DOPES Support Worker- Casual Call out

AVI Health and Community Services; Victoria; On-site; CAD 38,000 - 54,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Unionized BCGEU position

Pay premium: +5% in lieu of vacation +

Job summary

AVI Health & Community Services in Victoria, BC, is seeking a DOPES Support Worker to provide harm reduction‑based supports, crisis intervention, overdose prevention, and peer‑based services to community members who use substances.

The role requires a minimum of two years’ direct service experience in harm reduction, overdose response, and de‑escalation, plus a diploma in health or social services and CPR‑C First Aid. Casual, shift-based work with evening hours, starting Oct 19, 2026.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years' direct service delivery within harm reduction settings.
• Experience responding to overdoses and adverse reactions; naloxone and oxygen administration.
• Ability to work in a team and support coworkers with differing skill sets.
• Establishing rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances.

Responsibilities

• Provides a variety of harm reduction‑based supports to individuals including distribution and recovery of harm reduction supplies.
• Provides on the spot training in overdose response and education on substances and safer use practices.
• Uses brief assessment, active listening, and crisis response skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals.
• Monitors and supports people who are using substances; assesses overdose symptoms and responds with rescue breathing, oxygen, naloxone, and CPR when necessary.
• Engages service users in a collaborative, person-centered approach grounded in harm reduction.

Skills

Harm reduction

Crisis intervention

Active listening

Rapport building

Conflict resolution

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Health or social service diploma

First Aid CPR-C

Anti-violence de-escalation training

Job description

AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) increases health equity by providing highly responsive, harm reduction -based HIV, hepatitis C, substance use, sexual health, mental health, and other community health services, and is informed by the voices of people with living experience. We envision a community where people can experience optimal health and wellness, and be free from stigma, marginalization, and criminalization. For more information see www.avi.org

The Drop-in & Overdose Preventions Services (DOPES) Team is responsible for operating both a harm reduction informed drop-in space and overdose prevention services that seek to address gaps in services for community members marginalized from equitable care. In addition to providing low-barrier, harm reduction supports and services, the DOPES team supports the daily operations of other AVI Teams, including the Positive Wellness Program and SAFER. From a social justice and health promotion framework, the DOPES Team will provide minimum staffing for a safe, accessible drop-in space for community members who use substances, and/or who are marginalized from social care services. They ensure access to harm reduction supports as well as overdose prevention, witnessed consumption and peer-based services that center the needs and agency of service user.

JOB SUMMARY:

The DOPES Support Worker will provide a range of low barrier, harm reduction supports and peer-based services for persons/communities marginalized from equitable social and health care services. Service and supports provided may include harm reduction education, crisis intervention, supply distribution and overdose prevention/response. Confidence in overdose response and in-reach or place-based harm reduction programming are essential to this position. This position will also provide accurate information regarding the transmission and prevention of HIV, HCV, and other blood-borne illnesses, as well as evidence‑based educational and harm reduction intervention to individuals and priority populations to increase knowledge of overdose prevention and response strategies as well as safer substance use.

This position relies heavily on the abilities of the worker to connect and develop relationships of trust and rapport with service users. A thorough understanding of the principles and practices of harm reduction, the impact of colonialism and system inequities on individual and population health, and the operationalization of trauma and violence practices are essential. This position requires a high level of self‑awareness, empathy, ability to provide non‑judgemental support with exceptional understanding of personal and community boundaries.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides a variety of harm reduction‑based supports to individuals including distribution and recovery of harm reduction supplies.
2. Provides on the spot training in overdose response and education on substances and safer use practices.
3. Uses brief assessment, active listening, and crisis response skills to help meet immediate, basic needs and make appropriate referrals for people who use substances and those who have survived overdose(s) to other health and support services within the community.
4. Monitor and support people who are using substances. Assess overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing, oxygen, naloxone, and CPR when necessary.
5. Engage service users in a collaborative, person‑centered approach grounded in harm reduction
6. Maintain the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents (such as overdose prevention and response), including the ability to use communication devices.
7. Identify and develop safety plans with people who are using substances who are at increased risk of overdose.
8. Maintains both paper and electronic client files and logs. Fills out critical incident and overdose report forms as needed.
9. Provide training and support to build capacity for peer lead initiatives
10. Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum of 2 years' experience that includes the following:

Direct service delivery within harm reduction settings.

Responding to overdose and adverse reactions to substances, including naloxone and oxygen administration.

Working within a team environment to support coworkers with differing skill sets and abilities.

Establishing rapport with a diverse range of clientele including individuals who are actively using substances and living with significant health challenges.

Education and Training:

Diploma in health or social service field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

First Aid training with CPR-C.

Training or experience in a non‑violent and anti‑oppressive approach to de‑escalation and crisis intervention.

Strong working knowledge of local health and social services resources.

Skills and Abilities

Ability to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma‑informed and decolonial lens.

Demonstrated understanding of the importance and role of people who use drugs in the development, delivery, and evaluation of services intended to benefit them.

Ability to apply harm reduction principles and health promotion framework to support work and to provide support based in social justice, relationality, cultural humility, and trauma‑informed practice.

Excellent communication and conflict‑resolution skills.

Computer skills including ability to navigate client files, databases, email, and word‑processing.

Ability to receive feedback from supervisors and integrate into goal setting and future practice.

Capacity to work in a highly self‑directed environment and respond to community needs and problem solve with flexibility, creativity, and assertiveness.

POSITION DETAILS:

• Pay: $33.49/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU pay grid 34)
• Hours and Schedule: Casual call out and shifts falling between Monday to Sunday 1:45pm to 9:15pm
• Start date: October 19,2026
• Location: AVI Victoria Office and in community as needed
• Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2025-2028 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
• Number of positions Available: 2
• Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account. If you are not already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan, part time staff may become eligible after 2 years with AVI.
• Other Perks: This position gets paid an extra 5% in lieu of vacation 5% in lieu of stats, meaning your hourly rate is actually 10% higher than listed.
• Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.

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.

It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you are Indigenous and/or have lived/living expertise relevant to the position.

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.

We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.