Iskweu Coordinator

POSITION TITLE: Iskweu Coordinator

TYPE OF POSITION: 40 hours per week (full-time)

LOCATION: Downtown Montreal - travel as needed

SALARY: $58,240 - $60,320

PROBATION: Three (3) month probation period, after which an evaluation will be conducted.

APPLICATION: Please send a cover letter, your Curriculum Vitae and two letters of reference to the attention of:
**The Native Women Shelter of Montreal**

**Requirements**:

- Bilingualism (French, English) mandatory, Indigenous language an asset
- Post-secondary degree in social work, social sciences, or other related field, or equivalent experience
- Experience in front line work and/or project coordination
- Good knowledge and understanding of Montreal’s Indigenous community
- Demonstrated cultural awareness and sensitivity, and understanding of Indigenous histories including the effects of colonialism, residential schools, sixties’ scoop, and missing and murdered Indigenous women
- Ability to navigate challenging systems and understanding of police culture

**Duties and Responsibilities**

The coordinator will lead a project that is aimed at reducing and ultimately eradicating

the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in the province of

Quebec and, in the meantime, reducing barriers to accessing supports and receiving

adequate response from institutions that have historically discriminated against them. In

order to do so, the project will aim to build trust and reduce barriers between police

forces and Indigenous women and their families by providing coordination, prevention,

and referral services. This includes taking action, together with partners, to address the

issues of missing and murdered Indigenous women at the municipal and provincial level

as well as to provide concrete services to Indigenous women and their families as they

navigate policing services.

The coordinator will work to advance equality for Indigenous women in the province by

documenting trends in cases and responses to missing Indigenous women and girls.

As a result, we hope to set a precedent for best practices in responding to the crisis. By

working closely with Indigenous communities in the province, the project aims for

Indigenous women and communities to have an increased understanding of issues of

violence and safety and how to respond to them. The project will work with victims’

families, partners and key stakeholders to identify mechanisms, procedures and key

learning to develop recommendations, which can be shared throughout Canada.

Under the authority of the Executive Director, the Iskweu Coordinator is responsible for the following tasks:

- Build and expand upon existing partnerships with SPVM (Montreal police) investigators and Aboriginal Liaison Officers from this and other police forces, as well as Indigenous organizations in Montreal. Build relationships with relevant stakeholders and become familiarized with existing support services in Indigenous communities throughout the province.
- Build relationships with the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women to offer support, empowerment, and accompaniment if needed. Address economic, social, and institutional barriers that prevent the families from accessing support and following ongoing investigations by: referral to appropriate services, advocacy with police, empowerment of families to navigate support systems, address geographic and language barriers to accessing support, creating links between families who are often in isolation, working with police forces to address procedural barriers (for example, ensuring that Indigenous women’s cases are prioritized and linked with the Aboriginal Liaison Officer of the SPVM), and provide other emotional supports and resources to families as needed.
- Formalize and implement the procedure that will be used by the SPVM and

community partners in the case of missing and murdered Indigenous women. The procedure will be based on needs expressed by Indigenous women and organizations.
- Create a welcome kit for when Indigenous women and men arrive in Montreal.

Develop and distribute prevention and information materials throughout Indigenous communities in Quebec on safety issues and resources for Indigenous women in the city.
- Participate in knowledge sharing and data collection with communities across Canada.

Pay: $58,240.00-$60,320.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Wellness program
- Work from home

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- On call
- Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person