Peer Supporter - Beaverton Heights Transitional Housing

Introduction:

Incorporated in 1998, Krasman Centre is a community based mental health and addiction Consumer/Survivor Initiative serving York Region, north Toronto, and South Simcoe County. All our staff and volunteers are individuals with direct lived experience, of mental health and/or addiction challenges and/or as family members/caregivers. We offer a wide range of peer-support based programs and services including: 

• Peer Support Drop-In Centres 
• 24/7 Warm Line and Peer Crisis Support Service 
• Mobile Peer Support Outreach 
• Family Support Program 
• Peer Support training programs 
• Peer Navigators embedded in hospital Emergency Departments 

More information about Krasman Centre can be found here: www.krasmancentre.com 

Peer Support is a respectful relationship between the Peer Supporter and the individual that promotes empowerment, trust and mutuality and supports individuals to make changes and decisions to address their current level of distress and enhance their recovery and wellness. Peer Support uses recovery-oriented principles with individuals to help combat stigma, raise self-esteem, improve self-concept, and instill hope.

Peer Supporters have gone through a process of recovery and have obtained peer support related training to assist others with mental health challenges. The Peer Supporter defines, models, and mentors' recovery values, attitudes, beliefs, and personal actions to encourage wellness and resilience. Activities of peer support promote self-directed recovery by emphasizing the person, rather than the identified mental health, substance use/addiction challenge.

Position Description:

The Peer Supporter at the Transitional Housing Program will work as a member of a diverse inter-professional team, supporting individuals residing at Beaverton Heights. Drawing from lived experiences of mental health/substance use health challenges and our housing challenges, the Peer Supporter will assist residents of the program, as they consider and determine their own unique goals and objectives. The goal of the Peer Supporter role is to enhance recovery and enhance the quality of the person’s experience while in the program, in collaboration with Blue Door staff also on site.

The Peer Supporter is a non-clinical support to the person and as such is intended to offer social-connection and emotional support and to act as a resource to individualized community supports and practical recovery information.

Krasman Centre is seeking reliable, emotionally intelligent, professional, and compassionate individuals with lived experience with mental health, substance use health and recovery, to support participants within Transitional Housing Program. Blue Door launched operations at The Beaverton Heights Transitional Housing Program in Fall/Winter 2024. The Peer Supporter position, (offered through Krasman Centre) is intended to complement and complete the program and support offerings available through the Transitional Housing Program at Beaverton Heights.

Duties:

