Peer Support Worker

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Toronto; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in Toronto seeks a Peer Support Worker to provide intentional peer support to youth facing mental health and addiction challenges. Responsibilities include facilitating group activities, offering individual support, and assisting in community outreach. Ideal candidates will have lived experience in recovery and skills in harm reduction, communication, and cultural competency. Join a workplace dedicated to inclusion and support for equity groups.

Qualifications

• Personal experience in recovery from mental health or homelessness.
• Knowledge of local community mental health services.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 peer support to youth.
• Assist in community outreach activities.
• Complete needed documentation and note-taking.

Skills

Communication

Cultural Competency

Harm-Reduction Principles

Education

Peer Support Training

Tools

Computer Skills

Job description

Peer Support Worker

Full-Time, Permanent

Downtown, Toronto

Covenant House helps youth ignite their potential and reclaim their lives. As Canada’s largest agency serving youth who are homeless, trafficked or at risk, we offer the widest range of services to hundreds of young people every day.

More than a place to stay, we provide life-changing care with unconditional love and respect. We meet youth’s immediate needs and then we work together to achieve their future goals. We offer 24/7 crisis shelter transitional housing options on-site and, in the community, health and well-being support, training and skill development, and ongoing care once youth move into the community.

For over 40 years, Covenant House has been dedicated to its mission of serving youth on the street and to protect and safeguard all youth with absolute respect and unconditional love. Since 1982, Covenant House has supported more than 100,000 young people.

Purpose:

A Peer Support Worker is someone who through their lived experience of recovery from a mental health, or addiction or homelessness challenge and can draw upon their wellness and recovery in providing intentional peer support. This would be accomplished through a variety of activities such as group facilitation, individual support and structured positive relationship building.

Responsibilities:

• Regularly attend project and team meetings
• Assist in the delivery of social drop-in and community outreach activities.
• Provide 1:1 peer support to youth such as appointment support/accompaniment, participation in wellness-focused and recreational activities, and search for appropriate community resources such as housing.
• Support participants in making choices that promote safety, wellness, and recovery.
• Complete needed documentation and note-taking.

Qualifications

• Completion of Peer Support training is an asset.
• Personal experience in recovery from a mental health or homelessness and/or addiction challenge, and ability to draw upon wellness and recovery in providing intentional peer support is an asset.
• Skills in applying harm-reduction principles, providing support from an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework and providing trauma-informed peer support.
• Knowledge of relevant mental health, health, and housing related legislation
• Knowledge of refugee journey and services that supports refugees.
• Extensive knowledge of local community mental health services and other resources, including formal and informal supports
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong computer skills
• Understanding of cultural competency and anti-oppression framework
• Adheres to requirement for confidentiality strictly, the only exceptions being situations where child abuse is suspected orthere is reason to believe the person will harm themselves or others.
• Note: A satisfactory vulnerable sector check (VSC) is also required.

Interested applicants, please submit your resume and cover letter directly to this posting no later than May 26, 2025. Only candidates selected to move forward in the recruitmentprocess will be contacted. No agencies or phone calls please.

At Covenant House Toronto we believe in a workplace culture of inclusion that is welcoming, respectful, and safe for all staff. It is critical to Covenant House Toronto success to eliminate barriers and promote the inclusion of equity groups. Equity groups have been, and continue to be, underrepresented, and marginalized in the workforce, leadership roles, and in some specific occupations. Equity groups include but may not be limited to Indigenous persons, racialized people, gender diverse people, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities.

In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and Covenant House Policy on Accommodation, a request for accommodation will be accepted as part of the Covenant House recruitment process.