DATE May 17, 2023| EXTERNAL/INTERNAL JOB POSTING 

COMPETITION NO. 23-050

Position: Mental Health Advocate  

Location:  Newton Resource Center

Hours: 35 h/week

We are looking for a Mental Health Advocate to join our Sources Advocacy Programs team! This individual must be eager, motivated, organized, and responsible!

About Sources

SOURCES is a community-based non-profit organization providing support and hope to communities in the Lower Mainland, on Vancouver Island, and across Northern BC.  Sources strives to create vibrant and resilient communities through support to adults, children, youth, and families facing challenges in life such as mental health, disability, poverty, substance use, and conflict. We support our communities through leadership, education, and volunteerism.

Sources is committed to learning about, celebrating and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into our practices as we continue our work in truth and reconciliation. People of all races, cultures, ethnicities, LGBTQ2S+, and abilities are welcomed to work with us. We value diversity, respect, and collaboration as we promote our mission: social wellness for our community.

Description of position

This position requires an experienced individual to provide comprehensive legal advocacy services in the areas of income assistance, provincial disability benefits, federal income security programs and residential tenancy.  The advocate will be experienced in working with people with mental health conditions and provide support, information, and referral, written communications on behalf of the client as well as accompaniment to meetings, tribunal hearings and dispute resolution hearings; mediates and negotiates with government agencies and landlords. The advocate will also provide services in the Fraser Valley at the Mental Health Offices and at the Mental Health Club Houses.

 General Responsibilities:

• Maintains complete and accurate statistics and records for all project activities.
• Promotes the project’s activities through workshop presentations and public meetings.
• Participates in training, team meetings, staff and agency initiatives, meetings and events.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team environment– includes contributing in a cooperative way to the teamwork environment and upholding the professional code of ethics. Ability to apply tact and diplomacy to deal with sensitive and/or politically charged issues and ability to give and receive positive and constructive feedback.
• Excellent administrative skills including the operation computer and office equipment as well as perform administrative practices including record keeping, file management and reporting to accredited standards. Effectively use the Internet, and research skills are imperative.  Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects, analyze complex information and situations and prioritize effectively.

Program Specific Responsibilities:

• Maintain a full advocacy caseload providing a full continuum of services in the areas of income support programs both provincially and federally, and residential tenancy. This includes providing support, information, referral, completion of forms, written communications on behalf of the client, negotiation and mediation, written appeals, representation at tribunal hearings and dispute resolution hearings.
• Provides advocacy services and caseworker consultation across Fraser Health Region including on-site services at Mental Health Offices and/or Mental Health Club Houses in Tri-Cities, Maple Ridge, Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope as need is determined.
• Develops and maintains working relationships with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, Mental Health offices, other government agencies, other service agencies and the community.
• Maintains complete and accurate statistics and records for all project activities. Meets all reporting requirements. Meets regularly with advocacy programs manager for case review and direction.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years post-secondary education or equivalent experience in related field.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills including public relations, oral and written skills as well as public speaking ability.
• Have a strong sense of social justice and resilient desire to assist and improve the lives of marginalized people. Work from a client service and solution focused approach. Have an understanding the spectrum of issues related to poverty; sensitive to a diverse client base and ability to deal tactfully with sensitive client issues.
• Exercise good judgment and the ability to negotiate and mediate on behalf of clients with landlords and government agencies.
• Ability to read, understand and interpret applicable legislation and an awareness of government processes and procedures required. Exceptional knowledge of community resources also required.
• Self-motivated with well-developed planning, organizing, time management, problem solving and decision-making skills essential.
• The ability to function in independently and under pressure and effectively manage crisis, emergency situations and challenging clients.
• Must have a vehicle, valid class 5 driver’s license and clean driving abstract required.
• Criminal Record check required.
• Fluency in a second language an asset.

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: $25/hour F

Benefits

• 100% employer paid coverage for extended health and dental
• Long term disability, life insurance, critical illness insurance, accidental death & dismemberment coverage
• Employee & Family Assistance plan
• Pension plan
• Generous paid time off, starting at 3 weeks

Closing Date: May 30, 2023. 

How to apply: Please email your cover letter and resume to Tatiana Belyaeva, Advocacy Programs Manager at . Please include where you saw this job posting in your email. Thank you.