Internal/External Posting
Position Title: Peer Navigator
Grid Level: 34
Benchmark: Support Worker II
Union: Community Subsector Collective Agreement
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 8:30 AM -5pm (32 hours per week)
Location: 1101 Seymour St, Suite 401, Vancouver BC
Start Date: As soon as possible
Accountability: Manager of Peer Navigation
Send Cover Letter and Resume to: [email protected], or drop off in person at reception desk, 401– 1101 Seymour Street 4th Floor, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R1 between 10 AM and 4 PM Monday-Thursday. Attention: Glen Bradford
Submission deadline: June 30, 2021
Job summary:
The Peer Navigator is responsible to perform a wide range of program duties related to assisting HIV Positive women to access services, to increase their adherence to HIV treatment and to improve their health and wellness needs. The Peer Navigator provides system navigation support, education and other services that are relevant to a diversity of newly diagnosed HIV+ women (including Indigenous, trans, racialized, immigrant, substance using women, and women with disabilities) seeking self-management skills both one to one and in group facilitation. The ideal Peer Navigator is an HIV+ individual who is willing and able to share their experiences and knowledge to newly diagnosed women or those wishing to engage in treatment and are seeking help in understanding their options and what is available to them for support. The Peer Navigator must be comfortable with having their HIV status disclosed publicly.
Duties:
1. Consults with the Manager of Peer Navigation Services on client and program issues and directions;
2. Strives to assist HIV+ women to achieve stabilized and sustained health, and to improve their quality of life;
3. Assesses client needs in the areas of health care, social support, practical needs, and harm reduction;
4. Visit clients or community agencies, accompany nurses to offsite locations in order to provide quicker access to care, treatment and support for newly diagnosed individuals;
5. Develops written service plans based upon client-identified needs and establishes tasks and timelines for the client-identified needs;
6. When appropriate, facilitates workshops and support groups for HIV+ women, front line workers and other Peer Navigators;
7. Proactive community outreach;
8. Advocates with clinical and community services providers to ensure client access to services;
9. Liaises with clinical and community service providers to ensure client access to services;
10. Maintains current knowledge of HIV resources and services and on harm reduction issues;
11. Coordinates network of services on behalf of clients by bridging communication gaps between client and service providers, attending and/or arranging client case conferences and accompanying client to appointments as appropriate;
12. Ensure on-going support to clients by collaboratively developing an engagement plan by use of appointments, email and telephone calls and documenting same.
13. Provide support referrals for clients to AIDS Vancouver’s programs and services and to other community services as appropriate;
14. Stay up to date on developments in HIV/AIDS related issues;
15. Participate in the ongoing development and evaluation of current and new programs;
16. Maintains database to track client referrals and follow-up information, and complies qualitative and quantitative statistics and reports related to program services;
17. Participates in professional development opportunities as required;
18. Attend case conferences, supervision meetings and all staff meetings called by the Executive Director and/or Manager of Peer Navigation Services when scheduled during regular office hours;
19. Complies with agency policies and procedures;
20. Perform other related duties as necessary.
Qualifications:
Education, Training and Experience:
• Post-Secondary certificate or Diploma or equivalent in a Social Services field.
• 2 years experience in support work and/or case management or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Direct experience working with women vulnerable to HIV/AIDS such as Indigenous, trans, racialized, immigrant, substance using women, and women with disabilities. High degree of familiarity with health care systems and community resources;
• Knowledge of addiction and harm reduction.
• Comfortable working directly with people who use drugs.
• Computer literate in a Microsoft Office environment;
• Must be able to clear an enhanced Criminal Record Check.
Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to communicate affectively, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to analyze and resolve problems;
• Leadership skills;
• Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others;
• Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize;
• Ability to work in a high demand work environment;
• Ability to establish and maintain rapport;
• Sensitivity in working with marginalized and vulnerable populations;
• Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, STIs and related social, political and care issues and their impact on the community;
• Knowledge of issues related to diversity, marginalized populations, population health, and the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS;
• Ability to operate related equipment;
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position;
• Ability to work flexible and varied work hours due to the outreach nature of the position;
• Confidence and experience in working with health professionals, social service or community agencies;
• Self-motivating.
This is a unionized position and comes with a comprehensive benefits package. HIV+ women, Indigenous, transgender, and/or racialized women are encouraged to apply.
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