Team Lead

**Job Posting - R.E.S. Team** **Lead**

**AVI Health & Community Services (AVI)** is a multi‐disciplinary community based organisation providing HIV, hepatitis C and harm reduction services out of 5 locations across
Vancouver Island. AVI provides services to people living with HIV and hepatitis C and harm reduction clients. We take evidence‐based action to prevent infection, provide support, and reduce stigma. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.

Join our supportive, dedicated and client‐centred team in promoting the health, dignity and well‐being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex‐positive and harm reduction‐based education, prevention and/or support services.

**JOB SUMMARY**:
Engagement and Support Team (RREST) (casuals and regular staff).

This position relies heavily on the abilities of the team lead to connect and develop relationships of trust and rapport with staff and service users. A thorough understanding of the principles and practices of harm reduction, the impact of colonialism and system inequities on individual and population health, and the operationalization of trauma and violence practices are essential. This position requires a high level of self‐awareness, empathy, ability to provide non‐judgemental support with exceptional understanding of personal and community boundaries.

The team lead will be responsible for the development and delivery of educational programming and peer‐based skill building, support, and debriefing. The team lead will develop and support staff to develop relationships with community members to support ongoing peer and community based overdose prevention within supportive housing, including but not limited to regular access to harm reduction supplies, witnessing, overdose response and overdose prevention trainings and advocacy.

The team lead will support staff to develop a cohesive team, with systems of collective accountability and interpersonal conflict resolution. The team lead will meet with staff daily, via check‐ins and debriefing.

The RREST Team Lead must demonstrate capacity to support staff and community members, while overseeing the delivery of educational programming and harm reduction based services.
This position relies on flexibility and self‐motivation, and experience supporting/working alongside folks with lived and living experience.

Confidence in overdose response, outreach and in‐reach or place‐based harm reduction programming are essential to this position. This position will also provide accurate information regarding HIV, HCV and other blood‐borne disease transmission and prevention strategies, as well as evidence‐based educational and harm reduction intervention to individuals and priority populations to increase knowledge of overdose prevention and response strategies.

**KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Supports staff through systems of debriefing, including daily check‐ins and 1:1 staff supervision
- Supervises the RRES Team and acts as a liaison between RRES staff, managers, community resources and stakeholders to communicate and manage support needs, client concerns, and issues related to operations, and critical incidents
- Arranges staffing coverage, contacts casual staff members to call‐out shift(s), confirms staffing according to seniority and making any necessary scheduling adjustments
- Provides break coverage and coverage when minimum staffing is not met
- Assists with paperwork including but not limited to the completion of statistics, leave forms, weekly narrative and reporting, as required, to ensure Managers receive information and reports in a timely manner
- Engages in planning, evaluation, and program development as directed
- Develops and facilitates harm reduction based educational programming to persons living in Supportive Housing, including overdose prevention and peer skill development
- Provide on the spot, and group‐based training in overdose response and education on substances and safer use practices
- Use brief assessment, active listening, and crisis response skills to support Resident
- Monitor and support people who are using substances. Assess for overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided
- Responsible for harm reduction supply distribution and recovery
- Provide overdose prevention education and first aid response, including education on administration of Naloxone and overdose response
- Engage with service users in a collaborative, person‐centered approach grounded in harm reduction
- Maintain the safety of all program spaces by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents (such as overdose prevention and response), including the ability to use communication devices
- Identify and develop safety plans with people who are using substances who are at increased risk