DOPES Support Worker

at  AVI Health Community Services

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 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
Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centered 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 Drop-in & Overdose Preventions Services (DOPES) Team will be responsible for operating both drop-in and overdose prevention services in Victoria, as well as supporting the daily operations of the HOPS, CLCR & SAFER teams. Providing low barrier, harm reduction supports and services to community members marginalized from equitable care, the DOPES team will provide a range of programming that is responsive to the needs of the community, including: provision of a harm reduction informed drop-in space & overdose prevention services that seek to address gaps in services for persons surviving outside.
From a social justice and health promotion framework, the DOPES Team will provide minimum staffing for a safe, accessible drop-in space for community members who use substances, and/or who are marginalized from social care services. Programming will include access to harm reduction supports as well as overdose prevention, witnessed consumption and peer-based services. Services will center the needs and agency of service user, including for community members barred from other social services.

JOB SUMMARY:

The DOPES Support Worker will provide a range of low barrier, harm reduction supports and services for persons/communities marginalized from equitable social and health care services. Service and supports provided may include drop-in & overdose prevention spaces and harm reduction programming, outreach and crisis intervention, supply distribution and overdose prevention/response.
This position relies heavily on the abilities of the worker to connect and develop relationships of trust and rapport with service users. A thorough understanding of the principles and practices of harm reduction, the impact of colonialism and system inequities on individual and population health, and the operationalization of trauma and violence practices are essential. This position requires a high level of self-awareness, empathy, ability to provide non-judgemental support with exceptional understanding of personal and community boundaries.
The DOPES Support Worker must demonstrate capacity to consistently attend work and contribute to a team dynamic in which minimum staffing requirements impact program delivery. This position relies on flexibility and self-motivation and the ability to support a team dynamic that is dependent upon flexible service delivery.
Confidence in overdose response, outreach and in-reach or place-based harm reduction programming are essential to this position. This position will also provide accurate information regarding the transmission and prevention of HIV, HCV, and other blood-borne illnesses, as well as evidence-based educational and harm reduction intervention to individuals and priority populations to increase knowledge of overdose prevention and response strategies as well as safer substance use.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Diploma in health or social service field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 1-year relevant experience including harm reduction service delivery.
• First Aid training and experience responding to overdose and adverse reactions to substances, including administering naloxone and oxygen.
• Relevant training or experience in a non-violent and anti-oppressive approach to de-escalation and crisis intervention
• Strong working knowledge of local health and social services resources
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma-informed and decolonial lens
• Demonstrated understanding of harm reduction principles and health promotion framework as they apply to support work.
• Demonstrated ability to provide support based in social justice, relationality, cultural humility, and trauma-informed practice.
• 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.
• Excellent communication and conflict-resolution skills. Experience working collaboratively within a team environment to support coworkers with differing skill sets and abilities.
• Ability to receive feedback from supervisors and integrate 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.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges.
• Ability to problem solve with creativity, flexibility, and assertiveness with complex issues.
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them.

• Provides a variety of harm reduction-based supports to individuals including distribution and recovery of harm reduction supplies.
• Provides support to AVIs CLCR, SAFER & HOPS Teams, including facilitating access to harm reduction and survival supplies, de-escalation support and client follow-up.
• Provides on the spot, and group-based training in overdose response and education on substances and safer use practices
• Uses brief assessment, active listening, and crisis response skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals for people who use substances and those who have survived overdose(s) to other health and support services within the community.
• Monitor and support people who are using substances. Assess for overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided.
• Engage service users in a collaborative, person-centered approach grounded in harm reduction
• Maintain the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents (such as overdose prevention and response), including the ability to use communication devices.
• Identify and develop safety plans with people who are using substances who are at increased risk of overdose.
• Maintains both paper and electronic client files and logs. Fills out critical incident and overdose report forms as needed.
• Provide training and support to build capacity for peer lead initiatives
• Perform other duties as assigned.