Position: Mobile Outreach Worker, Health Van Operator
- Location: Based out of the Main Office at 40 Begbie Street, New Westminster.
- Requires outreach in New Westminster, Burnaby, Tri-Cities, Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows
- Hours: 5 pm – 12 am.
- Job Type: Driving position, Permanent and On-Call
- Wage: $27.00 / Hour.
Start Date: ASAP
The Purpose Society is funded by the Fraser Health Authority to provide mobile harm reduction and supportive social services to the New Westminster, Burnaby, Tri-Cities and Maple Ridge areas. Services focus on supporting people who use substances and who are at risk of overdose.
Duties:
The primary duty of the Outreach Worker is to drive a Health Van and distribute harm reduction supplies in various communities in the Lower Mainland. The Outreach Worker must be comfortable working with marginalized and street-involved individuals who are actively using substances, experiencing mental health issues, working in the sex trade, are homeless, and/or live in tents/camps.
- Work closely with the Program Coordinator to implement opioid overdose prevention and response strategies, especially involving mobile outreach services
- Work to support and engage our network of Peer Workers in the community
- Distribute Naloxone kits, food, blankets, hygiene items and new supplies for safer injection, inhalation, sex and snorting
- Provide education and facilitate trainings on safer substance use and other harm reduction practices
- Keeping the Health Van tidy and stocked with supplies
- Safely recover used syringes from the various communities and satellite sites
- Build and maintain trusting relationships with clients who access services
- Fulfil Harm Reduction Supply Requisitions from various satellite sites
- Collect drug samples from registered sites for Spectrometry Drug Checking
- On rare occasions, transport individuals to health appointments or substance use treatment facilities
- Maintain necessary statistics, and ensure that all required documentation is accurate
- Provide resources and referral information to services such as violence prevention organizations, shelter and housing, substance use services and health care
- Overdose response
Qualifications:
- Valid BC Class 5 driver’s license, the skill required to drive large utility van
- Clean driver’s abstract and a criminal records check
- Two-year diploma in a relevant field, such as social work, community health, mental health and addictions studies or equivalent. Extensive experience may be considered in lieu of formal training
- Experience working with marginalized people who are actively using substances, have mental health challenges, work in the sex trade, are homeless, and/or live in tents/camps
- The ability to maintain a non-judgmental and non-stigmatizing approach is required
- The ability to function effectively in difficult and/or crisis situations is required
- Strong communication skills are required
- Strong understanding of harm reduction principles, STDs, substance misuse, mental health and social determinants of health
- Must be able to work independently and as part of a team
- Established ability to maintain healthy boundaries is necessary
- Knowledge of local resources is an asset
- Capacity to lift up to 15 pounds and carry boxes upstairs
- Readiness to respond to an overdose
Please email your resume to [email protected] with the Subject line: Shelter Coordinator
