Job Description

JOB POSTING

Position Title: Harm Reduction Outreach Worker Needle Exchange & Safer Inhalation (NESI) Program

Classification: Counsellor Level 2

Department: Family, Community Health & Harm Reduction

Reporting to: Senior Manager, Harm Reduction

Type: Full time term: 1 FTE, 35 hrs per week until March 31, 2024

Salary Band: $26.20 per hour - $31.56 per hour

Reviewed: June 2023

Reviewed by: Senior Manager, Harm Reduction

Circulation: INTERNAL only

Deadline: Tuesday July 4, 2023, 5PM

Submit to: or

About Us

We are the Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC), a non-profit, community-governed organization that serves over 16K clients annually. We provide a wide range of health care services such as primary health care, health promotion, community development, mental health and harm reduction. We are deeply connected to the communities we serve. We make our work meaningful for our community by striving to ensure that our team reflects the community we serve. We work within an anti-racism, anti-oppression framework that acknowledges systemic racism exists and seeks to ensure that systems are fair and equitable for everyone

Role:

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Harm Reduction, the Outreach Worker/Needles & Safer Inhalation (NESI) provides support, health education, and injection/safer inhalation supplies to high risk populations (i.e. drug users, sex trade workers) in order to reduce and avoid the risk of transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B and C. Duties also include supporting the Peer Program, care coordination, and supporting students engaged in the program. Services are provided using a harm reduction model both onsite and in the community. This position requires flexibility in hours of work and may involve weekend and evening shifts. This position will support the overall work of the Harm Reduction department, including providing coverage to other areas of the department as needed. Some regular hours of this position may be shared between other services including the Consumption and Treatment Service.

Requirements:

• Degree in Social Work (BSW); Social Service Work; or related health discipline OR Equivalent combination of education and relevant professional or lived/ living experience
• Three years\xe2\x80\x99 experience and passion for working with high risk populations and people who use drugs
• Commitment to working from a health equity and anti-oppressive lens
• Lived experience of drug use and/or experience in advocacy for persons who use drugs considered assets
• Excellent knowledge and experience regarding harm reduction approaches and service delivery
• Excellent understanding of health promotion, HIV and HCV transmission, Hepatitis A,B and C, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Experience in a drop-in, outreach or shelter setting is an asset
• Experience supporting people living with homelessness, mental health and addictions challenges
• Experience in overdose response is an asset
• Schedule is typically 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday to Friday, and is subject to change based on the operational needs of the service

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of best practice guidelines for individuals with substance use, notably harm reduction, outreach, case management, trauma informed care and treatment for substance use and concurrent mental health
• Knowledge of relevant mental health and privacy legislation and related practices
• Sound judgment and strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently, set priorities and manage time effectively
• Knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, behaviour change and health teaching
• Strong clinical assessment and documentation skills
• Demonstrated ability and clinical expertise working with clients in crisis
• Expertise in non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation
• Knowledge of concurrent mental health distress presentations including psychosis, trauma and emotional dysregulation
• Extensive knowledge of community resources available and service navigation
• Experience with supervised injection services an asset
• Effective organizational, critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to delegate
• Ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary team
• Ability and comfort with computers, online reporting templates and ensuring timely completion of reporting obligations
• Ability to work with people with concurrent disorders
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment managing multiple competing demands
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills

Other Job Requirements:

• Valid G class Driver\xe2\x80\x99s license, personal vehicle insurance and clean drivers abstract a strong asset
• Successful completion of criminal reference check for vulnerable sector
• Data collection/tracking
• CPR certification
• First Aid
• ASIST and Non Violent Crisis Intervention
• Needle exchange and safe inhalation training

Language Capability:

• Fluency in English required. Working knowledge of French or other priority languages in our service community (Somali, Vietnamese, Inuktitut) an asset.

If interested, please submit a cover letter and resume no later than July 4, 2023 @ 5:00 PM EST to: OR

**It is the policy of SWCHC to require COVID-19 immunization for all employees, volunteers, students, and contractors, including those who work offsite with the following exceptions: Persons with a medical reason that prevents them from being vaccinated against COVID-19; Persons with other reasonable considerations pursuant to the Ontario Human Rights Code that restrict them from being vaccinated against Covid 19 vaccination.**

Somerset West Community Health Centre is an equal opportunity employer who values the diversity of individuals in our programs and services.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of Indigenous, Black and racialized communities, Two-Spirit, nonbinary, LGBTQ+ people; people with disabilities; and members of other equity seeking groups. Applicants are encouraged to share accessibility needs in the application process, and every attempt will be made to accommodate them.

Due to the high volume of applicants, we can neither confirm receipt of nor respond to inquiries regarding your application. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted

Somerset West Community Health Centre