Peer Support Worker (Casual)

Who We Are

For more than 130 years The Salvation Army has served people in need in communities across Canada and Bermuda. Building on our roots as a world-wide Christian church each year we help more than 2 million people providing necessities such as food clothing and addition we support people experiencing unemployment addiction and family challenges. We continually adapt and innovate to meet emerging needs and live out our mission vision and values of hope service dignity and stewardship. As a faith- and values-based organization we hire and serve people of all backgrounds and walks of life - there is a place for everyone to belong here.

Mission Statement

The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.

Job Description:

Accountabilities:

Clientele Relations

• Monitors the activities of the clients/residents and maintains availability for personal practical and moral support
• Ensure that the client becomes acclimatized to their new environment is aware of all rules and gains confidence in the staff
• Attend in-house 12-step meetings including Alumni Meeting
• Assist in Afterhours Intake Procedures
• Support Counsellors with follow-up on clients where there is a direct concern about clients mental health and/or well-being e.g. hourly checks follow-up check-ins UA
• Provide and facilitate a weekly Step-Work Group to support clients with their step work required in the Treatment Program
• Administer evening or morning medications
• Report any concerning behaviors to Treatment Program Management and Primary Counsellor of clients involved
• Holds clients accountable to the principles of recovery
• Acts as a role model to clients by following their own program of recovery
• Ensure that confidentiality of all information regarding clients is maintained. Have knowledge of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• Ensure that assistance is given to the client in accessing any outside resources (12-step meetings SMART Recovery Meetings Recovery based events)
• Inform and remind clients when there are infractions of the rules and ensure the infractions are reported to the clients counsellor and Treatment Program Manager
• Ensure that clients are aware of the client grievance procedure available to them.
• Monitors the environment and clients/residents to ensure safety and security; completes regular client/resident status checks.
• May supervise and/or work alongside volunteers to facilitate recreational activities for clients in the Womens Treatment unit
• Ensure program participants movements are restricted to their department and approved areas only.

Direct Client Contact

• Provide client orientation reviewing the New Client Handbook; facilitate training around chores
• Afternoon shift: Ensure that verbal and visual contact is made with each client during each shift and to check-in with each client during their assigned block of shifts. All check-ins are to be documented.
• Overnight shift: Ensure that visual contact is made with each client during each shift and to check-in with each client during their assigned block of shifts. All check-ins are to be documented.
• Must be available for unscheduled meetings with clients.
• Documentation is essential in dealing with clients in the stabilization unit and treatment program.

Administrative & Interdepartmental Co-operation

• Maintains respectful & ethical relationships with clients and colleagues in accordance with TSA policies and professional standards
• Maintains a current knowledge of and comply with all facility policies and procedures. This would include but is not exclusive to The Salvation Army Standards & Review procedures.
• Works closely with and co-operates in a courteous respectful manner with other staff volunteers visitors & clients.
• Ensure that information even of a confidential nature is passed on to the Director of Residential Programs Treatment Program Manager Treatment Assistant Manager or Clinical Supervisor if it might endanger or seriously affect another person or the safety of the building.
• Ensure that all legitimate requests to assist by colleagues is considered and acted upon.
• Ensure that requests from Counsellors and Addiction Support Workers by individuals or outside agencies for information or presentation on Harbour Light are communicated to the Treatment Program Manager or Director of Residential Programs
• May participate in seasonal client/program activities e.g. client Christmas party seasonal activities on-site or off-site

Other duties may be assigned as required.

MANAGERIAL/Technical Leadership RESPONSIBILITY:

• Reports directly to: Treatment Assistant Manager Womens
• Direct reports for this position: none although they may occasionally supervise volunteers and/or practicum students.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Peer Support Workers work in a residential program setting which includes work in an office medication room and in client/program spaces.
• All shifts are scheduled for 8 hours with 7.5 paid working hours and 0.5hrs paid meal break (on-call in case of emergency).
• Hours of work are: Casual/ On-call Peer Support Worker works as needed basis- (Mon-Sun) with 7.5 paid hours and 0.5hrs paid meal break. Morning: 8:00 am to 4:00pm / Afternoon: 4:00pm to 12:00am/ Overnight: 12:00am to 8:00am.
• Candidates must be comfortable with working in Vancouvers downtown eastside our facilities are on the 100-block of East Cordova and the 100-block of East Hastings between Columbia and Main. They will work primarily in our Cordova St location but occasionally need to visit our Hastings location or within the neighborhood. Our programs include community meals 24-hour and overnight shelters residential addiction treatment a halfway house for men on parole low-income housing and other services.
• PSWs will take precautionary measures such as NVCI training Mental Health First Aid universal precautions and other safety practices/tasks as directed.
• This role works with clients experiencing heightened emotions or in crisis. They may experience verbal abuse from time-to-time. They may be exposed to vicarious trauma.
• Staff may be at risk of physical attacks (e.g. violent/aggressive client acting out physically) exposure to infectious diseases sharp objects and/or emergency situations.
• This role may occasionally participate in off-site activities with the authorization of their manager.
• The performance of the job requires continuously sitting and a moderate amount of keyboarding.
• The performance of the job requires moderate attention when interviewing clients working with numbers and frequent documentation.

Education Qualifications and Certifications:

• Grade 12 or equivalent - e.g. B.C. Certificate of Graduation (Dogwood) or B.C. Adult Graduation Diploma (Adult Dogwood)
• Further education in a related field would be an asset
• PeerConnectBC Peer Support Worker Certification (current or willing to be trained)
• Ability to receive and maintain Criminal Record Review Program vulnerable sector clearance
• Current Certification or willingness to obtain certification in:
  • First Aid/CPR
  • Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (or equivalent)
  • Mental Health First Aid
  • Naloxone Training/Overdose Response
• Documentation confirming compliance with the Provinces immunization and tuberculosis control program per Residential Care Regulations

Experience and Skilled Knowledge Requirements

• One year of related experience working with women/female-identifying clients including experience in an applicable community social services sector
• Must display a high level of stability in their personal recovery from substance use and be knowledgeable of relapse prevention strategies

Skills and Capabilities:

• Strong sense of integrity and confidentiality with professional ethics and a balanced sense of fairness and flexibility.
• Intermediate computer skills particularly ability to use Outlook-based email basic Excel and Word
• Experience working with CAMS or another cloud-based client database is an asset
• Knowledgeable of different recovery models and support services
• Knowledge and experience with 12-step recovery model
• Understanding of the needs strengths challenges and opportunities for women in the DTES including substance use mental health homelessness and gender-based violence
• Demonstrated ability to provide a healthy safe non-judgmental space for clients accessing social services and/or residential care particularly in programs serving women/female-identifying clients
• Demonstrated comfort and skill working with diverse populations
• Basic skills in Windows Microsoft Word Excel Outlook
• Experience working with a client database system is an asset
• Ability and willingness to undergo applicable screening and background checks successfully that are satisfactory to The Salvation Army in its sole discretion (i.e. The Salvation Army Abuse Registry) and provide an original copy of a Background Check screening.

Compensation:

Placement in the salary range will be based on factors such as market conditions internal equity and candidate experience skills and qualifications relevant to the role.

The Salvation Army will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. Please email if you have a need for any accommodation and we will be pleased to discuss this with you.