Peer Support - Community Mental Health Worker

Status: Casual

Salary Range: $31.56 to $33.28

Location: Resource Centre

Schedule: Various hours/day. Preferred availability: Tuesday to Thursday

Summary:

Under the direction of the Peer Support Manager the MHW: Peer Support Department role focuses on supporting peer support workers in their roles, facilitating peer support trainings, and contributing to a strong and sustainable peer workforce rooted in lived/living experience. Since 2009, the Peer Support Program has provided comprehensive training and practicum placements to members of the community.

The successful candidate supports the manager in the daily upkeep of the department, bringing extensive experience in peer support work, a deep understanding of recovery-oriented practice and trauma-informed care, and a passion for mentorship, training and support.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the manager to ensure the department operates efficiently and effectively
• Facilitate peer worker trainings and continuing education workshops with support from program manager
• Provide regular coaching and support to peer support workers across various programs, including goal planning and debriefing
• Promote and model ethical practice, cultural humility, and strong boundaries in helping relationships
• Assist in creating resource materials and tools that reflect peer support principles and best practices
• Outreach and network to create collaboration and streamlined placements for practicums and job contracts; maintain and build relationships with community partners
• Prepares and maintains written and computerized records and other program documentation, including writing progress notes and completing incident logs
• Maintains an awareness of current community resources including health care services, social, economic, recreational, employment, educational services and resources, and other agencies
• Maintains knowledge and understanding of, and comply with all CMH policies and procedures as outlined in the policy and procedures and other documentation
• Fulfill any other appropriate function/related duties as required, to ensure successful department operation

Operational support:

• Assist in the upkeep of meetings, tracking job contracts and processing program statistics
• Respond to inquiries about the department and trainings in a timely and professional manner
• Participate in program evaluation and quality improvement activities
• Work collaboratively as well as independently with the manager to achieve departmental goals and improvements
• Maintain accurate and organized records and files
• Maintenance and distribution of a monthly newsletter regarding program updates and information
• Connecting with peer network, providing updates about upcoming training opportunities, resources and job opportunities

Qualifications

• A diploma in Community Social Service or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience matching the role expectations
• Completion of a recognized Peer Support Worker Training
• Experience leading or facilitating groups and adult trainings required
• Experience in a Peer Support Worker role with an emphasis on peer support training programs, mental health, addictions, homelessness and/or social services
• Deep understanding of the core values and principles of peer support, including mutuality, empowerment and self-determination,
• Demonstrated understanding of psychosocial rehabilitation and trauma-informed philosophy
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a commitment to collaboration and relationship building
• Ability to work with people with a variety of different lived experiences, cultures, ways of knowing, communicating, and accessibility needs
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, appropriate boundaries and model professional, ethical peer support
• Demonstrated crisis de-escalation skills
• Experience with Microsoft office including excel, word and powerpoint
• Ability to work effectively independently and in collaboration with others
• Ability to organize and prioritize
• Ability to analyze and problem solve
• Ability to provide or obtain the following upon hire: Certificates in First Aid + CPR, WHMIS, Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Clearance
• We strongly encourage people with lived experience to apply for this position

About Coast
Coast Mental Health (Coast) is one of the largest mental health non-profit societies in Canada and operates a large array of innovative housing and community-based rehabilitation services for people with a mental illness living in and around Vancouver. Coast operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia providing approximately 1000 people with supportive housing and 4000 clients living in the community with a wide variety of programs and services.

Coast fosters a client-driven, recovery-oriented environment that promotes restoring health, personal growth and a return to society for individuals with a mental illness through advocacy and providing direct programs and services. Coast is deeply invested in cultural safety, reconciliation, and anti-racism. Our employees receive training on cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive leadership. We strive to reflect the communities we serve and value lived experience alongside professional qualifications.

Why Coast

• We recognize safety as a top priority for the organization.
• We believe in our people and recognize hard work.
• We operate client-centered care under the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation.
• We offer a variety of work placement opportunities within the organization.
• We strive to be the best that we can be.
• We hold Exemplary Standingwith Accreditation Canada.
• We have been recognized with numerous awards for our innovative programming.
• We care about our employees, and believe in living our values and culture throughout the organization

Some of the Benefits we Offer

• 100% employer-paid benefits for employees and their families.
• Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Group Life, Massage therapy, Physiotherapy, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies.
• General sick-leave accruals.
• Long-term disability programs. Short-term disability programs available to exempt positions only.
• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year.
• 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program, which includes personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching. In addition, Coast provides a cognitive behavioural therapy program (CBT abilities program) and Headversity for managing a variety of life issues and includes self-paced therapeutic support.

***For any unionized positions, current/internal Coast employees must apply within seven (7) days of the posting date with their internal UKG account (using their Coast email address), in order to be considered as an internal applicant. Current/internal Coast employees who apply to a unionized position using an external account (or email), or after the seven (7) day deadline will be considered an external candidate. In this case, seniority will not be considered.***

Coast Mental Health is committed to creating a culture of diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or disability.