Status: Temporary, Part-time

Start Date: As soon as possible.

End Date: March 31st, 2028

Range: $33.49 - $35.31

Location: Resource Centre, Vancouver, BC

Schedule: 9am to 1pm - Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays

Summary:

Under the direction of the Peer Support Program Manager, the Peer Support Specialist (PSS) shares their lived experience of mental illness/substance use to assist our clients living throughout our Community Homes, Supportive Housing, Licensed Care and Drop-in Day Programs (Clubhouse & Resource Centre). Both Peer Support Specialists will lead healthy lifestyle initiatives and programs throughout these sites and will be tailoring the programs and services based on the needs of population of each site. This work will be done with the support of the Peer Support Manager and Program Director and will be informed by listening to the tenants and members of the different sites. Both PSS's will selected based on suitability and will need to have lived experience with a lived history of mental illness and or substance use. This lived experience will be a critical component guiding their perspective and ability to engage and build rapport with clients. The PSS's will also be helping to facilitate monthly tenant and member meetings at each site and will be using the feedback from these meetings to help inform future programs, healthy lifestyle activities and outings as well as other areas for change based on feedback received.

Responsibilities:

• Ensuring that clients are provided with appropriate support to match them wherever they are in their journey towards healthier living
• Lead healthy lifestyle programs and outings
• Aim to help them learn the skills to live increasingly independently while maintaining their mental and physical health and getting to know the client as a unique individual
• Supports clients with the development of healthy lifestyles skills by promoting exercise programs and in service educational healthy lifestyle information sessions
• Assists with creating an effective and supportive connection between community services and programs aimed at improving physical health
• Collaborates with the client and the CMH team to support the client to achieve individual goals, needs and situational requirements
• Participates in program planning, development, evaluation and quality improvement activities that facilitate goal setting, by attending meetings and providing input
• Prepares and maintains written and computerized records and completes other program documentation, including writing progress notes, completing incident reports
• Maintains an awareness of current community resources including healthcare services, social, recreational and educational services related to the promotion of health and wellness
• Maintains knowledge and understanding of, and comply with all CMH policies and procedures as outlined in the policy and procedures and other documentation

• Lived experience of mental illness and or substance use

• Completion of Grade 12; and a diploma or certificate in mental health, social services or peer support or equivalent experience.

• One-year recent related work, volunteer or education experience with an emphasis on mental illness/substance use.

• Ability to provide or obtain the following upon hire: Certificates in First Aid + CPR, WHMIS, Ministry of Justice Criminal Record Clearance.

• Ability to engage clients.

• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients and their supports.

• Ability to work with a culturally diverse population.

• Lived experience of mental health and/or substance use challenges and the ability to draw upon that experience intentionally and appropriately in a peer support role, is required.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and group facilitation skills.

• Completion of a recognized peer support training program.

• Understanding of peer support values, including mutuality, hope, self-determination, and appropriate boundaries.

About Coast
Coast Mental Health (Coast) is one of the largest mental health non-profit societies in Canada and operates a large array of innovative housing and community-based rehabilitation services for people with a mental illness living in and around Vancouver. Coast operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia providing approximately 1000 people with supportive housing and 4000 clients living in the community with a wide variety of programs and services.

Coast fosters a client-driven, recovery-oriented environment that promotes restoring health, personal growth and a return to society for individuals with a mental illness through advocacy and providing direct programs and services. Coast is deeply invested in cultural safety, reconciliation, and anti-racism. Our employees receive training on cultural humility, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive leadership. We strive to reflect the communities we serve and value lived experience alongside professional qualifications.

Why Coast

• We recognize safety as a top priority for the organization.
• We believe in our people and recognize hard work.
• We operate client-centered care under the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation.
• We offer a variety of work placement opportunities within the organization.
• We strive to be the best that we can be.
• We hold Exemplary Standingwith Accreditation Canada.
• We have been recognized with numerous awards for our innovative programming.
• We care about our employees, and believe in living our values and culture throughout the organization

Some of the Benefits we Offer

• 100% employer-paid benefits for employees and their families.
• Vision Care, Dental Care, Prescription Drugs, Naturopath, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Group Life, Massage therapy, Physiotherapy, and Unlimited Out-of-Province and Out-of-Country Emergencies.
• General sick-leave accruals.
• Long-term disability programs. Short-term disability programs available to exempt positions only.
• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous Employees for Ceremonial, Cultural, and Spiritual events per year.
• 8 weeks of paid leave for gender affirming care for medical procedures for transgender and gender diverse employees, cumulative total.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program, which includes personal counselling, Life Coaching, Financial Coaching, Legal Referral and Advisory Services, and Health Coaching. In addition, Coast provides a cognitive behavioural therapy program (CBT abilities program) and Headversity for managing a variety of life issues and includes self-paced therapeutic support.
• Municipal Pension Plan with guaranteed lifetime monthly pension when you retire. More information can be found at: https://mpp.pensionsbc.ca (https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmpp.pensionsbc.ca%2F&data=05%7C02%7Canita.powar%40coastmentalhealth.com%7C30178a9ad3ec4f9ab8be08dd8cf4c360%7Ce256f9909b0442779823870374b03bed%7C0%7C0%7C638821705090993494%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mw3Vmckzkro7rWOnhRG6LgDnccRGdwgNDK6l7SdVg7I%3D&reserved=0).

***For any unionized positions, current/internal Coast employees must apply within seven (7) days of the posting date with their internal UKG account (using their Coast email address), in order to be considered as an internal applicant. Current/internal Coast employees who apply to a unionized position using an external account (or email), or after the seven (7) day deadline will be considered an external candidate. In this case, seniority will not be considered.***

Coast Mental Health is committed to creating a culture of diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or disability.