Peer Support Worker

Position Summary
Are you someone who has a real passion for helping others? Are you looking to highlight your knowledge, skills, and abilities in a new and dynamic environment? We currently have an exciting opportunity for you to bring your excellent work ethic to our Acute Care department.

In accordance with the Mission, Vision and Values of Northern Health, the Peer Support Worker (PSW) shares their own consumer knowledge and lived experience of substance use and mental health to assist clients of the assigned substance use 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 Northern Health staff, external service providers and community resources more effectively. Provides clients living with substance use/mental illness 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.

Shift Rotation/Hours of work: Days - 11:00 to 19:00, Rotating

Wrinch Memorial Hospital Teaching is a time honored tradition at Wrinch Memorial hospital. There is an ongoing rotation of Medical Students, Nurse Practitioner Students and Medical Residents. It serves a population of 8,000 with:
• 9 Complex Care beds
• 1 Respite bed
• 10 Acute Care beds
• Pharmacy
• Dental Clinic
• Laboratory
• Doctor's Outpatient Clinic
• 1 secure psychiatric observation room
• Medical Imaging including ultrasound

Other health and community care services include:
• Public Health
• First Nation's Health Authority encompassing Gitxsan Health
• Mental Health and Addictions
• Skeena Place Assisted Living Complex
• Home and Community Care support services
• Diabetic education
• Dietician services
• Visiting specialists including Podiatry, Pediatrician, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Rheumatology, OB/GYN, Cardiology and Geriatric Assessment Team
• Pre and Post-Natal outreach programs

The communities that make up what is collectively known as the Upper Skeena, The Hazeltons , are situated on the unceded traditional territory of the Gitxsan Nation. The Gitxsan people have lived on these lands for 10,000+ years and along with the Wet'suwet'en Nation to the east, established the precedent setting Delgamuukw court decision in 1997. Some of the communities included in the Upper Skeena are the incorporated municipalities of Hazelton and New Hazelton, unincorporated settlements of South Hazelton, Two Mile, Suskwa Valley, Miskinish (Cedarvale), Kitwanga Valley, Andimal and the Kispiox Valley, and the 7 Indigenous villages of Gitanyow, Gitwangak, Gitsegukla, Hagwilget, Gitanmaax, Sik-e-dakh, and Anspayaxw. Some would say the natural beauty of the land is unparalleled - it certainly holds a central place in health and wellbeing for many of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who live on these unceded lands. Check out The Hazeltons , known as the historic heartland of northwest BC.

What Northern Health has to offer you!
• Comprehensive benefit packages including extended health/dental and a municipal pension plan for part-time and full-time employees. Casuals have the option of paying for benefits.
• Three/Four weeks vacation with one year of continuous service
• Financial Support for Moving Expenses is available for eligible positions
• Employee referral program
• Employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Spectacular outdoor activities and the shortest commutes in BC
• "Loan Forgiveness Programs" offered through the Federal and BC Government for eligible professions.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
As part of your application process, you will need to upload the following documentation:
• Registration number (if you are part of a regulated profession)
• Any supporting documents regarding education/qualifications for this position.
Examples may include:
• Program certificates or diplomas
• High school/college/university transcripts etc.
• It is also recommended to provide a cover letter and resume

Are you an International Applicant? Before applying for a job with Northern Health, please follow these steps on our Northern Health careers page

Qualfications
• Lived experience with recovery from a mental illness and/or substance use as a recipient of mental health and substance use services including peer knowledge of the designated client population in the applicable program area or department,
• Successful completion of a recognized Peer Support Training program and two (2) years recent related experience in a peer support role or an equivalent combination of education, training, peer support and employment experience
• May require valid BC Driver's License as required by program.

Skills and Abilities:
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Develops and maintains positive and respectful relationships with co-workers and the multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to deal with others effectively.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.
• Ability to organize work.
• Ability to operate related equipment.
• Knowledge of diverse Indigenous communities' social, historical, jurisdictional, and cultural context, and
• Indigenous views on approaches to health and wellness.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, an understanding of First Nations cultural principles and protocols and ability to manage conflict in a respectful and culturally relevant and safe manner.

Who we are
Northern Health covers an area of nearly 600,000 square kilometers and offers health services in over two dozen communities and 55 First Nation's communities. We deliver hospital and community-based health care for a population of 300,000.
Employing more than 7,000 staff throughout the region, Northern Health provides exceptional health services for Northerners, through the efforts of dedicated staff and physicians, in partnership with communities and organizations in Northern BC.
There is a wide variety of career opportunities available in our two dozen hospitals, 25 long-term care facilities, public health units and many other offices providing specialized services.