Peer Support Worker, Substance Use Services (Urban Health)

Providence Healthcare•Vancouver, BC

2d•CA$30 - CA$32

About The Position

Providence Health Care's Urban Health team is accepting applications for Peer Support Workers for multiple positions across the organization. If you have a passion for a harm reduction-focussed approach to supporting patients with substance use disorders, this is a fantastic opportunity to join a tight-knit and supportive interdisciplinary team that fosters a working environment with a sense of community amongst practitioners dedicated to patient care. Being a Peer in Urban Health provides incredible opportunities for interdisciplinary learning, mentorship, and professional development. Areas of opportunity include: Addiction Medicine Consult Team (AMCT) is a interdisciplinary, referral-based consultation service. The AMCT provides compassionate, evidence-based addiction care to hospitalized patients through trauma-informed, harm reduction–oriented consultation and support. The team works collaboratively across PHC's care settings to address substance use with dignity, cultural safety, and person-centered care. Road to Recovery strives to better address treatment of substance use issues by providing the right support to each client at the right time. People who use substances deserve the same access to evidence-based care as anyone else, free from stigma. As with all of our services at PHC, R2R delivers care in a way that strives to be person-centred, trauma-informed and culturally safe. Launched in 2023, R2R supports clients at every phase of their wellness and recovery journey by coordinating seamless care, even if there are setbacks or relapses along the way. The R2R continuum of services in operation today includes 25 detox beds located at St. Paul's Hospital, 20 transitional care beds for clients awaiting space in a treatment program or long-term housing, and the Aftercare Team, which launched in Fall 2024, providing outreach aftercare in the community, with a a 50 bed off-site treatment center currently in development.

Requirements

A level of education, training, and experience equivalent to a recognized Certificate in Social Services or as an Addiction Service Worker plus one (1) year recent, related experience.
Lived or living experience relevant to the client group served, such as structural inequity, interpersonal trauma, racism, trauma, substance use, poverty, sex work, and/or physical or mental health challenges.
Completion of a recognized Peer Support Training program.
Knowledge of principles of peer support practice and ability to apply principles of recovery in mental illness/substance.
Knowledge of harm reduction principles and practices.
Knowledge of the principles of cultural safety and humility.
Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Ability to deal with others effectively.
Ability to organize work.
Ability to operate related equipment.
Ability to be solutions-focused, crisis intervention skills, deescalate and resolve conflict.
Ability to use effective interpersonal skills to establish/maintain effective working relationships and boundaries with coworkers.
To work independently, as well as collaboratively, in a team environment.
Ability to practice and respond with humility.
Ability to problem-solve from a trauma informed, person centered approach.
Ability to manage time effectively based on workload.
Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

Responsibilities

Provide Peer-Based Emotional Support and Advocacy: Draw on lived experience to offer compassionate support and advocacy to patients and families navigating substance use, trauma, and systemic barriers across care settings.
Facilitate Access to Services and Cultural Supports: Help patients connect with Indigenous Wellness Liaisons, harm reduction services, the St. Paul’s Overdose Prevention Site, cultural spaces like the All Nations Sacred Space, and other community-based supports.
Promote Trauma-Informed, Culturally Safe Care: Collaborate with health care teams to support patient referrals and advocate for care grounded in harm reduction, cultural humility, and person- and family-centered principles.
Contribute to Peer and Organizational Initiatives: Participate in meetings and working groups related to strategic planning, harm reduction, and system redevelopment, while tracking referral data and sharing updates on the Peer Support Program.
Acts as a resource for both patients and health care providers by providing emotional support and advocacy and supporting referrals to the unit to ensure health provider relationships are trauma informed, person and family centered, and embedding principles of harm reduction, cultural safety, and humility in the delivery of care services.
Provides day to day Peer support and advocacy from knowledge and lived/living experience to patients and families and will liaise with existing Peers and/or Volunteers already working across PHC sites (e.g., acute care, residential services, mental health) and outpatient clinics (i.e., John Ruedy Clinic and the Rapid Access Addiction Clinic) at Providence Health Care.
Works as an embedded team member in the interdisciplinary team and helps facilitate patient and family access to harm reduction services, the St Paul’s Overdose Prevention Site, traditional cultural practices, All Nations Sacred Space, and as required, access to other community health programs, cultural supports, and harm reduction services.
Supports Peer initiatives at Providence Health Care by participating in working groups to provide their own input and meetings related to strategic planning, harm reduction, re-development, and other organizational initiatives.
Tracks referral and program access data utilizing word processing, email, and spreadsheets.
Attends regularly scheduled Urban Health & Substance Use department meetings and provides informal updates on the Peer Support Program.
Accompanies clients to appointments in consultation with the Peer Coordinator/Team Lead.
Performs other related duties as assigned.