Youth Peer Support Worker

**FOUNDRY Richmond Youth Peer Support Worker**

**Job Summary**:
The Youth Peer Support (YPS) worker participates as a member of the Foundry Richmond team. Drawing on their own lived experience of mental health or substance use challenges the YPS worker helps youth and young adults with service navigation, resource information, and connect them with Foundry and/or community resource providers. The YPS worker offers peer-based mentoring and emotional support, and works collaboratively with youth, their families, and members of the care team. This position assists with the delivery of walk-in services, and offers support both on a 1:1 basis and in a group setting. The YPS worker acts as an advocate and role model for young people that walk through the doors at Foundry.

This is a temporary part-time position.

**Grid Level**:
**Hours**:
Community Subsector - Grid 21 - Activity Worker

0.5 FTE (18.75 hours per week) specific hours to be determined

**Reports to**:
Peer Support Coordinator

**Responsible to**:
RASS Executive Director

**Key Duties and**

**Delivery**

**Responsibilities**

1. Establishes a purposeful relationship with young people and supports their engagement and participation in centre services

2. Accompanies youth to appointments in the community

**Engagement/Advocacy/ Building & Sustaining Relationships**

1. Plays a key role in ensuring that the centre offers a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and youth-friendly environment.

2. Provides support, guidance and mentorship for youth and their families, and assists in sharing information on resources and service navigation.

3. Assists youth with the activities of daily living including: time management, organization, and interpersonal communication.

**Collaboration/Integrated Case Management**

1. Demonstrated problem solving and decision-making skills; ability to gather and process information to support the organization and its team

2. Works collaboratively with team members to meet pre-established goals and objectives; facilitates recovery-based peer support meetings and activities.

3. Participates in team meetings, case conferences, trainings, and organizational initiatives

4. Works collaboratively with centre staff, community and hospital-based teams to build relationships between youth, families, and systems to enhance the awareness of youth/family needs

**Evaluation**

1. Completes and maintains related records and documentation including: statistics, activity logs, referral forms, and discharge summaries.

**Other Duties**

1. Safeguard staff and client safety

2. Implement other related duties as assigned

3. Conducts themselves in a professional and ethical manner

4. Presents information at community booths/health fairs/school audiences

**Qualifications**:
Grade 12, plus related experience working with youth and young adults with mental health and/or substance use challenges or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience. Lived experience of mental health and/or substance use, completion of/eligible for completion of a recognized youth peer support-training program and willing to self-identify and share experience of recovery. Familiarity with the Richmond Community is an asset.

**Job Skills and Abilities**:

- Able to establish rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with young people and family members
- Empathic, compassionate, with good listening skills and creative thinking
- Demonstrated ability to observe and recognize changes in youth, and communicate those changes to others on the care team.
- Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills
- Able to promote positive change and independence
- Self-starter with a positive attitude, and able to advocate for self and others
- Broad knowledge of social, mental health, and substance use services available in the community
- Knowledge of systemic issues and risk factors facing minor groups including LGBTQ2S, Indigenous youth and young adults
- Demonstrated problem solving and decision-making skills; ability to gather and process information to support the organization and its team
- Well-developed communication skills; ability to speak, listen, and write clearly, thoroughly, and professionally
- Demonstrated organizational and time management skills, accountability, reliability, and punctuality
- Ability to work independently and show initiative, as well as be part of an inter-disciplinary team
- Basic computer skills: experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook

**Other Requirements**:
Safety Orientated First Aid and CPR certification

Criminal record check is required.

Covid-19 Vaccination Record

**Other Assets**:

- Additional or a second language
- Creative and dynamic personality
- Interested in engaging youth and families

**Job Type**: Part-time
Part-time hours: 18.5 per week

**Salary**: From $27.11 per hour

**Benefits**:

- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Vision care

COVID-19 considerations:
Work Location: