Indigenous Community Engagement Specialist

Unity Health Toronto is working toward making transformative changes in its relationship with Indigenous peoples, and in improvements to health care and care experiences for Indigenous peoples at each of its sites.In order to continue building its capabilities to participate in reconciliation and advancing wellness of Indigenous peoples, Unity Health will be hiring a permanent Full Time, Community Outreach Worker.

**Responsibilities**:

- Establishes and maintains therapeutic rapport with Indigenous clients to facilitate positive navigation between home and community and Unity Health services, including the Primary Care Teams, Emergency Department, In-Patient wards, Specialist Clinics, Laboratory and Medical Imaging and other relevant hospitals services and programs.
- Work with the Indigenous care team and UHT clinical leads to co-develop defined Indigenous care navigation pathways and processes between the community and the Emergency Department, Primary Care Teams, In-Patient wards, Specialist Clinics, Laboratory and Medical Imaging, and other relevant hospital services and programs.
- Engagement, liaison, and collaboration with health and social service organizations serving FNIM people,
- Develop partnerships with FNIM community agencies including developing, implementing and improving referral care pathways;
- Gather information from FNIM clients and organizations regarding the unmet health care needs of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis (FNIM) clients and community and work with the Indigenous leadership circle to communicate this information to the relevant UHT leaders.
- As time allows, collaborate with in-patient transitions facilitators to facilitate coordinated transitions of client discharges back to the community.
- Acts as an advocate on behalf of the Indigenous patients when deemed necessary;
- Effectively engages clients and colleagues using a cultural safe, strength based, and trauma-informed approach;
- Provides outreach support to clients to support their access to resources and connect them with agencies and culturally safe health care providers
- Provides outreach services to FNIM clients who are unwilling or unable to attend office based appointments;
- Engages in periodic evaluation and review of client goals and re-calibrates goals as is appropriate;
- Participates in interdisciplinary and/or inter-agency client care meetings when requested by either the client or healthcare team;
- Records all client interactions in a respectful and accurate manner that reflects Indigenous community requirements and protocols, Unity health organizational protocols and established regulatory practices;
- Works with Director of Indigenous Health to contribute to the development and implementation of system level Indigenous care innovations, including but not limited to development of the Unity Health Indigenous Health Strategic Plan.
- **Qualifications**:

- College certificate, undergraduate degree in relevant health or social services field or equivalent relevant work experience
- A minimum of 2 years¿ experience working with Indigenous community-based services
- Experience in engaging Indigenous people facing significant barriers to accessing health, social services and housing;
- Demonstrated and exceptional ability to engage and build relationships with diversity of FNIM individuals and agencies in a respectful and strength-based manner
- Experience and skill in engaging with non-Indigenous service institutions and health care providers and encouraging them to uphold their roles and responsibilities with respect to caring for FNIM peoples.
- Indigenous identity and lived experience with Indigenous communities; existing ties to local and regional communities and nations would be considered an asset;
- An ability to respectfully and meaningfully engage clients experiencing homelessness; demonstrated understanding of the unique issues and barriers facing the Indigenous population;
- An ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team;
- Experience with trauma-informed care; able to communicate with clients in a professional, empathetic and culturally safe manner
- Extensive knowledge of Indigenous health, wellbeing, and social service resources in the community.
- Experience working in an independent outreach position, meeting with clients alone in the community or in their homes;
- Experience working collaboratively with FNIM and allied community service organizations to share and exchange information and resources and building client-centred care pathways and health plans.
- Strong organizational, coordination and administrative skills;
- Awareness of HIV/AIDS, HCV, harm reduction and related issues and their impact on clients experiencing homelessness
- Knowledge of addictions treatment modalities an asset;
- Experience with systems level change and strategic planning an asset.

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We stri