Peer Worker

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

Salary Range: $53,788.00 To $67,235.00 Annually

Be Part of Something Meaningful

Are you passionate about supporting community members on their healing journeys through peer connection, culturally safe care, harm reduction, and community-based outreach? Squamish Nation is seeking a Peer Worker to join the Háhalhi7iwan Wellness Department within Nexwnínlhewá7nem Ch'áwch’aw People Services.

In this impactful role, 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 Nexwnínlhewá7nem Ch'áwch’aw hén̓xwilhem (People Services on Wheels), you will provide mobile, low-barrier outreach that connects Members with health, social, cultural, and community resources while supporting their individual healing journeys.

What You’ll Do

• 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.

What We’re Looking For

High school diploma or equivalent; post-secondary education in social services, health, psychology, or a related field is an asset. Peer support or harm reduction certification is also considered an asset.

Lived or living experience with substance use, mental health challenges, homelessness, or system involvement, with the ability to draw appropriately on lived experience when supporting others.

2 to 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 (Class 7N may be considered), 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.

Why Work With Us

• Professional Growth – We invest in our people with training, mentorship, and career development
• Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw Values – Be part of an organization that values Úxwumixw (community/peoples), snew̓íyelh(guiding through teachings), wenáxws (respect) and inclusivity.

As a dynamic community organization, we understand the importance of employing enthusiastic and talented people to work together. We know that our future strength and growth is very much dependent on our key resources – our people. With a variety of programs and services, we offer career paths that fit many areas of expertise, backgrounds, and interests. Along with competitive compensation and benefits, we foster an environment that values diversity through the respect and appreciation of each person for their individual attributes.

Candidates are typically offered compensation between the beginning to the midpoint of the range. We are committed to providing a fair and equitable package that reflects the value an individual brings to the organization.

Benefits: We offer extended medical and dental, pension matching, supplementary savings, and a professional development budget.

Join us in building a future rooted in culture, values, and community strength. Your work matters here. #Workwithpurpose