Harm Reduction Coordinators – LAUNCH

Three (3) Full-Time Regular Positions (35 hours/week), Bargaining Unit - UFCW Local 175

Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre (Parkdale Queen West CHC) is a dynamic, community-based health care organization that has historically served mid-west downtown Toronto, and now provides outreach services to across the entire city. 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 an experienced health educator and harm reduction leader who shares 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 programming and community-based education, you will work as part of a team of harm reduction coordinators, overdose prevention support workers, and client support workers, within a harm reduction framework, and in alignment with the vision and values of PQWCHC. In so doing, you will be accountable for ensuring outreach services follow healthcare legislation as well as PQWCHC policies and procedures. This position is an outreach position, which entails working in community settings such as shelters, respites, and sheltering hotels. This job will require flexibility to work across the city, depending on where harm reduction services are needed. This position may also require flexibility to work late evenings and weekends, as required by the covid isolation support function of the job.

General Responsibilities: Reporting to the Manager, Urban Health - Harm Reduction Services, and using a harm reduction and trauma informed approach, you will plan and execute harm reduction curriculum and education across the homelessness services sector, for both social services staff and service users. You will also collaborate with other services and partners within sheltering sites to coordinate person-centred care for people who use drugs (PWUD), who are accessing or residing in shelter and respite spaces. Additionally, when needed, you will support other team members in client de-escalation and direct client care, when it is relevant to quality assurance and overall program rollout. The focus of your work is to reduce overdose events and increase uptake of harm reduction practices, and provide skill-building opportunities and education through a variety of strategies including: shelter in-reach, resource development & distribution, linkages to clinical and community care and safe supply programs, crisis intervention, advocacy, community education, support to embedded overdose prevention sites, partnership development with site operators, harm reduction programming and collaborating with our project partners.

The role of harm reduction coordinator also includes planning and execution of in situ harm reduction support for shelter residents self-isolating as per directions from Toronto Public Health, to prevent COVID transmission within the shelter system. In this capacity, the coordinator oversees provision of a managed alcohol program (MAP), and coordinates reconciliation of shelter residents’ medications, to prevent acute withdrawal. Coordinators will be required to mobilize around COVID response should the need to uplift a new fixed isolation site(s) emerge.

Qualifications:

• Significant experience working in a harm reduction program and/or a community setting, working with homeless and marginalized populations, including people who inject illicit drugs.
• Substantial knowledge of drug use, specifically injection drug use, acquired through a combination of work experience, lived experience and/or education or training
• Experience with overdose prevention and response, and training in/experience with naloxone administration.
• Ability to assert and maintain strong boundaries.
• Familiar with community services and resources.
• Respect and value the diversity of communities and individuals.
• Proficiency in one or more languages other than English would be an asset
• Experience in the following areas also an asset: 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.

Compensation: $54,254 to $66,102 per annum plus Group Benefits and HOOPP (Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan)

If you are interested in joining in a creative and dedicated team to, we want to hear from you! Applicants please send your resume and cover letter in a single document (MS Word or PDF format only). Please apply using the form at the bottom of the PQWCHC employment page: https://pqwchc.org/contact/employment/

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 a booster taken within 6-12 months) 14 days before starting employment.