Youth Peer Support Worker

CMHA Kelowna is hiring a Youth Peer Support Worker to join the Foundry Kelowna team. The full-time role is 37.5 hours per week, with a typical work week of Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm with a monthly shift variant of extended hours on Thursdays from 11:00am-7:00pm. 

 WHO IS A YOUTH PEER SUPPORT WORKER?  

The Youth Peer Support Worker plays a vital role in the Foundry Kelowna team, leveraging their lived experience to create a youth-centered, low-barrier service for young people seeking support. This position emphasizes fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment while assisting youth and young adults with service navigation, resource information, and connection to community resources. The Youth Peer Support Worker offers peer-based mentoring, emotional support, and engages in collaborative efforts with youth and care team members.

 WHAT DOES A YOUTH PEER SUPPORT WORKER DO?  

·      Create and maintain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for youth

·      Establish purposeful relationships with young people, promoting their engagement and participation in services

·      Provide guidance and mentorship, assisting youth with resource navigation and accessing services

·      Support youth in daily living activities, including time management, organization, and interpersonal communication

·      Accompany youth to community appointments and advocate on their behalf

·      Facilitate youth engagement in focus groups, workshops, and surveys to amplify their voices and experiences

·      Provide support to reduce youth distress, improve functioning, and promote independence

·      Act as a liaison between Foundry Kelowna, youth, and external support networks

·      Lead or co-facilitate group services focused on skills development and mental health recovery

·      Plan, coordinate, and participate in recreational and social activities for youth

·      Facilitate peer support meetings and activities, promoting a recovery-oriented approach

·      Work collaboratively with care team members to meet established goals and objectives

·      Maintain accurate records and documentation, including statistics and progress report

·      Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and organizational initiatives 

·      Performs other related duties as assigned

YOUR SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:  

·      Grade 12 education or equivalent required

·      Certificates in First Aid, CPR and Naloxone considered an asset

·      Lived experience of overcoming significant life challenges, completion of (or eligibility for) recognized youth peer support training, and willingness to share recovery experiences

·      Experience working with youth/young adults with mental health and/or substance use issues considered an asset

·      Ability to build rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with diverse youth populations

·      Strong empathy and active listening skills to foster trust and connection 

·      Self-awareness and capacity to apply appropriate boundaries while maintaining confidentiality

·      Advocacy skills for self and others, promoting positive change and independence

·      Proficient in basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)

·      Experience using case management systems

·      Broad knowledge of social, mental health, and substance use services in the community

·      Ability to gather, process, and analyze information to inform service delivery

·      Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills to address youth needs effectively

·      Ability to observe and recognize changes in youth behavior and communicate these to the care team

·      Organizational skills to manage time effectively and maintain accountability and reliability

·      Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills

·      Ability to be regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling with and/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental health challenges and/or mental illness

·      Criminal Record Check clearance in the Vulnerable Sector

·      Ability to meet clients in the community on a frequent basis

·      Valid Class 5 driver’s license considered an asset

 WHO IS CMHA KELOWNA? 

At CMHA Kelowna, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter how old or how young, we provide support for families and individuals through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery, while championing the elimination of barriers that can prevent people from thriving. We are a dynamic, innovative and visionary organization. We are looking for someone who shares our vision of a mentally healthy Kelowna and are passionate about making a difference in our community by bringing their particular expertise to our organization. To learn more, check out our website at www.cmhakelowna.org 

CMHA KELOWNA OFFERS YOU: 

• A competitive hourly range of $24.36-$28.01/hr 

• Dental, Health & EAP Benefits 

• Wellness Spending Account 

• Vacation Pay & Personal Health Days 

• Wellness Spending Account 

• A workplace culture that fosters learning, transparency, trust and teamwork 

 As an employer, CMHA Kelowna strives to create a workplace that respects and values all individuals, minimizes bias, and promotes the equity, diversity, and inclusion of different perspectives and ideas. At CMHA Kelowna that means welcoming diversity in mental health, race, ethnicity, and culture. It also means diverse abilities, age, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, gender identities, education, marital status, language, and physical self-expression. These values are embedded in the work CMHA Kelowna does every day. 

 We appreciate and thank all applicants for their interest, however only short-listed candidates and those legally eligible to work in Canada will be contacted. 

Please visit our careers page to see more job opportunities.