TFT - Peer Support Worker

Canadian Mental Health Association - Windsor Essex County; Windsor; On-site; CAD 43,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Canadian Mental Health Association - Windsor Essex County seeks a Peer Support Worker to join an interdisciplinary team in Windsor and Essex County. The role provides outreach, life-skill coaching and navigation of health services to individuals experiencing mental health concerns, with potential crisis intervention.

The position requires at least a two-year post-secondary program, Peer Support training, and lived experience with recovery; ASIST training is also required upon hire.

Qualifications

• Requires a minimum of a two-year post-secondary program and completion of Peer Support training.
• Experience with vulnerable individuals is required, especially those with mental illness or addictions.
• ASIST training is required upon hire and ability to use Microsoft Windows is needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide peer-based emotional and practical support to individuals experiencing mental health concerns, illness, or addiction (outreach).
• Engage in community outreach and build rapport with isolated individuals in Windsor and Essex County.
• Assist service users to navigate local mental health, addiction, primary care, housing and social services.
• Recognize signs of crisis and respond using trauma-informed practices; connect to crisis services when needed.
• Maintain confidential records and contribute to reporting for program improvement.

Skills

Active listening

Empathy

Cultural humility

Crisis intervention

Collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Two-year post-secondary program

Peer Support training

ASIST training

Tools

Windows applications

Job description

TEMPORARY FULL-TIME UNTIL APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER 2027

The Peer Support Worker will work with an interdisciplinary team and provide multi-modal support to individuals in Windsor and Essex County who are experiencing a mental health concern, mental illness and/or addiction. The incumbent will provide outreach, life supportive counselling and assist in the navigation of mental health services. The Peer Support Worker may be required to intervene in crisis situations. Core competencies include collaboration, planning, communication, critical thinking, problem solving, managing information, capacity building and inclusivity.

RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Peer Support Workers offer understanding, emotional support, and inspire hope and the possibility of recovery. Peer Support Workers build trusting relationships based on shared lived experience; role-modelling individual recovery and living well with mental health problems; and engaging service users with mental health services and the community. Peer Support Workers can make a meaningful connection with others by building a relationship through talking and listening, supporting self-care and well-being, and challenging stigma.

Core Responsibilities

Peer-Based Support & Relationship Building

• Offer peer-based emotional and practical support to individuals experiencing mental health concerns, illness, or addiction.
• Foster trusting, non-judgmental relationships rooted in shared experience, empathy, and cultural humility.
• Use active listening and validation to support individuals in building resilience, self-efficacy, and hope.
• Provide one-to-one work with individuals utilizing brief narrative strengths-based model to help individuals identify and build on their strengths
• Uphold peer support values and responsibilities

Proactive Outreach and Engagement (site specific)

• The Peer Support Worker may participate in community outreach activities such as presentations, attending meetings or work with other agencies to provide support and engage with the target population.
• Engage in community-based approaches to connect with isolated or underserved individuals and build rapport over time.

Navigation and System Linkages

• Assist individuals in accessing and navigating local mental health, addiction, primary care, legal, housing, and social services.
• Provide language and cultural interpretation where appropriate or connect individuals to other supports and advocates that best meets the individual’s needs.
• Assist service users to become more familiar with and comfortable using community services.

Crisis Prevention and Response

• Recognize signs of mental health crisis, distress, substance use or unsafe conditions and respond using trauma-informed practices.
• Provide immediate support and connect individuals to appropriate services or crisis response teams when needed.

Education and Awareness (program specific)

• Deliver presentations, facilitation, coaching, teaching wellness, life and social skills in an individual or group setting
• Facilitate informal workshops, one-on-one conversations, and printed/visual resources that address topics in mental health and addictions.

Community Capacity Building

• Collaborate with community partners, health care providers, and advocacy groups to build inclusive, supportive environments for individuals we provide service to.
• Contribute to building a network of culturally safe and accessible services in Windsor and Essex County.

Advocacy and Systems-Level Insight

• Advocate for the needs and rights of individuals within health systems, service agencies, and workplaces.
• Share insights from the field with supervisors and partners to improve access and reduce service barriers.

Teamwork and Professional Development

• Participate in team meetings, supervision, and reflective practice to support collaborative care and continuous learning.
• Engage in ongoing professional development, particularly in anti-oppressive practice, trauma-informed care, equity, and cultural safety.

Documentation and Accountability

• Maintain clear, confidential, and respectful records of support provided, in accordance with agency policies.
• Contribute to data collection and reporting processes to demonstrate impact and support continuous program improvement.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required of this position

EDUCATION & SKILLS:

• Completion of at minimum a two (2) year post-secondary College or University program in a field deemed relevant to the Employer is required. Successful completion of Peer Support training is required upon hire.
• One (1) year recent and relevant experience, in the judgement of the employer, working with vulnerable individuals,particularly those with a mental illness, addictions or a related diagnosis.
• Experience working in a hospital Emergency Room is required and to the discretion of the funder. Given the nature of this position, it is a requirement that the individual has personal lived experience with substance use and recovery and is willing to self-disclose. Lived experience with mental illness is considered an asset.
• Demonstrates ongoing commitment to personal recovery and has attained a stage of stability that allows for ethical, professional, and effective peer support to individuals at various stages of their recovery.
• Familiarity with the guiding principles of peer support as detailed by Peer Support Canada, a deep commitment to understanding the recovery model, and a willingness to share experiences/stories as part of the peer role is required.
• Successful attainment and maintenance of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is required upon hire. Experience working or volunteering within addiction and/or mental health organizations is an asset.
• Demonstrated understanding of mental health; mental illness and recovery; information and referral services; and crisis intervention. Knowledge of and ability to access and utilize mental health resources and network.
• Computer literacy skills and working knowledge or various Microsoft Windows application is required.
• Bilingualism in both official languages at the advanced level is considered an asset.
• A valid Ontario Driver’s License with access to a reliable vehicle and proof of current insurance and licensing are required for this position.

Hours of Work: Seventy (70) hours biweekly on a continental shift (30 hours week 1, 40 hours week 2). The incumbent will be required to work every other weekend. The hours of work for this position will be 12:00PM-11:00PM. Flexible hours are required to meet client and service needs.

Salary range: Grade 6, $31.44 – $37.20 per hour

Per 2022 - 2026 Collective Agreement

Applicable shift premiums are paid in accordance with the Collective Agreement, Article 17.11.

Posting Date: Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Posting Deadline: Tuesday, September 1, 2026 @ 4:30pm

We thank all applicants for their interest in employment at CMHA-WECB. We are however, unable to respond to individual calls. Only those individuals selected for consideration will be contacted for next steps. Thank you for your understanding.

We are dedicated to creating a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from individuals of all identities and experiences, as we believe that diverse perspectives strengthen CMHA. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at [e-mail].

Please note that candidacy for positions will require you to be authorized to work in Canada.

Please note that a satisfactory police vulnerable sector check is required as a condition of employment for all roles with CHMA-WECB.