Community Mental Health jobs in Victoria, BC

Job Summary

Working as part of the interdisciplinary VNFC Wellness Team and reporting directly to the Indigenous Lead (PCN) , the Indigenous Wellness Provider (IWP) supports VNFC and Primary Care Network (PCN) clients to coordinate and access Indigenous practitioners, primary health care, social services, and specialized medical care. IWP provide support to Indigenous peoples in the Victoria and Western PCNs including Métis, Inuit, status and non-status First Nations. The IWP will work with people experiencing a range of barriers to health care.

Roles and Responsibilities

As an Indigenous Wellness Provider, job duties include the following but are not limited to:

• Works from a trauma informed lens with clients and their interdisciplinary care team to coordinate access to services in a range of community and specialized care settings.
• Works with clients and the interdisciplinary care team to develop and implement, client centred, holistic and culturally safe health and wellness care plans.
• For clients with mobility issues and/or advocacy needs, provide transportation to medical appointments, including accompanying clients into appointments as requested, and supporting communication back to the interdisciplinary team.
• Works independently with individual clients and families or other groups, providing them with education, support, assistance, and encouragement to access appropriate health interventions.
• Works with local First Nations communities within the PCN boundaries, and helps to coordinate access to health care resources on and off-reserve including limited outreach to communities on a one-on-one basis.
• Organizes community health activities and events.
• As part of support provided to community members, provides education and training around patient empowerment and cultural safety and humility to health care providers.
• Works with community agencies to promote utilization of their services by Indigenous clients.
• Works with local First Nations communities and helps to coordinate health care resources on and off reserve including limited outreach to communities on a one-on-one basis.
• Role-models healthy living and wellness and implements into client service delivery.
• Maintains client confidentiality.

As a member of the VNFC Team, job duties include the following:

• Document and report activity in alignment with VNFC practices and support internal and external reporting as required.
• Attend relevant professional training and external meetings when directed.
• Participate in staff development, staff meetings and department meetings as required.
• Participate in data collection and evaluation tasks as requested.

Knowledge and Skills

Familiarity and experience in Indigenous Communities

• Some knowledge of Indigenous cultures and practices including from the territory in which the work of VNFC takes place. Ability to speak about one’s own Indigenous culture, if applicable, and any communities the (prospective) employee has previously lived in or held jobs within.
• In-depth knowledge of the experience of indigenous peoples in Canada including the ongoing processes of colonization, discrimination, and structural violence, and the effects on the health and wellbeing of Indigenous communities.
• Knowledge and practice of providing community-based services to Indigenous peoples using philosophies of cultural humility and cultural safety.

Communication Skills and Abilities

• Ability to read and write various correspondences such as but not limited to case notes, letters, memos.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to share information across multiple settings and with diverse audiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, including Word, Excel, and Outlook a requirement.

Leadership Skills and Abilities

• 
  Ability to work independently and be part of an integrated community team and in partnership with a variety of agencies.
• Ability to multi-task while remaining composed and maintaining a professional attitude in high stress situations.

Program Abilities and Knowledge

• Ability to practice using philosophies of cultural safety and humility, harm reduction, and trauma informed care.
• Knowledge and ability to work ethically and maintain professional boundaries when working with vulnerable clients.
• A sound knowledge of the local Indigenous and mainstream community and services/resources.
• Proven capacity to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds with a range of complex mental and physical health issues.
• Due to physical requirements of the work, the incumbent must spend a major portion of the workday standing, walking, and/or sitting as well as possible bending and stretching.

Qualifications

Lived Experience

We believe that systemic change requires listening to and centering the voices of those most impacted by the issues we address. We are dedicated to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We recognize that traditional credentials and formal education are only one way to gain expertise; we deeply value the invaluable knowledge born from navigating complex systems firsthand.

Rather than focusing solely on degrees or traditional colonial backgrounds, we are looking for the following core competencies:

• Deep Empathy and Active Listening: A demonstrated ability to connect with individuals in distress or transition with compassion, patience, and non-judgment.
• Community Insight: A strong understanding of the systemic barriers, cultural nuances, and community resources relevant to our community.
• Resilience and Boundaries: The ability to draw constructively on your own experiences while maintaining healthy professional boundaries and practicing self-care.
• Communication Skills: Strong interpersonal communication skills, whether writing reports, facilitating a group, or speaking one-on-one.

Work Experience

• Direct experience supporting community in social services sector with a demonstrated working knowledge of community, regional and provincially based programs,

Education

• Recognized course(s) in cultural safety and humility or equivalent life and/or professional experience.
• Degree or diploma in Social Work, Human Services or related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.