Dopes Support Worker

**AVI Health & Community Services (AVI)** is a multi-disciplinary community-based organization 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. We work within a social justice and health promotion framework to ensure equity and access to services for all.

Join our supportive, dedicated and client-centered team in promoting the health, dignity and well-being of all people affected by HIV, HCV and substance use by delivering sex-positive and harm reduction-based education, prevention and/or support services.

**DOPS Team - Drop-in & Overdose Preventions Services -** **The DOPS Team** will be responsible for operating both drop-in and overdose prevention services in Victoria, as well as supporting the daily operations of the HOPS, PACT (known locally as CLCR) & Safer teams.

Providing low barrier, harm reduction supports and services to community members marginalized from equitable care, the DOPS team will provide a range of programming that is responsive to the needs of the community, including: provision of a harm reduction informed drop-in space & overdose prevention services that seek to address gaps in services for persons surviving outside.

**Drop-In and Overdose Prevention Services**: Working within a social justice and health promotion framework, the AVI DOPS Team will provide minimum staffing for a safe, accessible drop-in space for community members who use substances, and/or who are marginalized from social care services. Drop-in programming will include access to harm reduction supports, as well as overdose prevention, witnessed consumption and peer-based services. With a commitment to meaningful relationships, the DOPS team will provide drop-in & overdose prevention services that center the needs and agency of the service user, including for community members barred from other social services. From the Drop-In harm reduction and education-based services, access to survival supplies, and food will be provided to community members.

**JOB SUMMARY**:
The DOPS Programming Support Worker will provide a range of low barrier, harm reduction supports and services for persons/communities marginalized from equitable social and health care services, including drop-in & overdose prevention spaces and harm reduction programming, outreach and crisis intervention, supply distribution and overdose prevention/response.

This position relies heavily on the abilities of the worker to connect and develop relationships of trust and rapport with service users. A thorough understanding of the principles and practices of harm reduction, the impact of colonialism and system inequities on individual and population health, and the operationalization of trauma and violence practices are essential. This position requires a high level of self-awareness, empathy, ability to provide non-judgemental support with exceptional understanding of personal and community boundaries.

The DOPS Programming Support Worker must demonstrate capacity to consistently attend work and contribute to a team dynamic in which minimum staffing requirements impact program delivery. This position relies on flexibility and self-motivation and the ability to support a team dynamic that is dependent upon flexible service delivery.

Confidence in overdose response, outreach and in-reach or place-based harm reduction programming are essential to this position. This position will also provide accurate information regarding the transmission and prevention of HIV, HCV, and other blood-borne illnesses, as well as evidence-based educational and harm reduction intervention to individuals and priority populations to increase knowledge of overdose prevention and response strategies as well as safer substance use.

**KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:
1. Provide harm reduction based, trauma-informed drop-in services and programming, including overdose prevention, witnessing and access to harm reduction, survival supplies and food.

2. Provides responsive outreach that is dependent on the needs of the community served and which seek to address gaps in services and programming.

3. Provides support to AVIs CLCR, SAFER & REST Teams, including facilitating access to harm reduction and survival supplies, de-escalation support and client follow-up.

4. Provides outreach and support on a responsive/as-needed basis in a variety of settings.

5. Provide safe, accessible drop-in space for community members, including access to harm reduction supports and supplies, overdose prevention, witnessing and peer-based support services.

6. Provides on the spot, and group-based training in overdose response and education on substances and safer use practices

7. Uses brief assessment, active listening, and crisis response skills to help meet immediate, basic