Community Capacity Project Support Worker

at  AVI Health and Community Services

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 work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all. We take 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. 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 (http://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.
The Housing Overdose Prevention and Support (HOPS) Team works within supportive housing buildings to provide a broad range of low barrier, evidence-based harm reduction supports and education including overdose prevention and debriefing support, systems navigation and social support. The HOPS team also supports people living in the buildings to do Harm Reduction both alongside the HOPS team and when AVI is not there.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Community Capacity Project Coordinator, the Community Capacity Project Support Worker will assist in the development of a curriculum and training program that aims to increase the knowledge and capacity of experiential workers living in supportive housing. The Support Worker will work with the Coordinator to develop the curriculum by hosting focus groups and facilitating workshops. They will also contribute to the development, and later facilitation, of a mentorship program that provides people living in supportive housing with opportunities to do harm reduction work in community.
A high level of empathy, humility, and non-judgement is essential in this role. The successful applicant will be confident in overdose response and be knowledgeable on current harm reduction practices, sexually transmitted and blood borne infections, and local social support resources. This knowledge and approach will allow the Support Worker to provide effective mentorship. Alongside the experiential workers, the Support Worker will provide harm-reduction based support to people in community, including support and de-escalation, resourcing, witnessed consumption, overdose response, safety planning, and safer use education.
The Harm Reduction Teams work on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum of two years experience in the following areas:

• Facilitating interactive workshops or trainings
• Working collaboratively within a team environment to support coworkers with differing skill sets and abilities.
• Relevant work experience including harm reduction service delivery

Education and Training:

• Diploma in health or social service field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License with “Normal” driver status, and Driver’s Abstract (AVI will review the past 1 year and driving records will need to have no suspensions or prohibitions and a Driver’s Factor below 1.1) an asset
• Experience responding to overdose and adverse reactions to substances, including administering naloxone, rescue breaths, and oxygen.
• Relevant training or experience in a non-violent and anti-oppressive approach to de-escalation and crisis intervention.
• Strong working knowledge of systems navigation and advocacy in the context of local health and social services resources.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate effectively across different mediums, including standard computer programs (e.g. Zoom, Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).
• Ability to work in a variety of environments, including outdoors in all weather, around substance use, and inside of resident suites.
• Demonstrated capacity to consistently attend work and remain ready to work while on shift.
• Ability to receive feedback from supervisors and integrate feedback into goal setting and future practice.
• Demonstrated capacity to work in an environment that is highly self-directed and requires flexibility to respond to community needs.

1. Provides a variety of harm reduction-based supports including distribution and recovery of harm reduction supplies and witnessed consumption.
2. Monitors and assesses symptoms of overdose and responds appropriately using naloxone, rescue breathing, and oxygen
3. Provides information on a variety of topics including overdose response and safer substance use to develop individual safety plans around substance use with people.
4. Facilitates access to local services related to substance use, social issues, and health/wellness
5. Uses brief assessment, active listening, and a non-violent approach to respond to and de-escalate crisis.
6. Supports with the development and provision of a shadow shift program including scheduling, mentorship and modeling of practice, and payment of honoraria.
7. Works in collaboration with partner agencies, including other HOPS providers, to provide training and skill development that builds the capacity of peer-led initiatives.
8. Develops educational materials and curriculum, including writing training content and facilitating workshops and focus groups.
9. Maintains both paper and electronic client files and logs. Fills out critical incident and overdose report forms as needed.
10. Maintain safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents
11. Performs other duties as assigned