ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are looking for an Information and Volunteer Services Coordinator to join our team for a one-year casual assignment. The Information and Volunteer Services Coordinator is an eminent part of CMHA BC and coordinates public engagement and outreach activities; providing mental health information, referral and support to the public from various sources; connecting public and stakeholders to CMHA and BC Partners resources as appropriate, in day-to-day contacts and via displays at key events; maintaining and expanding the agency’s volunteer program to help with these and other functions including recruitment, training, support, recognition and evaluation. This position reports to the Leader of Health Promotion and Education.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The duties and responsibilities associated with this position are described below. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list.

• With the help of internal help desk software, coordinate CMHA BC’s information and referral activities for various publics such that they receive effective, empathetic, compassionate and timely responses. Requests may arrive in any form (email, walk-in, phone, social media), and from CMHA BC sources or BC Partners sources
• Be a first point of contact for public requests for mental health information and support.
• Ensure consistency, clarity, and quality in messages to the public
• Monitor and report on information/referral efforts in order to assess their impact and success
• Research and identify appropriate community resources and simplify next steps so they are easy to act on
• Share resources with branches in their efforts to develop effective and coordinated information referral procedures
• De-escalate any crisis situations; adhere to risk management protocols for high-distress or suicide-risk situations
• Maintain and expand CMHA BC Division’s volunteer program including 
• Develop and execute an annual calendar of strategic opportunities for community displays, for both CMHA BC and BC Partners
• Establish and maintain files and documentation in an appropriate and accountable manner according to established standards
• Maintain databases supporting dissemination of public information, and volunteer information
• Monitor all program and service expenditures, including petty cash, within the annual budget and report findings to supervisor
• Protect all personal information in adherence with relevant privacy policies and legislation
• Maintain and apply the Agency’s Framework for Support in all assignments associated with this role
• Participate actively as an agency representative in collaborative partner networks and in related community activities, as requested
• Other duties as assigned

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Criminal Record Check including vulnerable sector.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent certification in a relevant field
• Knowledge of principles of distress management, and non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of mental health promotion and mental illness disorder prevention and early intervention
• Knowledge of the mental health and substance use service systems in BC
• Knowledge of specialized and personal computer systems and databases, Internet, and software applications, particularly Microsoft Office

Experience

• Three years relevant experience with a minimum of one-year supervisory experience
• Working directly with distressed publics such as with a crisis line or a related service
• Program coordination with a commitment to high standards of quality
• Recruiting, supervising, and retaining a skilled volunteer base
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Adapting and working under pressure
• Managing emotions and stress, in oneself and others
• Detail oriented
• Communicating effectively, both orally and in writing
• Resourcefulness and innovation to solve problems
• Tailoring and presenting program information to public and professional audiences
• Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and demands
• Efficient and cost-effective management of resources
• Ability to research, problem-solve, and follow through
• Professionalism
• Demonstrated caring and empathy with boundary-setting
• Establishing and maintaining effective relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
• Telephone, email, and walk-in service delivery experience an asset
• Personal experience with mental health issues and services, through self or loved ones, is an asset in this role

WORKING CONDITIONS:

This position is located at CMHA BC Division office in downtown Vancouver. Due to COVID-19, if the office remains closed, the work will be completed remotely. Depending on workload, the hours will fluctuate between 4 hours – 22.5 hours per week. Ideal candidate will have reasonable availability as the hours per week will fluctuate based on operational need and there may be flexibility in scheduling. This is a temporary casual position with an immediate start date if the candidate is successful, and the term of the temporary assignment will end on June 20, 2023. The Information and Volunteer Services Coordinator role is a unionized position under the Community Subsector Association Collective Agreement and the pay rate as determined by the CBA Wage Grid is at $25.17 per hour.

ABOUT US:

Founded in 1918, The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is a national charity that helps maintain and improve mental health for all Canadians. As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health and addiction, CMHA helps people access the community resources they need to build resilience and support recovery from mental illness and/or addiction. CMHA BC engages volunteers in many different areas of interest and skill, from participation on our advisory committees, to community outreach and education. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of the staff and volunteers. In 2020, we helped amplify hundreds of voices and reached 15,000+ people as we advocated for changes to the Province’s accessibility laws, and provided trusted mental health and substance use information through more than 4 million visits to our websites.

We are an equity employer and encourage applications from persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, people of all sexual orientation and genders, and others who may contribute to our further diversification.