Overdose Prevention Support Worker (Relief) - Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) - Relief

Bargaining Unit – UFCW Local 175

Ongoing Relief Pool

Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre (Parkdale Queen West CHC) is a dynamic, community-based health care organization serving mid-west downtown Toronto. Offering a broad range of services, including primary health care, dental care, harm reduction, health promotion, counselling, and community development programming, we are also committed to serving people who face barriers to health care, and we strive to reduce these barriers. PQWCHC is a multi-sited organization.

We are seeking experienced harm reduction workers who share our passion for making a difference; you see this role as an opportunity to take the next step in your successful career while contributing to a vision of Inclusive Communities. Responsive Healthcare. Healthier Lives.

Striving for excellence in client-centred care and education, you’ll work as part of the multidisciplinary, integrated Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) / Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) staff team, within a harm reduction framework, and in alignment with the vision and values of PQWCHC. In so doing, you’ll help ensure that SCS/CTS operations comply with all exemption requirements and guidelines, as well as PQWCHC policies and procedures. In the role of SCS/CTS Overdose Prevention Support Worker, you will respond to overdoses, distribute harm reduction supplies, provide harm reduction education, and make referrals to additional services.

Reporting to the SCS Supervisor, you’ll supervise clients administering their own drug injections and using other permitted modes of consumption (i.e., intranasal and oral) who may present with a variety of acute and chronic illnesses/diseases and complex health and social needs. As an Overdose Prevention Support Worker, you’ll provide education and support on safer injection and consumption, monitor clients for adverse reactions, assess, respond to, and support overdose events, and assist in the initiation of emergency responses, as necessary. You will also assist in client de-escalation and provide support for crowd control and make referrals to other health and social service providers.

You have at least 1 year of experience working in a harm reduction program and/or a community setting, working with homeless and marginalized populations, including people who inject illicit drugs. You have experience with overdose prevention and response and training in/experience with Naloxone administration. Confident in asserting and maintaining strong boundaries, you bring substantial knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use, acquired through a combination of work experience, lived experience and/or education or training, are familiar with community services and resources, and respect and value the diversity of communities and individuals.

Proficiency in one or more languages other than English would be an asset, as would experience in the following areas: working in a supervised consumption or overdose prevention service; providing overdose training, including Naloxone administration; and working with people who use drugs, racialized populations, Indigenous peoples, people who engage in sex work, prisoners/ex-prisoners, people with mental health challenges, and people who have experienced trauma.

Please include in the cover letter your weekly availability to accept shifts.

Compensation: $27.78/hr to $32.71/hr + 4% in lieu of vacation

If you are interested in joining in a creative and dedicated team to make things better, we want to hear from you. Please send your resume and cover letter in a single document (MS Word or PDF format only) to , quoting 2023-004 in the subject line. We truly appreciate your interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Note: Please copy and paste 2023-004 into the subject line, and only that, to ensure accuracy of you application being accepted.

Please also note that the successful candidate will be required to provide a police vulnerable sector check as a condition of employment, however strong consideration is made to the type of offense. Employment is conditional upon having had a full series of COVID-19 vaccinations (2 doses, plus booster within 6-12 months) 14 days before starting employment.