Mobile Peer Support Specialist – Indigenous Community Wellness

Squamish-Nation; Squamish; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended medical and dental insurance

Pension matching

Supplementary savings

Job summary

Squamish Nation is seeking a Peer Worker to join the Háhalhi7iwan Wellness Department within Nexwnínlhewá7nem Ch'áwch’aw People Services. You will draw on your lived experience to build trust-based relationships and provide practical and emotional support to Squamish Nation Members.

Working primarily through People Services on Wheels, you will provide mobile, low-barrier outreach that connects Members with health, social, cultural, and community resources while supporting their healing journeys.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent; post-secondary education in social services, health, psychology, or a related field is an asset.
• Lived or living experience with substance use, mental health challenges, homelessness, or system involvement.
• 2–3 years of directly related peer support, outreach, or community service experience.
• Understanding of harm reduction, mental health, substance use, trauma-informed practice, social services, and peer support principles.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with emotional intelligence, patience, integrity, tact, diplomacy, confidentiality, and the ability to remain composed in high-pressure situations.
• Resourceful and organized, with strong time-management abilities and the ability to communicate complex information clearly and facilitate groups.
• Experience working with a large-scale computerized database system.
• Experience working with Indigenous communities and an understanding of the cultural, historical, and socioeconomic factors affecting Indigenous mental health and wellness is an asset.
• Valid BC Class 4 or 5 Driver’s Licence, with access to a reliable vehicle and appropriate insurance.
• Ability to travel throughout Squamish Nation territory and the Lower Mainland and work evenings and weekends based on community and service needs.
• Knowledge and understanding of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw history, culture, customs, lands, and People.

Responsibilities

• Build trusting relationships with community Members through culturally safe, trauma-informed, strengths-based, and nonjudgmental peer support grounded in lived experience.
• Provide mobile outreach and peer support through People Services on Wheels, connecting Members with Wellness and other People Services, resources, and supports.
• Maintain regular connections with a caseload of individuals, complete wellness checks as directed, and provide practical and emotional support along their healing journeys.
• Help Members navigate health, social, legal, housing, income, food, and community services, including supporting referrals, appointments, and ongoing access to care.
• Provide non-clinical crisis de-escalation and emotional support, recognize safety concerns, and connect individuals with appropriate clinical, emergency, or case management services when needed.
• Provide harm reduction education and supplies and support community awareness around mental health, substance use, wellness, and harm reduction.
• Work collaboratively with interdisciplinary team members, the program Elder, Elders and Knowledge Keepers, families, community partners, and other service providers to support coordinated and culturally safe care.
• Support community outreach events, gatherings, wellness initiatives, programs, and groups while helping increase awareness and accessibility of services.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records and reporting, including tracking outreach engagement, services, outcomes, and harm reduction supplies.
• Share insights from lived experience and community feedback to strengthen services, programming, harm reduction initiatives, and the broader work of the Outreach Services Team.

Skills

Lived experience

Peer support

Trauma-informed

Cultural safety

Outreach

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Post-secondary education in social services/health/psychology

Tools

Database systems

Job description

Squamish Nation is seeking a Peer Worker to join the Háhalhi7iwan Wellness Department within Nexwnínlhewá7nem Ch'áwch’aw People Services. You will draw on your lived experience to build trust-based relationships and provide practical and emotional support to Squamish Nation Members.

Working primarily through People Services on Wheels, you will provide mobile, low-barrier outreach that connects Members with health, social, cultural, and community resources while supporting their healing journeys.