Peer Engagement Support Worker

Addiction & Mental Health Services KFLA; Eastern Ontario; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A community health organization in Kingston is seeking a Peer Engagement Support Worker to connect clients dealing with substance use and mental health challenges to essential services. This role focuses on promoting harm reduction and providing support in a respectful environment. Candidates should possess strong interpersonal skills, crisis intervention experience, and familiarity with trauma-informed care, ensuring effective engagement with clients from diverse backgrounds. Flexible hours may be required.

Qualifications

• Experience working with individuals using substances and/or with serious mental illness.
• Ability to engage effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Proficiency in crisis intervention and assessment.

Responsibilities

• Connect clients to essential services and support.
• Provide harm reduction practices and promote a harm reduction culture.
• Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment.

Skills

Knowledge of harm reduction practices

Crisis intervention skills

Communication and interpersonal skills

Experience in addiction services

Understanding of trauma-informed care

Job description

Overview

The Integrated Care Hub (ICH) Peer Engagement Support Worker as a member of an interprofessional and integrated service team. This position provides services to individuals 18 years of age and older who use substances and/or have a serious mental illness and access services at the Integrated Care Hub. The Peer Engagement Support Worker plays a key role in connecting clients to essential services, focusing on harm reduction, health and wellness, and support. This role involves actively engaging clients, identifying health and service needs, supporting harm reduction practices, and ensuring safe, respectful environments within AMHS settings. As a peer-based role, lived experience is an asset in building trusting relationships and promoting client-centred care. Utilizing personal experiences with mental health and addictions they apply harm reduction practices and promote a harm reduction culture in their work. All services are provided in accordance with the mission, vision, values, and established policies and protocols of the Agency. As an important part of the team, this role is a float position designed to provide coverage across various shifts, with a guaranteed minimum of 12 hours per week. Additional hours may be available based on staff needs and availability within the Integrated Care Hub.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of and ability to apply discipline specific principles and practices to individuals who use substances and/or live with a serious mental illness, within a harm reduction and client-centered approach


• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of mental health symptoms, issues, psychotropic medications, and associated side effects


• Knowledge of and the ability to incorporate best-practices community support for individuals living with addictions and serious mental illness


• Demonstrated assessment and crisis intervention skills with broad knowledge of emergency mental health and crisis stabilization


• Demonstrated clinical reasoning and decision-making skills


• Ability to effectively utilize community resources and supports to meet the needs of individuals


• Ability to work under pressure within a fast-paced environment


• Working knowledge of the Health Care Consent Act, Mental Health Act, Personal Health Information Protection Act, and other relevant legislation


• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills in order to effectively engage community services and individuals, increasing awareness of services


• Well-developed problem-solving, prioritization and conflict resolution skills


• Experience in harm reduction, overdose prevention, or working in addiction services.


• Ability to build rapport with clients through empathetic, respectful engagement.


• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, particularly with individuals from diverse backgrounds.


• Understanding of trauma-informed care and harm reduction practices, with the ability to apply these in a dynamic environment.


• Knowledge of overdose response, including naloxone administration.


• Experience working in shelters or similar community services is an asset.


• Ability to work autonomously as well as collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment


• Basic proficiency in computer skills; MS Office preferred


• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends with demonstrated reliability to attend work as scheduled


• A valid Ontario Driver’s License and have regular access to a reliable vehicle and provide proof of $2,000,000 vehicle insurance. Incumbent may be required to transport clients.


• Required to provide a satisfactory criminal reference check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening prior to hire.