Harm Reduction Outreach Peers 179 views

Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre is looking for Harm Reduction Outreach Peers

About:

Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre (Parkdale Queen West CHC) is a dynamic, community-based health care organization serving mid-west downtown Toronto. Offering a broad range of services, including primary health care, dental care, harm reduction, health promotion, counselling, and community development programming, we are also committed to serving people who face barriers to health care, and we strive to reduce these barriers. PQWCHC is a multi-sited organization.

Location: Toronto, Canada

Job Type: Full-time, 1-year contract (with a possibility of extension), multi-sites opportunity

Reporting Manager: Manager of Urban Health – Harm Reduction Services

General Responsibilities:

• The Harm Reduction Outreach Team at Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre is in search of compassionate and motivated people who are committed to offering respectful harm reduction and overdose prevention outreach services from an anti-racist and social justice perspective.
• The Harm Reduction Outreach Workers (Peer) will bring their expertise and lived experience to support both the program and agency to better meet the needs of people who use substances, are street-involved, and who do sex work in the vicinity.
• All peers will have the support of PQWCHC staff and ongoing training to build individual, team, agency, and community strength.
• The team seeks representation from Indigenous community, individuals attached to communities who use drugs, people of African, Caribbean communities and women at risk.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Preparing and giving out the harm reduction supplies and resources (safer injection supplies, safer crack use kits, safer sex supplies, safer crystal meth kits, information, pamphlets)
• Training community members in overdose prevention and response including training in using Naloxone
• Street outreach on foot and bicycle
• Lead and support outreach activities at the partner locations
• Offer support, education, and training around safer drug using practices, safer sex, infection prevention, and health promotion to community members who use substance and do sex work
• Co-create and give workshops as requested by the community stakeholders
• Safe disposal / handling of used drug equipment
• Work as part of a team by attending the team meetings, trainings, and regular supervision meetings
• Maintain boundaries with the community members while working
• Meet commitments i.e., adhering to work schedule, program and client needs
• Collecting statistics, data entry, and writing short reports

Qualifications:

• Personal experience and/or an awareness of substance use is an asset
• Personal experience with homelessness, sex work, mental health issues, HIV, hepatitis C is an asset
• Harm reduction-related and peer support volunteer or paid experience, education, or training is an asset
• Ability to work 3 hours shifts including evenings and weekends
• Familiarity with Queen & Bathurst and Parkdale area community members and drug-using networks
• Ability to build trust with folks who use drugs and/or do sex work
• Drug user positive and sex-positive attitude with anti-racist, harm reduction outlook
• Good communication skills and strong listening skills
• Ability to work independently, as well as in a team
• Ability to accept feedback, take initiative, and work independently in a culturally diverse environment
• Basic computer skills are a plus
• Ability to ride a bicycle and walking long distances by carrying a backpack
• Non-judgmental and willing to learn new skills attitude

Note:

• Respects and values the diversity of communities and individuals
• A current police record check is required for this position. A positive police record check will not
• necessarily disqualify a candidate from being hired
• Ability to speak a language other than English is an asset

Interested candidates please apply.