Recovery Home Peer Support

**Reports to**: Addiction Services Manager

**Positions Available**: 2 Part-time

**About Porchlight Counselling and Addictions Services**

For 83 years, Porchlight Counselling and Addictions Services (Formally: Family Counselling Centre of Cambridge and North Dumfries) has been supporting our community with counselling, building healthy relationships, community engagement, and most recently, with addiction services. We want everyone to have access to affordable, caring, person-centred, trauma-informed, culturally appropriate mental health and addiction supports that meet their unique needs. Our vision is for a community where there is equality, respect, empathy, and inclusion, and this is why we get up in the morning and do the work that we do.

Our team enjoys working collaboratively and we strive to value each other, because we know people are our most important resource. Our staff and volunteers work to support each other and value a healthy work-life balance. We see our clients as people first and aspire to walk alongside them towards growth and healing. We invest in our staff and work to support their growth as both individuals and team members.

Unfortunately, the need for mental health and addiction supports is greater than ever, and our agency has been transforming itself to grow to meet this unprecedented need. To do this, we need staff who are passionate and dedicated to supporting our residents to achieve their recovery goals.

That’s where you come in.

**Areas of Professional Responsibility**

The Peer Support worker uses their own unique, life-informing experience in order to guide and support others who are in some form of recovery. This typically refers to residents recovering from addiction and mental health disorders. Our recovery Homes will accept suboxone or methadone, but otherwise is an abstinence-based facility.

The Peer Support Worker has the following duties:
**Support residents**

The Peer Support Worker will use their personal experiences to develop meaningful and trusting relationships with residents, acting as a mentor. As someone who successfully managed their own recovery, the Peer Support Worker provides an example of what residents can strive for in their recovery, offering hope and motivation for change.

**Coordinate Client Logistics**
- Assist new residents in navigating house guidelines, and supporting residents in growth and recovery
- Support a positive team environment, working together with recovery home staff
- Assist with the transition from the recovery home to community and provide opportunities for continued support and follow-up.
- Support discharged residents in advocating for resources, identifying barriers to continued recovery, and providing social inclusion opportunities where the discharged resident feels connected to a larger, positive, supportive community to reduce the possibilities of relapse.
- Support volunteer opportunities related to events and the social enterprise operated by the recovery homes.

**Build A Positive Residential Community**
- Motivating and helping residents to understand the importance of routine, taking care of their own emotional, spiritual and physical health, helping to navigate community resources, assisting with recovery work, attend 12-step community meetings, and provide healthy-positive feed-back to residents
- Help to build a constructive, caring resident community that is supportive and conducive to client growth and recovery
- Assist in the participation and implementation of social activities with our community partners and help create a team environment
- Support social inclusion to create positive community relationships and increase confidence and self-efficacy

**Identify Resources for Residents**
- Follow up with residents to ensure a plan of care is being continued in the community
- Provide understanding that community organizations and resources can provide additional support for residents, particularly as they transition from recovery back into the general community
- Work together with the Addiction Housing Support team; this may include aspects of healthcare, housing, job assistance, and additional treatment services as well as support in the task of finding or re-integrating with friends, family, and outside communities
- Identify risks the resident may be feeling to deter relapse and maintain healthy living environments.

**Qualifications**:

- Committed to Porchlight’s mission, vision, and values and to building an inclusive workspace, including striving to be anti-racist, accessible, 2SLGBTQIA+ positive, aware of class dynamics, and power/privilege
- Demonstrated peer support and/or active participation in self-help community services
- Having personal experience relevant to services provided
- Being able to travel, sometimes daily, in local area
- Navigation and understanding of Cambridge community services including 12-step programs and the ability to attend both closed and open meetings
- Wo