Youth Peer Support Worker

Encompass Support Services Society is an accredited nonprofit agency that provides a wide range of programs and support services in Langley and Aldergrove for over 25 years. We help to build strong sustainable communities by offering inclusive accessible services tailored to meet the changing needs of the individuals and community we serve.

At Encompass we are committed to a journey towards cultural humility and safety; for the wellbeing of those we serve and those we work alongside. We gratefully acknowledge that the programs services and offices of Encompass are on the unceded sovereign Indigenous lands of the Coast Salish People. This includes the territories of Kwantlen Katzie Matsqui and Semiahmoo First Nations. We also acknowledge the Diverse First Nations Inuit and Mtis people who make Langley their home.

Our purpose is to strengthen the health and vitality of community by identifying and responding to community needs collaborating to enhance the lives of those we serve while cultivating effective and sustainable partnerships.

Our vision is to empower individuals to connect people and to enrich lives. We value Integrity Inclusion Collaboration and Community.

Our programs and supports are designed to build new skills to foster healthy productive lifestyles and to improve access to services within our community. Services are lowbarrier allinclusive and at no cost to participants. Annually we provide services to over 2500 individuals and families.

The Opportunity

The Youth Peer Support (YPS) Worker is a key member of the Foundry centre team. The YPS worker offers peerbased mentoring and emotional support and works collaboratively with youth their families and members of the care team. By utilizing their own lived experience the YPS worker helps youth and young adults to enhance their health and wellness through service navigation providing resource information and connecting them with Foundry and/or community resources. This position supports the planning deliverance and safety of walkin social and outreach programming by offering support to youth and young adults in group and one on one.

We are seeking someone who wants to make a difference and has a passion for supporting young people who have experienced difficulties with coping or who are working to manage mental health or substance use concerns. A good fit for our agency is a selfdirected engaging and empathetic person with lived or living experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges. We are looking for someone who can relate to youth as a peer work independently yet also interface well with our integrated multidisciplinary team and the Program Lead/Coordinator who oversees the program.

JOB POSTING:Youth Peer Support Worker Foundry Langley
DATE: April 14 2025
POSITION: Permanent part Time
HOURS OF WORK: 20 Hours per week
Monday 12:307:30pm 6.5
Tuesday 12:007:30pm 7
Wednesday 12:307:30pm 6.5
SALARY RANGE: Wage Grid 10: $26.83 $29.76 hourly
VACATION: As per ESSS policy
CLOSING: April 28 2025 at 4:30 PM
ANTICIPATED START DATE: ASAP

Some Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Plays a key role in ensuring that the centre offers a safe welcoming inclusive and youthfriendly environment;
Provides support guidance and mentorship for youth and their families and assists in sharing information on resources and lived experience service navigation;
Develops leads or cofacilitates group services to promote skills development and mental health and substance use recovery and relapse prevention;
Coordinates participates in or assists with planning recreation and social activities;
Provides support to aid with reducing youths distress improving or maintaining functioning and enabling independence and active participation;
Facilitates youth engagement and participation in focus groups workshops surveys and related activities;
Works collaboratively with team members to meet preestablished goals and objectives facilitates recoverybased peer support meetings and activities;
Works collaboratively with centre staff community and hospitalbased teams to build relationships between youth families and systems to enhance the awareness of youth and family needs;
May participate in staff training sessions public education forums seminars and conferences relevant to specific program areas. May engage in prevention activities by networking consultation public relations as required;
Completes and maintains related records and documentation including statistics progress reports and care plans meeting agency and accreditation requirements;
Maintains waitlist as required;
Participates in team meetings case conferences and organizational initiatives;
Works as a liaison between Foundry Langley the youth accessing the centre and the Youth Peer Engagement Coordinator on the Foundry Central Office team;
Participates in various knowledge exchange and learning opportunities facilitated by Foundry Central Office;

Qualifications:

1. Education and Knowledge
Grade 12 plus related experience working with youth and young adults with mental health and/or substance use issues or an equivalent combination of education training and experience;
Postsecondary education in a related discipline considered an asset; and

2. Training and Experience
Lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use gender diverse completion of or eligible for completion of a recognized youth peer support training program and willing to selfidentify and share experience of recovery.
Direct service delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of communitybased services and related provincial and community support service systems considered an asset.

3. Skills and Abilities
Ability to establish rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with young people and family members;
Knowledge of peer support practices and recovery;
Empathic and compassionate with good listening skills and creative thinking; and willingness to share ones own story to facilitate and support recover;
Demonstrated ability to observe and recognize changes in youth and communicate those changes to others on the care team;
Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills;
High degree of selfawareness and capacity to apply appropriate boundaries and maintain confidentiality;
Broad knowledge of social mental health and substance use services available in the community;
Knowledge of systemic issues and risk factors facing minority groups including 2SLGBTQIA and Indigenous youth and young adults;
Welldeveloped communication skills ability to speak listen and write clearly thoroughly and professionally;
Demonstrated knowledge of relevant Acts pertinent regulations policy procedures and other statutory and certification requirements (such as the Mental Health Act; Adult Guardianship Act; Child Family and Community Service Act; and Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act);
Effective listening and consensus building skills that promote communication and a cooperative approach to problem solving and decision making;
Ability to work effectively with other in a multicultural environment independently and as a part of an interdisciplinary team; including understanding the frameworks of other disciplines;
Ability to make effective referrals in a collaborative manner reflecting indepth knowledge of community resources and strong collaborative skills in working with other community partners.

4. Other Information
Preference of a valid BC class 5 Drivers license have a reliable vehicle business insurance and drivers abstract review. (mileage paid for work use)
Police Information Check including a vulnerable sector checked
Current First Aid certification required

At Encompass Support Services Society we have prioritized equity diversity and inclusion. We strive to embed these principles in our programs and services and in fostering an environment of dignity respect and belonging. We encourage applications from persons with historical and/or current barriers to equity who will work respectfully within our inclusive organization and diverse community.

In lieu of a resume and cover letter applicants are welcomed to submit a video application. Please email your video at and include the following information:
Introduction and educational background: Introduce yourself and provide a brief overview of your educational background and why youre applying for the role.
Work experience: Please describe your previous/current role and responsibilities and how it is relevant to this position
Skills and Abilities: What specific skills or strengths do you bring to this role

Required Experience:

Senior IC