Peer & Community Support Worker

Prospect Human Services; Edmonton; Hybrid; CAD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Prospect Human Services is seeking a Peer & Community Support Worker in Canada to leverage lived experience with housing, food insecurity, and mental health barriers to guide participants toward employment and personal goals.

You will provide one-on-one support, lead peer groups, document outcomes, and collaborate with staff to plan events and improve services.

Qualifications

• Lived experience overcoming barriers related to housing instability, employment, and/or disability, mental health, social exclusion.
• Experience providing informal or formal peer support.
• Experience facilitating groups, workshops, or community activities.
• Knowledge of disability, employment, housing, and social service systems, and participant engagement strategies.
• Completion of post-secondary education, preferably in a related discipline; combination of education and experience considered.
• Experience with community outreach and networking, including volunteer work or local service.
• Strong digital literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office and virtual meeting platforms.
• Excellent communication, active listening, and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one peer support, encouragement, and mentorship to participants.
• Collaborate with the participants in identifying and working towards realistic personal and employment goals, overcoming barriers, and connecting with available resources.
• Facilitate peer support groups and create safe, welcoming environments for participant engagement and connection.
• Communicate participant feedback, trends, and recommendations to program staff.
• Complete documentation, attendance records, and program reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with program staff during participant meetings, events, workshops, and community activities as required.
• Participate in program planning, evaluation, and service improvement initiatives.

Skills

Lived experience

Peer support experience

Group facilitation

Community outreach

Communication skills

Active listening

Relationship building

Digital literacy

Education

Post-secondary education

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Do you have lived experience within socialized housing, navigating food insecurities, and/or addictions and mental health barriers?

Have you had to overcome significant barriers to gain access to housing, employment, or other basic needs?

Are you interested in helping others overcome thier own barriers by sharing your lived experience as a way to connect and guide others in achieving their life goals?

The Peer & Community Support Worker uses lived experience in social or subsidized housing who have successfully transitioned to market housing to support participants in achieving their employment, personal, and community integration goals. Through one-on-one and group-based peer support, the Peer & Community Support Worker provides encouragement, motivation, hope, and practical guidance to individuals who experience barriers to employment and social inclusion.

We welcome anyone who is looking for a better life through employment. We work with candidates who have degrees; we also work with people who are experiencing homelessness or experiencing a mental health condition or challenge. We can help upgrade clients’ skills; we can also work with an employer to help them understand a candidate’s disability. Above all, we’re creative and resourceful.

What will you do?

• Provide one-on-one peer support, encouragement, and mentorship to participants
• Collaborate with the participants in identifying and working towards realistic personal and employment goals, overcoming barriers, and connecting with available resources
• Facilitate peer support groups and create safe, welcoming environments for participant engagement and connection
• Communicate participant feedback, trends, and recommendations to program staff
• Complete documentation, attendance records, and program reporting requirements
• Collaborate with program staff during participant meetings, events, workshops, and community activities as required
• Participate in program planning, evaluation, and service improvement initiatives

What does it take to do this job?

• Lived experience overcoming barriers related to housing instability, employment, and/or disability, mental health, social exclusion
• Experience providing informal or formal peer support
• Experience facilitating groups, workshops, or community activities
• Knowledge of disability, employment, housing, and social service systems, and participant engagement strategies
• Completion of post-secondary education, preferably in a related discipline; a combination of education and equivalent professional experience will also be considered
• Experience with community outreach and networking, including volunteer work or local service
• Strong digital literacy and proficiency with Microsoft Office and virtual meeting platforms
• Excellent communication, active listening, and relationship-building skills

Further Notes:

• All employees must pass a background check
• Occasional evening or weekend participation in activities or events

About Us

Prospect Human Services is dedicated to identifying situations where groups of individuals are facing challenges with full participation, and developing the services and supports necessary to break down those barriers. Our current portfolio provides support to both individuals and employers to fully integrate our community and our workforce.

Prospect strongly believes in its five brand pillars and is looking for great candidates who share the same beliefs:

Prospect approaches every opportunity with enthusiasm. We drive change with energy, optimism and commitment. Anyone who walks through our doors can feel the positive energy.

Professional

In every facet of our work, our actions show a commitment to professional management and service delivery. Prospect is accountable, ethical and honest.

Prospect creates change by envisioning the end game and creating the means to realize it. We believe asking “why not?” aids progress. Solutions are created when we think beyond traditional boundaries.

Inclusive

Prospect is driven to achieve equal access for all to opportunities and resources. We strive to create a fair, healthy and high-performing environment where everyone is respected, encouraged and motivated, and their contributions help Prospect attain its goals.

Prospect seeks different perspectives. All parties must be engaged, including for-profit, not-for-profit, funders and government. Only by understanding all points of view can we create inclusive workplaces.

Further Notes:

If you require an accommodation in order to participate in the application or selection process, please contact the HR/Recruitment department at [e-mail].

Prospect will consult with all applicants who request accommodation during the process to ensure that the accommodation provided takes into account any individual accessibility needs. Any information received relating to accommodation will be addressed confidentially.