Experiential Community Crisis Responder (ECR) - ROI

AVI Health & Community Services Society; British Columbia; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A community health organization in British Columbia seeks an Experiential Community Crisis Responder to provide immediate mental health crisis management and support. This role requires a commitment to a culturally sensitive approach while working collaboratively with community members. The ideal candidate has experience in crisis intervention and an understanding of the impacts of colonialism on Indigenous people. Pay starts at $33.99/hour.

Benefits

Extended health and life coverage

Pension plan with employer contribution

Vacation and sick leave benefits

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years relevant experience in mental health services and crisis response.
• Living/lived experience of systems of oppression preferred.
• Ability to engage and support Indigenous relationships.

Responsibilities

• Provide mental health crisis management and de-escalation.
• Assess and develop community care plans.
• Communicate effectively with CRCL team members.

Skills

Crisis Intervention Skills

Emotional Resilience

Cultural Competency

Non-violent Communication

Education

Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License

First aid and CPR level C

Job description

AVI Health & Community Services (AVI) is a multi-disciplinary community-based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence-based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.

At the core of what we do is our ability, and commitment to, creating meaningful connections. Every day, we strive to create meaningful connections between clients and staff, between peers, between staff members, between organizations, between communities, and between funders and impactful programs. For more info see www.avi.org

Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centred team in promoting the health, dignity and well-being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex-positive and harm reduction-based education, prevention and/or support services.

AVI Crisis Response, Community Led (CRCL)

The AVI Crisis Response, Community Led (CRCL) is funded by the Province of British Columbia and the Canadian Mental Health Association. CRCL is a peer-assisted care program and a mobile crisis response team, led by persons with lived/living experience and mental health professionals who can de-escalate crises and develop community care plans with persons experiencing crisis.

The CRCL team is an alternate approach to responding to someone in crisis that focuses on health, well-being and community support. Utilizing a community-based, client centered, trauma-informed response, a peer-assisted model of care has been proven to help individuals navigate mental and social care services and reduce engagement with the justice system and emergency services.

In the spirit of reconciliation and community empowerment, K'ómoks First Nation and AVI Health and Community Services have joined hands to support and create a comprehensive and culturally safe service initiative. KFN provides guidance through the CRCL program development to ensure Indigenous preceptive is woven throughout and supports Indigenous peoples accessing this service.

The CRCL team provides services on the territories of the K'ómoks First Nation.

JOB SUMMARY

Working in collaboration with all team members, the Experiential Community Crisis Responder is responsible for providing rapid point of service mental health crisis management and de-escalation, including assessment, suicide intervention and safety planning, as well as acute care planning and follow-up.

Persons with lived/living experience of mental health, and/or navigating systems of oppression when experiencing a mental health crisis provide a unique and essential perspective and help to inform the teams practices and policy.

Alongside the team, this role is grounded in person-centered, harm reduction and trauma informed approaches to care, which center the needs and agency of the service user.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Crisis Response

• Model a high degree of cultural competency, including ensuring services are culturally sensitive and incorporate Indigenous knowledge, practices, and approaches to healing and wellness
• Ready and able to respond to mental health and substance use related crises
• Triage and adjust responses depending on call acuity, severity and other incoming calls
• Think critically and respond quickly, especially in critical situations and when deciding the next course of action
• back-to-back calls
• Communicate effectively with and follow the direction of the CRCL team’s Dispatch/Coordinator or any supervisor
• Remain responsive to incoming calls up to the end of shift, and/or when Mandatory Emergency Overtime is in effect
• Demonstrate emotional resilience, including especially within complex situations
• Work effectively as a team, including respectful communication throughout and following an emergency crisis response
• Continuously centre the needs of the person experiencing crisis
• Effectively and professionally engage other care providers, including when advocating for a person in crisis, and/or when critically assessing and determining the next course of action
• Develop comprehensive safety plans and establish post crisis follow-up care, centering the needs of the person in crisis

