Harm Reduction Community Care Worker

JOB POSTING

HARM REDUCTION COMMUNITY CARE WORKER

1-year contract (with possibility of extension) |23$/hr, pro-rated paid sick and vacation days

ABOUT PASAN

PASAN is a community-based Harm Reduction/HIV/HCV organization that provides support, education, and advocacy to, for, and with individuals who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated.

Our Mission: PASAN is a place where prisoners’ matter.

Our Vision: We envision an end to prisons, health inequities, and the oppressions that drive criminalization, incarceration, HIV and hepatitis C.

To learn more about us: https://pasan.org/ 

ABOUT THE HARM REDUCTION COMMUNITY CARE PROJECT

• The Harm Reduction Community Care Project aims to provide low barrier employment to community members to conduct safe disposal of discarded harm reduction supplies in the Downtown East neighbourhood, promoting community wellbeing for all.
• This program is dedicated to offer low-barrier, accessible employment and skills building opportunities to folks with lived or living experience of drug use, homelessness or street involvement, HIV, Hep C and/or experience of incarceration.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

This role focuses on the safe collection and disposal of harm reduction supplies and connecting with the community regarding the project. You’ll spend most of your time outside in the community, doing things like:

• Safe disposal:
  • Scanning areas for discarded harm reduction supplies and disposing of them safely.
• Outreach and Education:
  • Connecting with people who use drugs and community agencies to provide harm reduction-based supports and education.
  • Preparing & handing out HIV prevention / Hep C prevention / harm reduction materials & information (condoms, needles, safer drug use kits etc.)
  • Providing brief ‘just-listening’ support, education, and referrals to health & community services to people who use drugs.
• Community Connection and Promotion:
• Connecting with the wider community at neighbourhood events, street‑fairs, etc., to spread the word about our program, build relationships with residents & businesses, and respond to pick‑up requests.
  • Training community on safe disposal of used and discarded harm reduction supplies and overdose response and prevention, including Naloxone.
• Other:
  • Taking part in monthly meetings, skills-building workshops, supervision meetings and agency events.
  • Recording stats, supplies distributed, and basic data entry.
  • Peer Support and mentorship o Attending skills-building workshops/trainings. o Extensive training relevant to the job needs will be provided to those who are hired.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to walk long distances is required
• Lived or living experience (current or past) with drug use, homelessness or street involvement, HIV, Hep C, or incarceration.
• Familiarity with Downtown East community and ability to build trust with those who use drugs and/or do sex work and/or live on or near the street.
• Understanding of harm reduction.
• Aligned with the values of promoting safer drug use, distribution of harm reduction materials and safe disposal practices.
• Knowledgeable on issues of transmission of HIV and Hep C, and/or willingness to learn.
• Knowledge & comfort with people from Indigenous communities, African/ Caribbean/Black communities, street youth, panhandlers, people who experience homelessness & are under-housed, people who use drugs, and/or do sex work, and people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+
• Drug and sex-positive, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, trauma-informed approach.
• Ability and willingness to follow workplace policies and procedures.
• Ability to follow through on commitments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Understanding of workplace boundaries and ability to maintain them while working in the community.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please prepare a resume or a letter outlining your experiences as they relate to this work:

1. The skills you bring (work experience, volunteer work, workshops, street skills & life experience)
2. Why this work matters to you
3. The best way to reach you!

1-year contract position (with possibility of extension) Salary range: 23$/hr for a minimum of 10hrs/week.

Benefits: Pro-rated paid sick and vacation days

Location: Physical office located at 526 Richmond St. East in Toronto. The successful candidate is expected to work primarily out in the community in the downtown east side of Toronto.

Term: Part-time

The closing date for this posting is March 20th, 2026.

We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities, and others from equity-deserving communities. As part of this invitation, we recognize that there remains work for our entire sector to do as to commit to fostering the conditions for folks from equity-deserving communities to feel supported and valued in our work together. This is work that we feel must continue to be prioritized, both by PASAN and the sector at large.