Youth Peer Support Worker

We are seeking someone who wants to make a difference and has a passion for supporting young people who have experienced difficulties with coping, or who are working to manage mental health or substance use concerns. A good fit for our agency is a self-directed, engaging and empathetic person with lived or living experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges. We are looking for someone who can relate to youth as a peer, work independently yet also interface well with our integrated multi-disciplinary team and the Program Lead/Coordinator who oversees the program.

Foundry is removing barriers and increasing access to health and wellness services for young people aged 12-24 and their caregivers through a network of youth-friendly centers across British Columbia and online. By offering integrated mental health care, substance use services, primary and sexual health care, youth and family peer support and social services, Foundry makes it easier for young people to find support in their communities. Online resources and first-of-its-kind virtual care further broaden Foundry's reach.

The Youth Peer Support (YPS) Worker is a key member of the Foundry centre team. The YPS worker offers peer-based mentoring and emotional support and works collaboratively with youth, their families and members of the care team. By utilizing their own lived experience, the YPS worker helps youth and young adults to enhance their health and wellness through service navigation, providing resource information and connecting them with Foundry and/or community resources.

This position supports the planning, deliverance and safety of walk-in, social and outreach programming by offering support to youth and young adults in group and one on one.

JOB POSTING: 2024-0200 Youth Peer Support Worker - Foundry Langley
DATE: November 15, 2024
POSITION: Permanent, Full -Time
HOURS OF WORK: 37.5 Hours per week
Including evenings and flexibility in work schedule
SALARY RANGE: CSSEA Wage Grid 10: $26.83 - $29.76 hourly
BENEFITS: Extended Health/Dental; Group TFSA/RRSP
VACATION: As per ESSS policy
CLOSING: November 29, 2024
ANTICIPATED START DATE: ASAP

**Key Duties and Responsibilities**:

- Plays a key role in ensuring that the centre offers a safe, welcoming, inclusive and youth-friendly environment;
- Establishes a purposeful relationship with young people and supports their engagement and participation in centre services;
- Maintains knowledge of community resources;
- Provides support, guidance and mentorship for youth and their families and assists in sharing information on resources and lived experience service navigation;
- Facilitates support for youth with the activities of daily living including time management, organization and interpersonal communication;
- Accompanies youth to appointments in the community;
- Develops, leads or co-facilitates group services to promote skills development and mental health and substance use recovery and relapse prevention;
- Coordinates, participates in or assists with planning recreation and social activities;
- Provides support to aid with reducing youth’s distress, improving or maintaining functioning and enabling independence and active participation;
- Facilitates youth engagement and participation in focus groups, workshops, surveys and related activities;
- Works collaboratively with team members to meet pre-established goals and objectives, facilitates recovery-based peer support meetings and activities;
- Works collaboratively with centre staff, community and hospital-based teams to build relationships between youth, families and systems to enhance the awareness of youth and family needs;
- May participate in staff training sessions, public education forums, seminars and conferences relevant to specific program areas. May engage in prevention activities by networking, consultation, public relations as required;
- Provides culturally competent services;
- Completes and maintains related records and documentation including statistics, progress reports and care plans, meeting agency and accreditation requirements;
- Maintains waitlist as required;
- Participates in team meetings, case conferences and organizational initiatives;
- Works as a liaison between Foundry Langley, the youth accessing the centre and the Youth Peer Engagement Coordinator on the Foundry Central Office team;
- Participates in various knowledge exchange and learning opportunities facilitated by Foundry Central Office;

**Qualifications**:

- 1. Education and Knowledge_
- Grade 12 plus related experience working with youth and young adults with mental health and/or substance use issues or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience;
- Post-secondary education in a related discipline considered an asset; and
- 2. Training and Experience_
- Lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use, gender diverse, completion of or eligible for completion of a recognized youth peer support traini