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 more than 500 people living with HIV and hepatitis C and more than 3000 harm reduction clients. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all, and take an evidence based approach to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma for impacted populations. 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 information, please visit www.avi.org (http://www.avi.org/)
AVI-Nanaimo Community Health Centre Located on the unceded traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation, provides HIV, Substance Use, STBBI, PrEP, PEP, and HCV medical services, as well as outreach, supports, and social programming for our clients. We also provide education services for the communities we support and for health and social services students and professionals that work with the same communities.
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 Enhanced Harm Reduction Program (EHR) is a program within the Community Health Centre in Nanaimo. The EHR is a flexible, community-based, harm reduction program that will provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply along with wrap around supports. Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw’naw’as People.

JOB SUMMARY:

This position’s primary purpose is to support clients to navigate psychosocial barriers to their health. The Systems Navigator works in a flexible, community based, harm-reduction program that provides safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic drug supply. This program operates in conjunction with AVI’s existing programs and services, including the positive wellness program for people living with or at risk of HIV/hepatitis C, health promotion education, youth advocacy and outreach, and drop-in harm reduction services.
Under the direct supervision of the Program Manager or designate, the Systems Navigator will work on a multidisciplinary team to provide a range of psychosocial and health-related support to program participants. The successful candidate will embody a philosophy and practice of collaboration, while working from a relational perspective that upholds values of harm reduction, empathy, social justice, cultural humility, and trauma informed care.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• University degree in social work and registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers as an RSW or RCSW preferred. A combination of comparable education and experience will be considered.
• 3 years of demonstrated experience in the direct delivery of social services, ideally in harm reduction services including case management and safer supply programs.
• Supervisory experience in a social service agency working with vulnerable folks who use substances.
• Training in and experience conducting VAT Assessments for BC Housing access, completing SHA, Supportive Housing, and other BC Housing Applications.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co- workers, program participants, community, and other service providers.
• Direct service delivery and advocacy experience with community-based and provincial support services and systems (income, housing, healthcare, legal systems, etc).
• Understanding of how systemic barriers associated with poverty, mental health, substance use, trauma, racism, colonialism, heterosexism, and gender discrimination impact individual health and well-being, as well as service delivery provision.
• Commitment to harm reduction principles and practice, with experience working alongside coworkers and program participants who experience intersecting systemic oppression.
• Demonstrated understanding of public health and equity-oriented models of social support and health care.
• Commitment to honoring Indigenous communities and ways of knowing, while approaching learning about the ongoing impacts of colonial violence with humility.
• Demonstrated ability to provide support and advocate for a diverse range of individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant barriers to their health and well-being.
• Experience managing hostile interactions, utilizing nonviolent communication and diffusing.
• Ability to solve problems in a complex and dynamic work environment.
• Experience with data collection and reporting tasks.
• First Aid certification and experience responding to critical incidents and overdose, including administration of naloxone.
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License and use of own vehicle for work purposes.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in similar settings.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
• Practiced advocacy skills and ability to effectively navigate access requirements of various health and social supports (eg. income, housing, healthcare, treatment options, etc).
• Excellent prioritization and time management skills, including ability to triage crises, urgent demands and complex situations within assigned working hours.
• Ability to work with diverse groups of stakeholders including people impacted by poverty, substance use, and criminalization, as well as service providers, funders and other community members.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and versatile in a changing work environment while maintaining effectiveness and efficiency.
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful rapport with individuals who have experienced trauma and abuse due to structural violence, stigma and discrimination.
• Ability to anticipate and identify challenges and proactively address through collaborative problem-solving.
• Crisis intervention skills with a diverse population facing significant structural barriers.
• Ability to work outdoors during all types weather in all seasons.

• At the direction of the Program Manager, Nurse Lead, or designate:
• Work both independently and collaboratively to provide psychosocial supports for participants accessing services in the community as well as within the AVI programs.
• Provide all support to program participants using trauma-informed, harm reduction, and culturally safe approaches.
• Support program sustainability by bolstering new participant strengths, seeking out supportive resources that address barriers for participants to join and succeed in the program.
• Attend community partner meetings and help maintain relationships with other direct service providers.
• Actively particiate in case management conferences and informal conversations with clinical and non-clinical staff to maximize benefits for participants.
• Act as a liaison between program leadership, team members, and service users to communicate client concerns, and issues related to facilities, operations, and critical incidents.
• Provide information to program participants regarding access to pharmaceutical alternatives to street drugs, support assessments and intakes, and develop care plans.
• Provide outreach-based supports in the community including accompaniment to appointments, home visits, and advocacy in accordance with the established care plans as necessary.
• Assist participants in building their own capacity to obtain transportation and other needed supports toward greater autonomy and independence.
• Use brief assessment, crisis response and counselling skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals to other health and support services.
• Provide mentorship and modeling of practice for Outreach Support Workers and Peer Support Workers that is in line with principles of social justice, trauma-informed care, and cultural humility.
• Distribute safer drug use supplies, safer sex supplies and naloxone kits, and provide information on harm reduction practices, overdose prevention and overdose response.
• Administer, assess, and record point of care tests such as urine drug screens.
• Monitor and support people who are using substances. Assess for overdose symptoms in program participants and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary.
• Work with program participants and team to navigate administrative and financial requirements for access to pharmaceuticals according to care plan.
• Maintain confidential records in accordance with privacy requirements.
• Engage in planning, evaluation, reporting, and program development as directed.
• Foster safety by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents.
• Perform other duties as assigned