South Riverdale Community Health Centre is a non-profit, multi-service organization that provides primary healthcare, social and community outreach services with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention primarily to people of East Toronto. Our mission is to improve the lives of people that face barriers to physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being. We do so by meaningfully engaging our clients and communities, ensuring equitable access to primary health care and delivering quality care through a range of evidence informed programs, services and approaches. As a leader in community health, our locally and internationally recognized community services include cutting-edge primary health services, health promotion, harm reduction, environmental health, community food centre and population-based community programs for marginalized peoples. We value health equity and inclusion and respect in our work and in the delivery of our services.
The Community Health Worker – CTS works within the CTS services of SRCHC. This position will assist with the program activities, respond to overdoses, distribute harm reduction supplies, provide harm reduction education and make referrals to additional services. This position is further responsible to provide informal counseling and work on community engagement and capacity building through outreach activities and organizing and facilitating groups and workshops. The Community Health Worker – CTS will work collaboratively with other interdisciplinary team members and service providers, as well as with service users.
This position is expected to work onsite.
Responsibilities:
• Supports service users to administer their own drugs; assesses service user knowledge of safe drug consumption processes and works with service user to achieve the best possible outcomes
• Assesses, responds to and manages overdose events; provides overdose prevention education and support
• De-escalates conflict with or among participants, according to established protocols
• Provides harm reduction materials and information to service users and ensures safe disposal of used equipment in accordance with established protocols
• Seeks out opportunities to provide supportive counseling, education and referrals to health and social services
• Assists with day-to-day CTS coverage, collaborative program planning and knowledge transfer activities
• Works on community engagement and capacity building through outreach, community clean-ups and organizing and facilitating workshops
• Maintains a hygienic, organized, comfortable and respectful environment
• Assists with stocking, organization and inventory of supplies
• Works collaboratively with other team members, participates in interdisciplinary case conferences and team meetings and collegially shares knowledge of drug using community with other staff
• Helps to ensure operations of the CTS comply with all exemption requirements and guidelines, as well as all SRCHC policies and procedures
• Attends mandatory training as applicable
• Collaborates within own team and other teams across the organization to identify and provide health education to target groups
• All other duties as required
Qualifications:
• Post-Secondary education from a recognized University or College or equivalent experience
• Proven experience with overdose response and training in/experience with oxygen and Naloxone administration
• Physical ability to provide support in an overdose situation
• Experience and knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use
• Work experience with a harm reduction program and knowledge of harm reduction principles and strategies
• Outreach experience and experience facilitating groups and/or workshops
• Experience providing peer-to-peer support
• Demonstrated ability to de-escalate crisis situations and other conflict
• Confidence in asserting oneself and maintaining strong boundaries
• Knowledge of community services and resources; strong advocacy skills
• Proficiency in the use of computer technology and various software applications
• Strong communication skills; able to actively and accurately listen
• Demonstrated respect for diversity, equity, anti-racism and accessibility with the ability to work collaboratively and positively with others
• Demonstrated display of sensitivity to others
• Open, non-judgmental and willing to learn
• Lived experience as or working with people who reflect our priority client population (racialized people, indigenous people, people who engage in sex work, prisoners/ex-prisoners, people with mental health issues, people who have experienced trauma, people who have experienced homelessness or street involvement) would be an asset
• Respects and values the diversity of communities and individuals
• Police clearance documentation will be required for employment
• Proof of double COVID-19 vaccination status will be required for employment
This posting remains open until positions are filled.
Please mail in your cover letter and resume in confidence to:
The Hiring Committee – CHW – CTS
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
955 Queen Street East
Toronto, ON M4M 3P3
Or by email to: [email protected].
Please enter “CHW – CTS” in the subject line of your email.
No faxes, phone calls, or requests to meet please.
This is a bargaining unit position with CUPE Local 5399.
SRCHC welcomes applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
SRCHC is an equal opportunity employer. We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
SRCHC encourages applicants who are racialized (IBPOC) and/or applicants who face any barriers as a result of systemic discrimination to apply for this position.
SRCHC encourages a scent-free environment. Employees, students, volunteers, and visitors are asked to refrain from wearing fragrances and other scented personal care products (i.e. perfumes, deodorants, lotions, hairspray, etc.) while at the Centre.