Community Navigator

**About Sanguen Health Centre**

Sanguen Health Centre exists to improve individual and community well-being by providing health and social care for people who face barriers to accessing traditional supports. This includes people living with HCV, people who use drugs, those experiencing homelessness and equity deserving communities.

Our vision is to create a future where everyone in our community is empowered, accepted, and cared for in the way they need to thrive.

**About the Supportive Housing & Health Initiative Program**

The Supportive Housing & Health Initiative aims to provide comprehensive support and resources to individuals residing in supportive housing in the Waterloo Region. This multidisciplinary team will offer compassionate care and connections to a variety of services including health care, harm reduction, and social support while prioritizing tenants mental health and housing stability needs.

**Accountabilities**:
**Supportive Housing Navigation**: Serve as a liaison between residents, service providers, and community resources, assisting individuals in navigating the supportive housing system, accessing appropriate healthcare services, and addressing their health-related needs.

**Peer Support**: Provide peer support to residents, utilizing personal lived experience to foster trust, build relationships, and empower individuals in their well being.

**Care Coordination**: Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including healthcare professionals, social workers, mental health and addiction specialists to develop and implement individualized care plans for residents, ensuring their unique needs are addressed effectively.

**Outreach and Engagement**: Conduct outreach activities to identify individuals in need of support services, engaging them in meaningful participation that promotes and encourages tenant independence, hope, and self determination.

**Documentation and Reporting**:Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of interactions with residents, document progress and outcomes, and prepare reports as required by the organization and funding agencies.

**Professional Development**: Engage in ongoing professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills related to peer support, housing advocacy, and healthcare navigation.

**Qualifications**
- Personal experience of homelessness, supportive housing, or mental health/substance use challenges is essential to connect with residents and provide effective peer support.
- Demonstrated ability to empathize with individuals facing health-related challenges, showing compassion and understanding.
- Experience with crises de-escalation and conflict resolution
- Committed to maintaining excellent personal and professional boundaries while providing accepting, non-judgemental service and support.
- Knowledge of Social Determinants of Health and their impact on people who use drugs.
- Flexibility and Resilience: Adaptability to work in a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable environment, demonstrating resilience and maintaining a positive attitude. Flexibility to meet the needs of the program and community needs.
- Knowledge of relevant and local social, health,and treatment services available to people who use drugs (i.e. Ontario Works, Ontario Disability, Consumption and Treatment Services, Legal Aid, Identification Clinics etc).
- Valid driver’s license, access to own vehicle, and insurance or equivalent regional transit pass. This will be required to complete core responsibilities of the role.
- Experience working with people who use drugs, as service users and as colleagues

**In addition, this position requires**:

- A vulnerable sector check
- Have emergency first aid (or equivalent) and BLS (Health Care Provider level preferred)

**Hours and Location of Work**

The primary place of work will be at Supportive Housing locations throughout the Region of Waterloo. Regular travel is required within the Waterloo Region either by use of a personal vehicle or regional personal transit pass.

**Compensation & Other Perks**
- 4 weeks’ vacation which accrues biweekly (prorated to the FTE).
- A comprehensive Employee Benefits package upon successful completion of the probationary period. Coverage is dependant on full or part-time status.
- 15 paid sick days per calendar year.

**How to apply**: If you are interested in this position, please submit a resume and cover letter, outlining how your skills, qualifications and experience meet the position requirements.
- Sanguen Health Centre is committed to building an environment where everyone feels heard, welcomed and included. Sanguen is a proud equal opportunity workplace that is committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status._

**Job Type**: Permanent

Pay: $24.50-$26.96 per hour

**Benefits**:

- Casual dre