• Support in welcoming participants attending the Transitional Housing Program, build rapport, and create a comfortable and judgement-free atmosphere in a way that is sensitive and tailored to the individual’s current state of emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical wellbeing and capacity.
• Orient the person to the Peer Supporter role including an understanding of the non-clinical role and voluntary nature of peer support
• Provide Peer Support (in both 1:1 and group formats), that is harm-reduction based, trauma informed and culturally appropriate
• As needed/as appropriate, connect residents of the program with Harm Reduction information, resources, and safer use equipment/supplies.
• Support the traditional practices and initiatives that are based on Indigenous peoples’ customs, values, and beliefs, as appropriate.
• Support individuals as needed/appropriate as they are oriented to the facility and the range of programs and supports available.
• Support individuals as needed in ensuring understanding of their rights and responsibilities in the program
• As needed – assist the team to connect individuals to appropriate community supports
• Encourage and support participants to identify their own strengths
• As appropriate, support the development and revision of individual’s recovery / wellness plans
• Facilitates access to other peer support programs such as peer-run self-help groups, peer mentoring peer navigation and education.
• Work with the individual to enhance their social connectedness and personal support network. This includes, with the consent of the individual, involving supportive family members and friends in the individual’s recovery journey and providing them with information about how to support the individual effectively.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external partners
• As needed/as appropriate – drive program participants to meetings/appointments in the community.
• Provide support in a manner consistent with recovery philosophy, which emphasizes peer and natural support, and the de-escalation of distress
• Provide information on individual advocacy, self-help, recovery/wellness, “crisis” planning and prevention, empowerment tools as requested by person
• Collaborate with individuals, promote self-advocacy, and support individual to advocate for themselves
• Documentation, statistical data collection as needed, using strengths-based, recovery supporting language
• Interact with, establish and maintain cooperative relationship with Blue Door and Durham Region personnel
• Provide education about recovery and Peer Support to staff and participants as needed
• Provide peer support services reflective of the diverse needs of individuals
• Community based face to face visits and virtual supports may also be needed
• Attend regular, on-site meetings with team members, as required.
• Meet 2-3 times/month with Krasman Centre colleagues for supervision and staff meetings (mostly virtual)
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Personal lived experience mental health, substance use health challenges/recovery and or lived experience with being unhoused
• Graduate or current participant in peer support training
• Strong knowledge and grounding in Harm Reduction principles and practices, including harm reduction supplies and distribution.
• Strong knowledge and practice of anti-racism and anti-oppression principles and commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Awareness of issues faced by equity-deserving communities
• Demonstrated Peer Support practice that is culturally appropriate and seen through a lens that is conscious of sexual diversity.
• Ability to apply Recovery principles, strengths-based approach and empowerment-oriented philosophies and practices in work with participants
• Strong knowledge, understanding and practice of trauma informed approaches to mental health, substance use health issues
• Possess excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills enabling you to work within a collaborative and diverse inter-professional team
• Ability to communicate and work comfortably with diverse communities
• Knowledge of systemic issues such as poverty, unemployment, stigma, medications, and the isolation felt by individuals with substance use/mental health issues and their families
• Knowledge of local supports and services North Durham, including formal and informal resources is a strong asset
• Effective communication, decision-making, organizational and problem-solving skills are required
• The ability to be flexible, self-directed, self-reflective, and supportive
• Ability to strictly maintain professional boundaries, in alignment with the best practices and values of Peer Support
• An ability to relate to participants from a peer perspective, as well as communicate to a colleagues as part of a muti-disciplinary team, and demonstrate an understanding of the peer support/recovery model
• Ability to work effectively as a team member in a dynamic and fast-paced multi-disciplinary environment is essential
• Provide supports reflective of the needs of the individual and when appropriate their families
• Demonstrate self-awareness and purposeful self-disclosure
• Demonstrate awareness of diversity issues and the personal impact of barriers, stigma and discrimination faced by people with substance use/mental health challenges
• Ability to use computers and software such as Microsoft Windows, Office, and Teams
• Ability to speak a second language is a strong asset
• Knowledge of the Ontario Mental Health Act, mental health reform principles, the Substitute Decisions Act, and the Health Care Consent Act and PHIPPA requirements
• Current certificate in or ability to complete First Aid and CPR training
• Recent crisis intervention training an asset
• Valid driver’s license and access to personal vehicle for purposes of work-related travel is required. Insurance coverage allowing for transporting program participants in personal vehicle to community appointments on occasion will also be required (additional insurance cost to be covered by Krasman Centre).

Schedule/Working Conditions: 

This is an in-person/on-site role located at Beaverton Heights Transitional Housing facility (Beaverton, Ontario).

NOTE: This position is conditional upon the candidate being in adherence with the current Covid-19 Vaccination policy of the Krasman Centre and Blue Door.

Position start date: as soon as possible.

1 Full Time position, 37.5 hours/week, ending December 31st 2026, with possibility of renewal pending funding. Part Time positions may also be considered. This position is currently covering a leave of absence.

Some evening, weekend and holiday shifts may be required.

Compensation: $24-$26.50 per hour

Dynamic, self-directed environment. You may be required to support individuals in community-based settings

 HOW TO APPLY: 

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume outlining in detail how they meet the specific requirements for the position to the, Krasman Centre Hiring Team:  info@krasmancentre.com

***Please type “Re: Peer Support – Transitional Housing Program, Beaverton” in the subject line of the email. ***

This position is open until filled.

While we sincerely appreciate all applications, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Krasman Centre is a progressive work environment committed to employment equity, and promotion of diversity in the workplace. Those who would contribute to the further diversification of the organization are encouraged to apply and include, but are not limited to, members of Black, Indigenous, racialized, immigrant, 2-SLGBTQIA+ communities, and people with disAbilities. 

If you require assistance with the application process or wish to receive this posting in an alternate format, please contact us: 

General email address: info@krasmancentre.com, Toll free phone #: 1-888-780-0724

Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process as per the Ontario Human Rights Code.