Peer Support Worker, Integrated Homelessness Action

Why Fraser Health?:
Bring your personal experience in recovery to a role that joins the collective efforts of supporting our clients experiencing homelessness, mental illness or chronic medical concerns. If you are someone who is looking for a challenge that is equally as rewarding, then this might be the opportunity for you. We are currently looking for a **Casual Peer Support Worker **to join our dynamic Integrated Homelessness Action Response Team (IHART) and provide services in the Fraser South region including **Delta, Surrey, White Rock and Langley.** This is a chance to make a difference every day in the world of health care

The
**IHART (Integrated Homelessness Action Response Teams)** provide integrated, coordinated health services to members of our population who have inadequate or unstable housing. Utilizing a hands-on and direct approach of meeting individuals where they are currently situated means that IHART connects with individuals who are unsheltered, in shelters, in homeless encampments, and/or supportive housing environments. IHART is comprised of multidisciplinary teams capable of responding to health, mental health, and substance use issues including health promotion and prevention. Teams will also support continuity of care by providing cohesive linkages to primary care, and Specialized Community Services Programs (SCSP) such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Teams and specialized care services focused on seniors. IHART addresses a broad spectrum of health care concerns, including new and chronic conditions, by enabling supportive wrap-around care for those greatest in need and who have, historically, had the least access to services due to inadequate or unstable housing.

Fraser Health is responsible for the delivery of hospital and community-based health services to over 1.9 million people in 20 diverse communities from Burnaby to Fraser Canyon on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Coast Salish and Nlaka’pamux Nations, and is home to six Métis Chartered Communities. Our team of 43,000 staff, medical staff and volunteers is dedicated to serving our patients, families and communities to deliver on our vision: Better health, best in health care.

Effective October 26th 2021, all new hires to Fraser Health will need to have full COVID 19 vaccination (have received a full series of a World Health Organization “WHO” approved vaccine against infection by SARS-COV-2, or a combination of approved WHO vaccines). Please note this applies to all postings, and individual medical exemptions must be approved by the Provincial Health Officer.

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Detailed Overview:
In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values of Fraser Health, the Peer Support Worker (PSW) shares their own consumer knowledge and lived experience of homelessness with medical or substance use and mental health concerns to assist clients of the assigned Integrated Homelessness Action Response Team service in their identified goals. The PSW identifies themselves as a peer and collaborates with the client and the assigned team to meet individual needs and situational requirements by providing information from a lived experience perspective in order to assist clients to obtain services from other Fraser Health staff, external service providers and community resources more effectively. Provides clients living with substance use/mental illness/chronic medical concerns with emotional and social support, life skills assistance, information, and resources. The PSW works collaboratively with the assigned team to ensure the client's self-identified goals for recovery and community connection are supported by appropriate services and practices, and are consistent with the values of self-determination /choice and harm reduction. Provides services in a variety of environments dependent on the needs of the client.

**Responsibilities**:

- Establishes a dignifying and purposeful relationship with the client, contacting and getting to know the client as a unique individual, and clarifying the role of the Peer Support Worker in relation to the client.
- In accordance with a client's co-created care plans, provides information to clients regarding empowerment, self-help education, practical information, resources, life skills, and demonstrations.
- Assists clients with community integration activities, and accompanies clients to a range of community services, and appointments.
- Supports an effective connection between community service providers and assigned clients, family members and significant or concerned others involved in the client's recovery plan.
- Shares information with IRT staff regarding the experience of individuals with mental health conditions and/or substance use experiences and/or medical concerns.
- Supports the client to meet individual needs, goals