Job Summary

Working as part of the interdisciplinary VNFC Wellness and Health Team and reporting directly to Wellness and Health Team Manager, the Mental Health and Substance Use Support Worker walks alongside community in their overall wellness and health journey by supporting individuals in addressing mental health and substance use problems. The Support Worker provides services to Indigenous peoples in the Victoria area including Métis, Inuit, Status and non-Status First Nations.

Roles and Responsibilities

As a Mental Health and Substance Use Support, job duties include the following:

• Work from a trauma informed lens with community members and their interdisciplinary care team, to provide one to one support for mental health and substance use issues and ongoing support in all stages of change.
• Work with community members to provide screening and assessment to determine their needs, readiness for treatment, and an individualized care plan developed in partnership with the person.
• Coordinate and facilitate Wellness and Recovery Support groups.
• Work independently with individuals and families or other groups, providing them with education, support, assistance, referrals to access appropriate health and wellness services such as treatment centres (as appropriate), and provide follow-up support.
• Utilize and facilitate access to traditional Indigenous helping and healing practices where appropriate.
• Provide education about substance use and mental health issues to community members and their families, as appropriate.
• Connect and collaborate with appropriate referral sources, professionals, and identified support systems.
• Develop and carry out appropriate service plans, monitoring progress and adapting service plans as needed, from a trauma informed and person-centred approach.
•  Maintain 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 including maintaining accurate case management, file recording and monthly reporting systems.
• Attend relevant professional training and 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
•  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.
• 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.
•  Knowledge and practice of providing community-based services to Indigenous peoples using philosophies of cultural humility and cultural safety.
• Communication Skills and Abilities
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills with the ability to successfully develop and maintain relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written communication skills with the ability to independently write reports, presentations, electronic correspondence, and other forms of professional communication.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from clients and the general public.
•  Ability to read, process and integrate findings into practice from a range of resources including peer-reviewed literature, governmental reports, case notes, letters, memos etc.. 
• 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.
• Proven ability to work independently and be part of an integrated community team and in partnership with a variety of organizations.
• Program Knowledge and Abilities 
• Familiar with program planning, development and evaluation.
• Awareness of the dynamics of active and ongoing substance use, sexual abuse, family violence, child abuse and neglect, grief, suicide, depression, healing and recovery.
• 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 health and substance use issues.
• Demonstrated success in interventions, crises, and service outcomes.
• Knowledge of ethics and boundaries.
• 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.