Situational Awareness, Scene Safety and Unpredictable Working Conditions

• Utilise a trauma informed approach, including with persons who are escalated and who use language or express beliefs that could be offensive or triggering for staff
• Decenter themselves to provide care to all persons accessing our services
• Utilise situational awareness, assessment, de-escalation, and mental health training to work safely within changing and unpredictable environments
• Be prepared for and able to adapt to changing work environments, including all kinds of weather for extended periods within and around diverse types of substance use within and around respiratory illnesses within potentially hazardous dwellings within unknown and unpredictable environments
• Perform in-person assessment to critically assess and determine the next course of action, including in cases where Dispatch was unable to provide detailed information
• Remain on scene and able to critically assess, including when a situation escalates and/or requires a higher level of care
• Professionally engage service providers, including police, ambulance, fire and healthcare providers, etc.
• Utilise ongoing assessment, rapport building and universal precautions
• Utilise direct questions (open and closed ended), direct feedback and motivational interviewing skills

Program Development and Accountability

• Be open to feedback, engage in self-reflective practices and humility
• Understand and practice both collective and personal accountability
• Be self-directed and able to perform all duties and professional obligations, without prompting or reminding
• Demonstrate and engage in collaborative support and relationship building with K'ómoks First Nation Community, and its members
• Adhere to all CRCL Program Policies and Practices
• Adhere to AVIs Policies and Procedures and Code of Ethics

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong understanding of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
• Minimum 3 years relevant experience, including mental health services, de-escalation and crisis response, and case management
• Demonstrated experience utilizing lived/living expertise in service delivery and advocacy
• Living/lived experience of systems of oppression, including criminalization of illicit and street-based substances; victimization and persecution of mental health experiences; gender-, race-based and/or experiences of othering, particularly experiences of violent and/or harmful emergency services interventions
• Crisis Intervention Skills, including extensive experiencing with situational awareness, mental health assessments and suicide intervention
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens
• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge of harm reduction and health promotion practices
• Demonstrated practice of social justice, cultural humility, and trauma-informed approaches to care
• Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and an analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
• Successful Completion of the CRCL/PACT Training Curriculum
• Able to carry 25lbs
• First aid and CPR level C
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License with “Normal” Drivers Status
• Driver’s Abstract (AVI will review the past year’s driving record. Drivers will need to have no suspensions or prohibitions or 1 passenger only restrictions or a Driver's Factor of 1.1 or lower)
• Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable population

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

• Ability to manage hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication, situational awareness, and diffusing techniques
• Emotional Resilience and ability to centre the needs of the person in crisis, including persons who are angry, hostile, expressing values and beliefs that are opposed to yours/the teams
• Humility, flexibility and self-directed
• Ability to critically assess and remain grounded in complex, changing situations
• Ability to work mandatory overtime, to continue to provide emergency responses, where and as needed

POSITION DETAILS

Term: Start Dec 1st, 2025 – March 31st, 2026. Position contract will be extended upon further funding OR Return of Incumbent.

Pay: $33.99/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU pay grid 38).

Hours and Schedule: 37.5 hours per week.

Shifts: Monday-Friday 2:30pm-10:30pm (Subject to change based on operation needs of program).

Afternoon Shift Premium for Some Shifts: Afternoon Shift Premium of an additional $0.25/hour applies to any shifts that have at least 50% of their time scheduled between 4 pm and midnight. As such, some of the shifts of this ad qualify for an additional $0.25/hour premium.

Weekend Shift Premium for Some Shifts: Weekend Shift Premium of an additional $0.50/hour applies to each hour worked between 00:01 hours Saturday and 24:00 hours Sunday. As such, some of the shifts of this ad may qualify for an additional $0.50/hour premium.

Location: CRCL office and throughout Comox Valley responding to crisis and in the community and where as needed, including in people’s homes, community centers and outside/with folks surviving outside.

Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2025 and this role is a BCGEU union position.

BENEFITS

This position will be eligible for extended health, life and AD&D coverage after 488 hours with AVI. AVI pays for the entire cost of the plan on behalf of its staff.

PENSION

If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. Currently, 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 6.4% vacation (equivalent to 3 weeks), receives a paid day off for every Stat Holiday and Easter Monday and accrues a Sick Bank of 6.9%. Sick and Vacation Days are both available to be used after your first 488 hours at AVI.

TO APPLY

If you are interested in this position, please submit your resume or expression of interest by 5 p.m. Monday, November 17, 2025.

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.

Accommodation is 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.