AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.
At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. For more info see www.avi.org
Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centred team in promoting the health, dignity and well-being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex-positive and harm reduction-based education, prevention and/or support services.
AVI Peer Assisted Care Team
The AVI Peer Assisted Care Team will provide immediate low-barrier, harm reduction, trauma- informed support services to community members experiencing mental health, substance use and related crises.
The team will be comprised of experiential responders and mental health professionals supported by a supervisory and management structure. All crisis calls will be attended by two team members who are trained in a range of trauma informed crisis management and de-escalation, suicide intervention and advanced first aid techniques. The team will also facilitate follow-up support to specialized services, case management, primary health care, housing support, mental health and substance use services.
Our PACT team provides services on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).
Job Summary
These positions will be scheduled for:
- Thursday – Monday 1:00 PM-9:00 PM and
- Thursday – Monday 4:00 PM-8:00 PM
- Options will be provided for job sharing or split the line.
The PACT team will provide acute crisis support and de-escalation services for persons 13 years of age and older experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises. The Experiential Community Crisis Responder will be responsible for rapid point of service mental health crisis management and de-escalation, including crisis and wellness assessment, suicide intervention and safety planning.
Alongside the Community Crisis Counsellor, this role will employ client-centered, harm reduction and trauma informed approaches grounded in the philosophy of the agency and needs of the service user. In addition, the Experiential Community Crisis Responder Worker will provide point of service, trauma informed peer-based counselling and safety planning that grounds the delivery of service in dignity and compassion.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide situational assessment and crisis de-escalation
- ‘Hold-space’ for persons/groups experiencing psychological/emotional distress
- Assess for wellness and safety plan, including triage to emergency services
- Provide outreach care and emergency mental health response and support to persons in a variety of settings, including: parks, encampments, shelters, drop-in centers, people’s homes and community centers and to people living outside.
- Center agency and choice; co-creating safety/wellness plans and engaging chosen support systems
- Support immediate access to survival supplies, including access to: food, tents, tarps, blankets, clothing, harm reduction and safe sex supplies, etc…
- First aid and overdose response including rescue breathing, oxygen and naloxone when necessary
- Foster safety by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents such as overdose and other medical emergencies.
- Engage in point of service, trauma-informed, peer-based counselling and support
- Work outdoors in all types of weather and in all seasons
- Engage in planning, evaluation, reporting, and program development as directed.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Application deadline 5 PM on October 30, 2022
AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
To see complete job posting and how to apply, click here to visit AVI