We are seeking an individual who is passionate about promoting health and wellness equity in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) to assist the work of Kilala Lelum Health and Wellness Cooperative (KL) in the role of Supportive Employment and Community Engagement Manager who will support community health workers across our organization and onboard, train and support members participating in our Supportive Employment program that will be launching in Spring 2025. Kilala Lelum aims to provide access to decolonized primary care, Allied Health services, and Elder-led cultural care to new and existing members through an outreach-based, culturally-safe, strength-based, trauma-informed, member-centered, and harm reduction approach.
The Supportive Employment and Community Engagement Manager will be working primarily within the Indigenous Wellness & Resource Hub (IWRH), a new program and space at Kilala Lelum that will provide health promotion services for Indigenous people who have experienced systemic barriers to accessing resources and health care in the DTES, including access to housing, income assistance, and low barrier primary care and substance use care. The Resource Hub will be a member-centred space supported by an interdisciplinary team that includes Social Navigators, Housing Workers, Nurses, Elders, Knowledge Holders, and People With Lived and Living Experience (PWLLE) working as Resource Hub Ambassadors, Navigators, and Community Health Workers. We have secured funding to develop a supportive peer employment program which will provide economic development opportunities for approximately 20 individuals.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Supportive Employment and Community Engagement Manager (0.8 FTE) will spend their time between program implementation, supporting service delivery and coordinator/administrative tasks. The successful candidate will be responsible for the program’s development and supervision with support from the Primary Care Co-Lead of Community Partnerships and Special Projects and the Allied Health Lead, with additional support provided by the Research and Evaluation team.
The Supportive Employment and Community Engagement Manager oversees the daily operations of the Supportive Employment Program, including hiring and recruitment of staff and participants. The Program Manager will lead and coordinate peer education activities, provide training and supervision to peer staff and supportive employment program participants, and liaise with partner organizations as needed.
The Supportive Employment and Community Engagement Manager will ensure effective and consistent service delivery and support the economic development and growth of members who are seeking employment. The Manager will also participate in the ongoing evaluation and assessment of the program’s impact to ensure that the program is responsive to the needs of members and program participants.
This position is best suited for someone who is collaborative, organized, detail-oriented, enjoys working closely with varied service providers, and understands the complexities of supporting individuals struggling with barriers to employment.

ABOUT THE SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM:

The Supportive Employment Program is in its early stages of development and design. We have secured the necessary funding to hire for this role and take the time required to develop a comprehensive and robust program. This program aims to support and employ community members in a safe and meaningful way that enriches the lives of those who participate.
Employment opportunities for current and former DTES community members are limited; barriers to employment can be significant and range from not having held a mainstream job for multiple years, to criminal records or houselessness, to continuously confronting stigma. The goal of the program is to support community members who are seeking employment opportunities and to reduce the barriers and stigma that drug users and other marginalized communities in the DTES experience when seeking employment.

Program Design, Recruitment, and Scheduling

• Collaborate with Allied Health Lead and Primary Care Co-lead in the design and development of the Supportive Peer Employment Program, including developing job descriptions, assessing job placement and suitability, and providing education opportunities and resources required to fulfill the duties of various peer employment roles.
• Assist with policy development to guide the Supportive Peer Employment Program to ensure it is equity focused, trauma informed, and culturally safe for participants.
• Ensure the recruitment process is inclusive and accessible for Indigenous community members who use substances and face barriers to employment.
• Assess each new hire for independence level, support needs, skills level, motivation, challenges, accommodations, and economic development goals.
• Build and maintain the weekly and/or monthly schedules for staff and volunteers based on suitability and support needs.
• Perform various administrative tasks including timesheet approval, managing honorarias and petty cash, expense reports, meeting minutes, record keeping, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and budget management. This includes a monthly report to the funder and a quarterly report for Kilala Lelum.
• Compile, analyze, and submit statistics and reports related to peer programs for internal development/assessment purposes and to relevant funders

Program Design, Recruitment, and Scheduling

• Collaborate with Allied Health Lead and Primary Care Co-lead in the design and development of the Supportive Peer Employment Program, including developing job descriptions, assessing job placement and suitability, and providing education opportunities and resources required to fulfill the duties of various peer employment roles.
• Assist with policy development to guide the Supportive Peer Employment Program to ensure it is equity focused, trauma informed, and culturally safe for participants.
• Ensure the recruitment process is inclusive and accessible for Indigenous community members who use substances and face barriers to employment.
• Assess each new hire for independence level, support needs, skills level, motivation, challenges, accommodations, and economic development goals.
• Build and maintain the weekly and/or monthly schedules for staff and volunteers based on suitability and support needs.
• Perform various administrative tasks including timesheet approval, managing honorarias and petty cash, expense reports, meeting minutes, record keeping, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, and budget management. This includes a monthly report to the funder and a quarterly report for Kilala Lelum.
• Compile, analyze, and submit statistics and reports related to peer programs for internal development/assessment purposes and to relevant funders.

Placement and Support

• Provide onsite support and supervision to a team of approximately 4-6 peer staff and 5-10 SPEP participants.
• Establish, maintain, and enhance therapeutic relationships based on respect, cultural safety, trauma-informed practice, and harm reduction principles.
• Collaborate with Kilala Lelum leadership team and community support networks (employment support services, support workers, care providers, etc.) to identify job opportunities that will align with participants’ strengths and support skill development.
• Work collaboratively with Kilala Lelum’s interdisciplinary team to adapt and/or improve the Supportive Employment Plan as needed, complete participant wellness check-ins, document relevant information, and escalate issues within teams as necessary.
• Be available to support and connect with SEP participants and community health workers on-site across all programs while maintaining strong professional and personal boundaries.
• Availability to participate in on-call rotation for IWRH staff and/or to respond to emergent issues that can impact the program.
• Assist with addressing barriers and challenges experienced by CHWs and SPEP participants connecting them to services and training that support their individual goals.
• Document relevant information in OSCAR EMR (Electronic Medical Records), communicate proactively, and collaborate with relevant KL providers.
• Receive program referrals and coordinate intake with KL’s Leads and Managers.

Training and Mentorship

• Develop and deliver adapted training and orientation for peer staff, including delivering workshops, holding regular meetings, and providing on-site mentorship.
• Develop and deliver training for peer staff to ensure individuals are welcomed and effectively supported in the settings where they’ll be working/volunteering.
• Recruit, train, schedule, and support peer staff to ensure that staff feel supported and set up for success.

Community and Organizational Engagement

• In collaboration with the Allied Lead and the Primary Care Co-Lead – Community Partnerships and Special Projects, provide ongoing evaluation and assessment of the program’s impact in accordance with both Reaching Home and SUAP funding deliverables.
• Engage with employment communities to learn/share best practices for inclusive, low-barrier hiring practices.
• Participate in ongoing engagement activities within the IWRH space, including the IWRH Steering Committee and Co-leading Kilala Lelum’s Community Advisory Committee (CAC), including preparing agendas and organizing meetings.
• Carry out all other needs deemed necessary by peer staff and Kilala Lelum programs.