Safer Weekend 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.

**The Victoria SAFER Initiative **is a flexible, community-based, harm reduction program that provides safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the currently toxic drug supply. SAFER is located on the territories of the Ləkʷəŋən peoples (Esquimalt and Songhees nations).

**JOB SUMMARY**:
Under the direct supervision of the SAFER Program Manager, the SAFER Weekend Team Lead provides supervision and support to SAFER Support Workers (casuals and regular staff) scheduled on weekends. They practice harm reduction in their relationships to build trust and provide support to SAFER participants and staff. The SAFER Team Lead plays an integral role in maintaining a positive, respectful environment at the SAFER clinic.

This position supports staff while also providing low barrier, psychosocial supports to individuals accessing the SAFER clinic. This position provides evidence-based educational and harm reduction information to SAFER participants to support knowledge and skills update related to regarding toxic drug poisoning/overdose prevention, risk and response.
- informed care and cultural humility with people accessing our services. They support and ensure that SAFER promotes the dignity and respect of the people we serve.

**KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:
1. Supervises Support Workers and acts as a liaison with the SAFER Program Manager to identify and manage support needs, participant concerns, and issues related to operations, and critical incidents.

2. Assists Program Manager to train and support new staff and acts as a mentor for SAFER
Support Workers.

3. Responsible for contributing to an empathetic work environment by modeling relational and supportive staff supervision.

4. Arranges staffing coverage, contacts casual staff members to call-out shifts, confirms staffing according to seniority and makes any necessary scheduling adjustments for all non
- clinical team members including Support Workers, MOAs, and Systems Navigators.

5. Oversees participant flow and capacity in the SAFER clinic and ensures minimum staffing levels are maintained.

6. Assists with documentation including but not limited to the completion of stats tracking forms, medication tracking, daily staff log entries, and critical incident reports.

7. Assists SAFER nursing staff to assess and monitor SAFER participants for overdose symptoms and respond with rescue breathing and naloxone when necessary. Training is provided.

9. Uses personal empathy, brief assessment, active listening and crisis response skills to engage with SAFER participants and to help meet immediate, basic needs by providing information about other health and support services within the community.

10. Maintains the safety of the SAFER clinic by following protocols related to violence prevention and critical incidents.

11. Responsible for contributing to and supporting culturally safe practices and spaces with humility.

12. Maintains respectful, open communication with attention to privacy and confidentiality with other members of the SAFER team including nurses, MOAs, Systems Navigators, Street
Ambassadors, etc.

13. Attend regularly scheduled team meetings and individual supervision meetings.
14. Perform other duties as assigned.

**QUALIFICATIONS**:

- University degree or certificate in health or social services (Social Work, Psychology,
- Mental Health and Addictions Support Worker, etc.), or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Minimum of three years’ relevant work experience
- Supervisory experience in social services provision working with people who are criminalized for their drug use.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience of harm reduction practice and principles.
- Ability to consistently work scheduled shifts, be on time, and plan ahead with supervisor for requested time off.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills required to work effectively as a supervisor, co-worker, with program participants, community, and other service providers.
- Demonstrated understanding and practice of a trauma-informed approach with co
- workers and participants.
- Experience managing hostile interactions and utilizing non-violent communication skills.
- Experience responding to critical incidents.
- Experience responding to critical incidents and overdose, including administration of naloxone. Support to obtain first aid certificate is available if necessary.
- Direct service delivery experience in the community social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community-based programs and related provincial and community support services systems.
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