Encampment Outreach Worker - Complex Care Housing Team

About the Complex Care Housing team:

Lu’ma Medical Centre is launching new Complex Care (CCH) outreach services for First Nations and urban Aboriginal residents living with acute, complex, and concurrent medical conditions in four transitional and modular housing projects. We are building a core team of inter-disciplinary Indigenous and culturally aware practitioners to lead and deliver care together in a culturally safe, wholistic, integrated way. Within the context of a client centered care model and in accordance with established standards of professional practice, and vision and values of culturally integrated care, the Outreach Worker works as an embedded team member in the complex Care Housing Team to provide wholistic care and individual outreach support from a cultural lens.

About the Encampment Outreach Worker:

The Encampment Outreach Worker will be responsible for outreaching to encampments and will require the successful applicant to feel comfortable working in these settings. Under the direct supervision of the Team Lead, you work as a member of the interdisciplinary team to provide a variety of advocacy/liaison services to clients within the designated program living with health issues, screen clients for eligibility for services, link/accompany clients to appropriate internal and external resources and advocate for clients with various community and/or government agencies. You help facilitate healthy professional working relationships based on trust, respect and healthy boundary setting. You have excellent communication skills with people you serve, team members, and stakeholders. You ensure and support a high standard of care and promote integrated collaboration amongst the team, hospitals, healthcare centres, and community service providers. You help evaluate services to ensure program/service needs are met and liaise with key stakeholders on the achievement of program goals and objectives. You are responsible for reporting weekly activities, stats, updates, and resource needs to the Team Lead.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Supporting positive relationships with community members residing in homeless encampments.

2. Working with Indigenous community members who are sheltering outside to provide cultural supports.

3. Coordinating elders and ceremonies as needed

4. Practicing from a person-centred approach by connecting community members with preferred resources if needed.

5. Lead meetings as required with participants

6. Attend weekly meetings with stakeholders

7. Build relationships with service providers in order to best support the needs of those sheltering outside

8. To work in collaboration with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation to ensure that work with those sheltering outside is conducted through a rights-based lens.

9. Provide advocacy and/or liaison services on behalf of the designated program clients with other individuals and/or community/government agencies by interacting with other Health professionals to resolve concerns and/or issues of clients and providing emotional support to clients.

10. Identifies and prioritizes the non-medical problems of clients and provides conflict resolution as required.

11. Screens/assesses clients to establish eligibility or appropriateness for eligibility to external health care services and housing. Books appointments for clients when appropriate.

12. Serves as an information resource regarding available community services for clients and staff. Identifies and locates community resources that meet the needs of all clients within the program. Refers clients to alternative organizations and programs as appropriate.

13. Assists the client in the preparation of submissions and/or documents to government and other agencies.

14. Ensures that clients are oriented to the designated program services.

15. Documents client care plans and disposition on the client file as appropriate.

16. Performs a variety of general clerical duties such as responding to calls/answering inquiries regarding routine program information, maintaining client files, completing disability and housing forms, utilizing a variety of computer software applications produces a variety of documents, filing, photocopying, faxing and data entry.

17. Collates and generates statistical information as requested by the Team Lead.

18. Performs other related duties as required.

Note: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. The employee may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.

Education / Qualification Requirements:

Minimum of 2 years of support work experience in a supportive housing or healthcare oriented environment; Lived experience that is relevant to the Indigenous community members we serve in the Complex Care Housing Model is preferred; An equivalent combination of training and experience may be considered.

-Occupational First Aid Level 1;

-Non-violent Crisis Intervention or MANDT Certificate;

-Valid Class 5 BC Driver's License

-Naloxone training

Experience, Working Knowledge and Abilities:

-Knowledge of community resources and services. Knowledge of Indigenous culture and world views.

-Working knowledge of the social emotional and health-related problems encountered by the population of the Downtown Eastside Community

-Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, to work independently with minimal direction, to problem solve, to take initiative, to anticipate potential problems/conflicts and take appropriate actions, to organize and prioritize work, and to meet deadlines.

-Demonstrated ability to establish satisfactory work relationships with the public and other employees, to deal tactfully and effectively with co-workers, public and staff from other agencies, to maintain confidentiality and to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

-Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills. Ability to effectively work within a team environment.

Hours and Remuneration:

Hours of work are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Schedule may be varied to suit the needs of the program; where possible, 2 weeks’ notice will be provided. This a temporary position with an expected end date of March 31, 2025.

Rate of Pay: $30.87 hourly plus 18% in lieu of Benefits, RRSP, Vacation, Statutory Holidays, and other paid leaves. Wage inclusive of the in-lieu amount is $36.42 hourly.

Please submit your resume and cover letter to: jobs@LNHS.ca

Closing Date: Posting will remain open until the position is filled.

Job Type: Full-time – Fixed Term Contract

Contract length: 10 months, ending March 31, 2025