Peer Support - Community Mental Health Worker

Coast Mental Health; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health organization in Vancouver seeks a Peer Support Worker to assist peers in utilizing their experiences to support others. The role involves collaboration, coaching, and maintaining community relationships to facilitate job placements and training for peer workers. The organization values lived experience and offers comprehensive benefits, fostering a supportive work environment.

Benefits

100% employer-paid benefits

Vision Care

Dental Care

Prescription Drugs

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Experience working within the mental health field.
• Ability to work with diverse lived experiences.

Responsibilities

• Support peer workers in job readiness and programming.
• Build relationships with community partners for job placements.

Skills

Crisis de-escalation

Communication

Problem Solving

Education

Diploma in Community Social Service

Tools

Computer literacy

Job description

Summary :

Under the direction of the Peer Support Manager and Program Coordinator, the MHW : Peer Support Department will encourage peers to use their firsthand experiences with mental illness and the challenges of recovery in roles that support other clients. Since 2009, the program has provided comprehensive training, practicum, and job placements to members of the community. The successful candidate would support the manager and coordinator in the daily upkeep of the department and will provide support to peer workers transitioning through their employment goals.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the manager and coordinator to ensure the department operates efficiently, and effectively
• Provide peer workers support during the implementation of unique and dynamic peer-led programming. Report room for supervision to program coordinator and manager
• Provide peer workers with coaching and support as they work through practicum, job contract, and job-search process
• Build and maintain relationships with contractors, employers, and community partners.Outreach and network to facilitate collaborations and streamlined placements for practicums and job contracts.
• Engage in goal setting and supports geared towards work readiness skills with graduates of peer support training program
• Provides support and information necessary to help peers build self-esteem, and confidence during employment placement.
• Assists peer workers to identify and gain access to community supports such as vocational, educational programs, and employment opportunities.
• Work as a support role in facilitating workshops and / or training for peer workers
• Fulfills any other functions / duties, as required, to ensure successful department operation
• Prepares and maintains written and computerized records and completes other program documentation, including writing progress notes, completing incident reports and on-call logs;
• Maintains an awareness of current community resources including health care services, social, economic, recreational, employment, educational services and resources, and other agencies : utilize the information to assist the client to access services and problem solve with the client as required.
• Maintains knowledge and understanding of, and comply with all CMH policies and procedures as outlined in the policy and procedures and other documentation;
• Other related duties as appropriate and required;

Operational support :

• Assist in the upkeep of meetings, tracking job contracts, and local training available for peer workers
• Respond to inquiries about the department in a timely and professional manner
• Participate in program evaluation and quality improvement activities, and performs administrative tasks as assigned.
• Support administrative tasks such as processing statistics associated with department-measurable outcomes
• Work collaboratively as well as independently with the manager, coordinator, and admin team to achieve departmental goals
• Maintain accurate records
• Maintenance a monthly newsletter regarding training opportunities, job contracts, and additional community resources for peer workers

Qualifications

• A diploma in Community Social Service, peer support work, and alternative training and education matching role expectations
• Experience working within the mental health field and agood understanding of local social services
• Strong understanding of the peer support model, demonstrated understanding of psycho-social rehabilitation, harm reduction, and trauma-informed philosophy
• Experience in peer-led programming is an asset
• Ability to work with people with a variety of different lived experiences, cultures, ways of knowing, communicating, and accessibility needs.
• Experience leading and facilitating groups is an asset
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, professionalism, and boundary setting
• Demonstrated ability in crisis de-escalation skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with marginalized and under-served community members
• Ability to work effectively independently and in cooperation with others.
• Computer literacy is a requirement for this role, as well as the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to organize and prioritize;
• Ability to analyze and problem solve;
• Ability to provide or obtain the following upon hire : Certificates in First Aid + CPR, WHMIS, Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Clearance
• We strongly encourage people with lived experience to apply for this position

About Coast

Coast Mental Health (Coast) is one of the largest mental health non-profit societies in Canada and operates a large array of innovative housing and community-based rehabilitation services for people with a mental illness living in and around Vancouver. Coast operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia providing approximately 1000 people with supportive housing and 4000 clients living in the community with a wide variety of programs and services.

Coast fosters a client-driven, recovery-oriented environment that promotes restoring health, personal growth and a return to society for individuals with a mental illness through advocacy and providing direct programs and services. Coast is deeply invested in cultural safety, reconciliation, and anti-racism. Our employees receive training on cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive leadership. We strive to reflect the communities we serve and value lived experience alongside professional qualifications.

Why Coast

• We recognize safety as a top priority for the organization.
• We believe in our people and recognize hard work.
• We operate client-centered care under the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation.
• We offer a variety of work placement opportunities within the organization.
• We strive to be the best that we can be.
• We holdExemplary Standingwith Accreditation Canada.
• We have been recognized with numerous awards for our innovative programming.
• We care about our employees, and believe in living our values and culture throughout the organization

Some of the Benefits we Offer

• 100% employer-paid benefits for employees and their families.
• Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Group Life, Massage therapy, Physiotherapy, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies.
• General sick-leave accruals.
• Long-term disability programs. Short-term disability programs available to exempt positions only.
• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year.
• 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program, which includes personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching. In addition, Coast provides a cognitive behavioural therapy program (CBT abilities program) and Headversity for managing a variety of life issues and includes self-paced therapeutic support.
• For any unionized positions, current / internal Coast employees must apply within seven (7) days of the posting date withtheir internal UKG account (using their Coast email address), in order to be considered as an internal applicant. Current / internal Coast employees who apply to a unionized position using an external account (or email), or after the seven (7) day deadline will be considered an external candidate. In this case, seniority will not be considered.

Coast Mental Health is committed to creating a culture of diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or disability.

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