FT Indigenous Housing Outreach Worker (IHOW)

Status: Full-time, permanent
Location: Guelph, ON
Hours: 35 hours/week
Salary: $59,910 to $70,488 per year
Paid Time Off: 3 weeks of vacation, plus sick days, spiritual/cultural leave, birthday
Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental and more
Pension: HOOPP (defined benefit plan)
Posting Date: June 19, 2024
Deadline: July 3, 2024

The Organizations: Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) is a diverse, dynamic, multiservice Indigenous health and wellness agency. It strives to provide quality, wholistic health services by sharing and promoting traditional and western health practices to enable people to live in a more balanced state of well-being. SOAHAC provides services to Indigenous people including those who live on and off reserve, status, non-status, Inuit, and Metis within the Southwest, Waterloo Wellington and Erie St Clair regions. SOAHAC has a mandate of ensuring that health services are accessible, of high quality, and are culturally appropriate. It is SOAHAC’s objective to build health care capacity within Indigenous communities.

The Guelph Community Health Centre (GCHC). A community without barriers to health and well-being. Our Mission is to reduce health inequities by providing interprofessional primary health services and community programs, focused on the populations we prioritize, in collaboration with community partners.

Role Summary: Reporting to the Integrated Care Manager of the SOAHAC Cambridge site, the Indigenous Outreach Worker will provide active outreach to Indigenous people who use opioids in Guelph and Wellington county. The position will also connect with friends and family to raise awareness and promote harm reduction practices. This is a full-time position and will be located primarily in Guelph Wellington. The position will work as a member of an inter-disciplinary team with the Safer Supply Program, in addition to our SOAHAC team.

Responsibilities:
• Conduct outreach in areas in the community that are frequented by people at high risk
• Provide information and access to services related to harm reduction, treatment, and prevention
• Provide opportunities for clients to identify and express their needs and identify directions for services
• Application of traditional teachings during prevention activities including the review of ceremonial practices, unique foods and language spoken
• Connect individuals to the appropriate medicines, knowledge keepers, and elders
• Provide awareness to the community and normalizing Harm Reduction
• Provide harm reduction materials/supplies through consistent delivery/pickup services
• Provide support for health promotion, community resources, etc
• Follow and train others on harm reduction and needle syringe program protocol
• Maintain positive relationships with community partner agencies
• Facilitate workshops for clients or community partners on Harm Reduction and issues related to opioid use and to provide education and support for health and lifestyle issues
• Provide trauma informed care and supportive counselling to people onsite and in the community
• Must be able to work evenings when required in a variety of social and physical settings, along with travel and offsite meetings.
• Respond to calls, prioritize and schedule delivery services requested by clients
• Ensure agency vehicle is in good working order, fully stocked at start of each shift and emptied of all biohazard materials
• Ensure materials for biohazard disposal services are safely prepared

This job may require additional responsibilities and duties as assigned by Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre.

SOAHAC values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer; however, hiring preference will be given to qualified Indigenous applicants. SOAHAC is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation to apply or if selected to participate in an assessment process, please advise Human Resources