 5 BC driver’s license and clean abstract are mandatory.

Please refer the Job description for details