Anonymous HIV Testing Outreach Worker

Somerset West Community Health Centre•Ottawa, ON

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC) is a non-profit, community-governed organization serving over 18,000 clients annually. Established in 1978, SWCHC offers a wide range of health care services including primary health care, health promotion, community development, mental health, and harm reduction. SWCHC is deeply connected to the communities it serves and is committed to removing barriers to accessing services for individuals facing vulnerabilities due to age, income, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, language, or culture. SWCHC aims to have a team that reflects the communities it serves, operating within an anti-racist, anti-oppressive framework that acknowledges systemic racism and promotes fairness and equity.

Requirements

3 years of experience working in the field of HIV/AIDS, or equivalent combination of professional/lived/living experience
Undergraduate degree in health or social science OR equivalent combination of education and professional or lived/living experience
Fluency in English required.
Strong organizational skills including documentation, data collection and analysis, and monthly reporting
Ability to work very independently. Self-started and self-directed with strong judgement and decision-making skills.
Thorough understanding of the social determinants of health
Thorough understanding of anti-racism and anti-oppression
Demonstrated ability to apply anti-racism and anti-oppression practices to the work
Understanding of how systems of oppression affect each priority population in unique and distinct ways, commitment to continued learning
Ability to build and maintain partnerships (primarily with local health and social services organizations)
Understanding of the purpose and function of medical directives and the related concept of ‘competence’
Commitment to a working with a harm reduction approach and passion for programming for people living with HIV and communities impacted by HIV
Commitment to continued learning on the impacts of colonialism in this work and decolonization
Ability to work flexible hours (some evenings, occasional weekends)
Current standard first aid (level C) certification or willingness to certify (training provided)
Willingness to perform venipuncture for HIV testing (training provided)
Familiarity/comfort with using current and emerging modes of communication (online message boards, apps, etc.) for targeted outreach within priority populations

Nice To Haves

Experience in supervising volunteers an asset
Working knowledge of French an asset.

Responsibilities

Provides anonymous HIV counselling, education and testing.
Coordinates the anonymous HIV testing program including administrative responsibilities, quality assurance activities, and other requirements to maintain accreditation.
Provide supportive counselling to clients requesting testing (assessing HIV risk, health teaching for HIV prevention and care).
Assesses the clients’ support systems and decides to perform or defer HIV testing.
Perform rapid or standard HIV testing and deliver test results.
Provide post-test counselling to link people to HIV care, refer people to appropriate community resources (e.g. STBBI testing, harm reduction services), and combat HIV stigma.
Liaises and networks with external agencies.
Fosters and maintains active affiliations with agencies providing services to people living with or impacted by HIV.
Participates in local community-based research projects (i.e. Sex Now, service provider focus groups).
Provides health education.
Promotes awareness of anonymous HIV testing to priority populations within the City of Ottawa.
Develops and coordinates dissemination of publication materials on HIV testing (focus: rapid and anonymous HIV testing).
Facilitate training and capacity building around HIV, low-barrier HIV testing, and HIV prevention and care in the community.
Recruits, trains and supervises volunteers for the anonymous HIV testing program.
Trains and supervises placement students when required.
Training and certification of new staff for anonymous HIV testing.