AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) increases health equity by providing highly responsive, harm reduction -based HIV, hepatitis C, substance use, sexual health, mental health, and other community health services, and is informed by the voices of people with living experience. We envision a community where people can experience optimal health and wellness, and be free from stigma, marginalization, and criminalization. For more information see www.avi.org
AVI Health Centre is a Community Health Centre (CHC) in Nanaimo. We provide Primary Care, 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. Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
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.
JOB SUMMARY:
The AVI Nanaimo Community Health Centre (CHC) hosts a variety of program options for community members and service users to access. AVI Harm Reduction Peer Support Workers work across different programs to provide care and support to service users who have different goals of care across the continuum of health and wellness.
The CHC provides primary care, HIV/HCV, substance use, STBBI, PrEP/PEP 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.
The CHC provides streamlined access to addiction medicine services while offering a host of complementary supports under one roof including the Enhanced Harm Reduction Service (EHR). program The EHR is a flexible, community‐based, nursing led, harm reduction program that will provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic street drug supply along with wrap around supports. The EHR program aims to help individuals reduce their risk of dying from a drug poisoning event and our service users may not have sobriety or abstinence included in their goals of care.
Our services are delivered across the traditional territories of the Snuneymuxw, Stz’uminus, and Snaw'naw'as People.
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.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provide peer support through culturally safe, community-based services that prioritize Indigenous values, traditions, and healing practices, including community outreach in settings like clinics, parks, shelters, and drop-in centres.
- Distribute safer drug use and safer sex supplies while honoring specific needs, values, cultural perspectives.
- Distribute naloxone kits and offer culturally relevant training on overdose prevention and response, integrating Indigenous traditional healing practices and spiritual approaches where applicable.
- Offer witnessed consumption support and supervision, responding to overdose symptoms with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary.
- Collaborate with community members to share information on pharmaceutical alternatives to street drugs, offering harm reduction education that aligns with Indigenous knowledge and practices.
- Build supportive relationships with participants through peer support, rooted in non-judgment, active listening, healing, connection, and community solidarity.
- Assist individuals in navigating health and social services, ensuring access to both mainstream and culturally specific support, including harm reduction strategies, safer substance use practices, health referrals, and crisis support.
- Maintain ongoing contact with participants and assist in developing individualized care plans that honor both their health goals and cultural needs, with a focus on Indigenous ways of knowing and healing.
- Collaborate with the CHC team to update care plans based on the evolving needs and goals of participants, ensuring that plans honor and incorporate Indigenous cultural healing practices and traditions.
- Serve as a liaison between participants and healthcare professionals, fostering open, respectful, and culturally safe communication, with particular attention to the inclusion of Indigenous worldviews and practices in care.
- Participate in team meetings, huddles, and individual supervision sessions to ensure that care and support are holistic, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, values, and practices throughout.
- Maintain accurate and culturally sensitive records of services provided, ensuring that documentation reflects Indigenous perspectives and upholds privacy with cultural respect.
- Contribute to program evaluation activities, focusing on enhancing service delivery and community impact while ensuring that Indigenous cultural considerations are central to the evaluation process, with flexibility to incorporate traditional, cultural, and spiritual approaches to the work, in alignment with the needs of Indigenous communities.
- Assist clients in navigating harm reduction strategies, including safer substance use practices, health referrals, and crisis support.
- Advocate for the needs of Indigenous communities in harm reduction services, offering feedback on how to improve access and outcomes for Indigenous clients.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Lived experience as a self-identified Indigenous person.
- Lived experience with substance use or other related challenges, with an understanding of the unique needs and experiences of Indigenous communities.
- Knowledge of harm reduction principles and the ability to apply them in a culturally sensitive and practical manner.
- Experience in peer support, social services, or community-based roles an asset.
- Understanding of Indigenous cultures, traditions, and community practices.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a focus on building respectful and trusting relationships.
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries while providing empathic support. .
- Direct service delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community-based programs and related provincial and community support services systems.
- Experience with overdose response, including administration of naloxone, is an asset.
- Interest in learning and eager to share information with peers with a non-judgmental attitude.
- Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively with co-workers, clients, community, and other service providers
- Working knowledge in the areas of harm reduction, safer drug use, OAT, safer sex, sex work, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, mental health, etc.
- Demonstrated cultural safety and humility, and trauma-informed practices.
- Valid Class 5 driver’s license (preferred).
- Valid CPR/BLS for healthcare providers certification (or willing to obtain).
POSITION DETAILS:
- Pay: $31.56/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU paygrid 34)
- Hours and Schedule: Part Time, 15 hours per week, 2 days per week
- Location: AVI Nanaimo with work in the community as needed.
- Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2025 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
- Term: Starting as soon as possible.
- Position Type: Regular, Part Time
- Benefits: This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage after 488 hours with AVI. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.
- Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account. If you are not already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan, part time staff may become eligible after 2 years with AVI.
- Other Perks: This position gets 6.4% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives Stat In Lieu payments of 5% on each paycheque and has a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation are both accessible after your first 488 hours at AVI.
- Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.
TO APPLY:
Please click on Apply To Position and attach your resume and cover letter by 5 pm on Sunday, January 12, 2025.
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.
It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and/or have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.
We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.