Community Navigator, Meals On Wheels

Requisition Details:
Employment Status: Regular. Full-time (1.0 FTE)
Program Name: Meals On Wheels
Number of Hours Bi-Weekly: 75
Work Schedule: Days, Evenings, Weekends
On Call: Yes

**Job Summary**:
The Community Navigator role bridges gaps in access to support for underserved and ethnically diverse communities by identifying community needs and connecting individuals to appropriate services. This work is guided by a commitment to cultural humility and strengthening connections through meaningful interactions with community members, ensuring that all activities, consultations, and service delivery are approached through a culturally responsive lens.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Develops and executes strategies to identify and secure program participants.
- Attends community events and festivals, and delivers presentations with cultural humility to increase awareness of and promote health and wellness programs.
- Identifies and collaborates with partner programs or organizations to strengthen support for individuals in identified communities and build knowledge of appropriate community resources for referrals.
- Creates culturally and linguistically appropriate verbal and written messaging for diverse communities, and leverages interpretation services as needed to support effective outreach.
- Surveys individuals from ethnically diverse communities to assess accessibility and identify barriers to care.
- Supports the identification of systemic needs within identified communities and collaborates with those communities to develop innovative, community-driven solutions.
- Gathers data for formal program assessments with clients and other health partners to ensure programs meet community needs.
- Collects and incorporates community feedback to strengthen program outreach, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising efforts.
- Assists community members in navigating the healthcare system and connecting to community resources and services based on their identified needs.
- Identifies opportunities and gathers information on community members' needs within the healthcare system to strengthen VON’s advocacy efforts.
- Mobilizes, invites, and facilitates regular community outreach events and initiatives in partnership with identified communities.
- Works with internal teams to design and implement programs that arise from expressed client need.
- Uses data collection tools to track and report on the key performance indicators identified by the funder.
- Serves as a cultural navigator between the community and mainstream systems, providing interpretation, information sharing, and mediation support.
- Identifies and engages potential volunteers from the diverse communities we to serve.
- Supports the delivery of program training workshops for staff and volunteers as needed, including orientation, diversity and inclusivity training, and ensures onboarding best practices are followed.
- Provides support to staff and volunteers by collaborating with internal stakeholders to develop a plan to address identified gaps in cultural practices.
- Facilitates staff and volunteer participation in required education/training to effectively meet the needs of the diverse populations served through the programs.

**Common Responsibilities**:

- Promotes the goals and values of VON and their role as an integrated community care provider.
- Promotes a safe and healthy workplace ensuring workplace conduct and activities are in accordance with the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and compliant with the VON Safety Management System, including all Policies, Safe Work Practices and Procedures.
- Abides by all VON policies and work practices.
- Abides by all confidentiality and protection of personal information policies, regulations and practices and ensures appropriate safeguards are in place within their role.
- Works in collaboration with other staff in a team approach to service delivery.

External and Internal Relationships:

- Identifies and cultivates strong relationships among VON, community members, faith-based organizations, and other service providers to strengthen outreach to underserved populations.
- Conducts outreach with health care and social services agencies, organizations, and partners to bridge access to services for diverse and underserved populations.
- Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to identify opportunities, needs and potential volunteer resources.
- Timely communication and follow up with internal staff, clients, and community partners/external organizations as required.
- Develops effective internal relationships across departments to facilitate achievement of objectives and responsibilities within this role.
- Interacts with various community agencies and local multicultural groups to optimize client referrals from diverse communities.
- Engages in knowledge exchange with organizations, associations, networks to further enhance culturally appropriate programming.

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