Peer Support Worker

Under the direction of the Treatment Assistant Manager - Women's Treatment, the Peer Support Worker - Women's Treatment is responsible for afternoon and overnight support and supervision to clients in the women's unit of Harbour Light's Treatment Program. All shifts are "awake" shifts. Their core responsibilities may include: clientele relations outside of regular office hours, Step-work group facilitating, direct client contact, administrative co-operation, medication administration.

Clientele Relations

• Monitors the activities of the clients/residents and maintains availability for personal, practical
• 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-in's, 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 behavior 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 client's 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 Women's 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.

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 & Inter-departmental Co-operation

• Maintains respectful & ethical relationships with clients and colleagues, in accordance with TSA policies and professional standards
• Maintains a current knowledge of and complies 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 to 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.

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 (oncall
• in case of emergency).
• Hours of work:
  • Casual: Shift times may be - 8am-4pm, 4pm-12am, 12am-8am, any day of the week
• Candidates must be comfortable with working in Vancouver's downtown eastside - our facilities are on the 100-block of East Cordova and the 100-block of East Hastings, between Columbia and
• 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 AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS:

• 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 Province's immunization and tuberculosis control program, per Residential Care Regulations
• Proof of COVID vaccination, as required by the current version of the "Hospital and Community
• (Health Care And Other Services) Covid-19 Vaccination Status Information And Preventive

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

Successful candidates, prior to hiring, may be required to provide:

• Background check consent.
• A clear vulnerable sector screening.
• A clean drivers abstract.
• Completion of our online Armatus Abuse Training and required Health and Safety training.

The Salvation Army will accommodate candidates as required under applicable human rights legislation. If you require a disability-related accommodation during this process, please inform us of your requirements.

We thank all applicants, however, only those candidates to be interviewed will be contacted.

Internal Applicants, please advise your managing supervisor of your intentions prior to submitting your application.