HIV/HCV Peer Support Worker

Gilbert Centre • Barrie, ON

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Gilbert Centre is seeking a Peer Support Worker for its HIV and HCV Programs team. This role utilizes lived or living experience to build relationships with individuals affected by or at risk of HIV and hepatitis C. The Peer Support Worker will help individuals navigate services, access care, reduce barriers, and connect with the community. The position focuses on supporting people living with HIV, those newly diagnosed, individuals affected by HIV and HCV, and those facing challenges related to stigma, social isolation, substance use, housing instability, poverty, or other social determinants of health. The role involves drawing on personal experiences in a thoughtful and boundaried manner to create accessible pathways to care and support. Working within a multidisciplinary team that emphasizes harm reduction, health equity, and client-centered practice, the Peer Support Worker will provide one-to-one peer support, facilitate community connections, assist with service navigation, promote testing and treatment, and contribute to community education and engagement. This includes supporting peer engagement activities, community events, pop-up clinics, and collaborative initiatives aimed at reducing stigma and improving service access across Simcoe Muskoka. The position offers a unique opportunity to translate lived experience into community impact, empowering individuals and fostering healthier, more inclusive communities.

Requirements

• Lived/living experience relevant to the communities and issues connected to this work is required. This may include, but is not limited to, lived/living experience with HIV, HCV, substance use, harm reduction services, street involvement, homelessness or under-housing, sex work, incarceration or correctional systems, supporting/caregiving for someone living with HIV or HCV, or navigating related health and social service systems. Particular consideration will be given to applicants living with, affected by, or closely connected to HIV and/or HCV.
• Experience working, volunteering, or participating in peer support, community engagement, harm reduction, HIV/HCV, health promotion, or social service settings.
• Knowledge of HIV, Hepatitis C, harm reduction principles, and/or willingness to learn.
• Understanding of issues affecting underserved communities and social determinants of health.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Basic organizational and time management skills.
• Comfort working in a variety of clinic, community, partner-agency, and low-barrier service settings.
• Basic computer skills (e.g. Microsoft Office or similar).
• Ability to draw on lived/living experience in a boundaried, respectful, and client-centred way that supports trust-building, reduces stigma, and promotes access to care.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in peer support, peer engagement, community engagement, or community-based health promotion.
• Familiarity with local health and social services.
• Experience working with diverse communities.
• Fluency in a second language.
• Experience coordinating peer workers, volunteers, Ambassadors, casual workers, or honorarium-based community contributors is an asset.
• Experience supporting testing events, pop-up clinics, peer engagement activities, or community-based health promotion initiatives is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer-based support and community connection in low-barrier settings, including at Gilbert Centre sites, partner agencies, pop-up clinics, community events, and other settings where people living with, affected by, or at risk of HIV and/or HCV may access services.
• Participate in outreach or community-based engagement activities in collaboration with the Gilbert Centre's existing outreach programs, internal community programs, and external community partners, recognizing that this position supports but does not own outreach service delivery.
• Build rapport with community members through peer-based, non-judgmental relationships that promote safer practices, harm reduction, stigma reduction, and awareness of available services.
• Deliver basic group and one-on-one peer education on HIV/HCV prevention, testing, treatment, stigma reduction, harm reduction, and living well with or being affected by HIV and/or HCV.
• Respond to inquiries and provide information about services and support.
• Identify community needs, barriers to access, peer engagement opportunities, and potential relationship-building opportunities, and share these observations with the team.
• Maintain awareness of current information related to HIV/HCV prevention, care, and treatment.
• Promote and support clear pathways to HIV, HCV, HBV, and other STBBI testing, including referrals to internal clinical services, community testing opportunities, pop-up clinics, point-of-care testing pathways where available, and follow-up supports after testing.
• Support warm referrals from peer, community, outreach, and partner settings into clinical care, linkage to care, social work support, harm reduction services, and other internal or external services as appropriate.
• Provide one-to-one peer support in a respectful, non-judgmental, and trauma-informed manner.
• Use lived/living experience, where appropriate and within healthy professional boundaries, to build trust, reduce HIV/HCV-related stigma, support engagement, and help clients navigate services.
• Support clients in accessing services, including referrals to testing, treatment, HIV/HCV care, harm reduction, psychosocial supports, and community resources.
• Assist clients with basic system navigation (e.g., booking appointments, completing forms, obtaining identification).
• Accompany clients to appointments, as appropriate, to provide support.
• Encourage and support clients in developing skills related to health management and appointment follow-up.
• Promote the availability, value, and meaningful integration of peer support services within the Health Programs team.
• Assist with identifying, orienting, supporting, and coordinating honorarium-based peers, volunteers, Ambassadors, and other peer contributors, as directed by the Health Program Manager and in alignment with organizational policies, program needs, the Collective Agreement, and available resources.
• Help ensure peer contributors have access to role clarity, appropriate orientation, harm reduction information, GIPA/MEPA principles, boundaries guidance, and debriefing/support when engaged in program activities.
• Assist with peer engagement planning and day-to-day program activities.
• Support the implementation of peer support, peer engagement, and community connection initiatives.
• Contribute to team discussions by sharing observations about community needs and emerging issues.
• Assist in peer-supported outreach or community engagement activities involving peer contributors, volunteers, Ambassadors, or outreach staff, as directed.
• Promote the organization and its services within the community.
• Participate in planning and debriefing related to peer engagement, pop-up clinics, testing events, World Hepatitis Day, World AIDS Day, Red Scarf Campaign activities, and other HIV/HCV/STBBI-related community initiatives, as appropriate.
• Collect and record service data in accordance with organizational policies and confidentiality requirements.
• Assist with compiling information for program reporting and evaluation.
• Support the preparation and use of educational materials and resources.
• Adhere to all organizational policies, procedures, and documentation standards.
• Track peer support contacts, peer engagement activities, testing referrals/pathways, education activities, warm referrals, and service navigation supports in accordance with relevant reporting tools and program expectations, including OCHART/OCASE/TREAT or other funder/organizational systems as applicable.
• Participate in team meetings, program planning, and case discussions as required.
• Work collaboratively with internal staff and external community partners.
• Maintain awareness of local health and social services and refer clients appropriately.
• Participate in training and professional development opportunities.
• Work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, as required.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Maintain healthy boundaries and participate in debriefing, supervision, and support related to grief, loss, trauma, stigma, and the emotional impact of peer-based and community-facing work.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits through Canada Life, including health, dental, vision, and drug coverage.
• Generous paid time off: 3 weeks’ vacation, 3 weeks’ sick leave, and 1 week of float time to start.
• The security and protections of a unionized workplace (CUPE Local 1813.14).
• Opportunities for professional development within a collaborative multidisciplinary team.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed