Job description
About Us:
The Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association (FRAFCA) is a rapidly growing Indigenous community-based organization, serving BC’s largest urban Indigenous population of children, youth, families & Elders. Our Vision is to build a community of strong, healthy, successful Indigenous people connected to each other and to their roots by fostering their health & well-being through culturally relevant services, support, and advocacy
Why FRAFCA:
- Opportunity to work alongside cultural knowledge keepers & Elders;
- Chance to obtain program specific certifications;
- Holistic, culturally safe, approaches to serving our clients and community;
- Freedom to share and observe own cultural practices (i.e. smudging in the office);
- Parking available on-site;
- Extended Health Benefits Package (Medical, Dental, Travel) and Employee Assistance Plan after 3-month continuous employment;
- Paid sick/personal leave days;
- Paid vacation days;
- Offices located along main transportation routes; main office by the Skytrain station.
Position Summary:
JD – Mental Health & Substance Use Support Worker
Duties and Responsibilities of the MH&SU Support Worker:
As part of the multidisciplinary Wellness Support FRAFCA team, the MH&SU Support Worker participates in the development, maintenance, and delivery of a client-centered plan of treatment/care, by:
- Observing, interviewing and assessing client behaviour to identify problems and needs, soliciting client feedback, inquiries, and complaints, responding to client needs as required;
- Encouraging and promoting independence and self-sufficiency for clients and their caregivers/families; developing short-term strategies to deal with various situations;
- Providing feedback and suggested recommendations to the treatment plans within established guidelines;
- Documenting the care requested and progress made in the communications books; maintains client records;
- Reporting regularly to the program coordinator / counselor on the condition, behaviour, performance, progress, and care needs of clients and their caregivers/families.
- Provides support, coaching and behaviour modeling for the client and their caregivers/families to assist with the development of physical, social, emotion and life-skills, including all activities of daily living, interpersonal skills, yard maintenance, housekeeping, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, and household and budget management.
- Guides & teaches assertiveness and self-advocacy skills to clients, and provides the necessary coaching and mentoring. Reports resolvable advocacy situations that may contain an unidentified treatment need or element of discrimination to the Coordinator.
- Assist the therapist / counselor in observing & supporting for appropriate medication management or provides medication reminders, in accordance with the plan of treatment/care and established policies and procedures.
- Observes and monitors clients in accordance with plan of treatment/care, assesses and responds in potential emergency or crisis situations in accordance with established procedures. Provides timely feedback and recommendations to the Case Manager regarding the management of the crisis.
- Observes, recognizes and reports emotional, behavioral and functional changes in clients such as: sense of health and wellbeing during episode of illness and life stressors; satisfaction with lifestyle patterns; personal interests, goals, and life dreams; confidence in self-direction and assumption of personal responsibility; sense of belonging, motivation, and self-determination; level of engagement and belief in service effectiveness; support needs.
- Maintains an awareness of current community resources including health care services, social, economic, recreational, employment, educational services and resources, and other agencies. Utilizes the information to assist client access and problem solves, as required.
- Identifies and assesses potential emergency situations and develops short-term strategies to handle appropriately, including actions such as applying suicide alertness and prevention skills, responding to overdose in accordance with established procedures, using first aid, assisting a client to access drug checking services, and assisting a client to access overdose prevention services.
- Maintains a current knowledge of and complies with all organizations administrative and clinical policies, department and program policies and site protocols or procedures to reflect the use of evidence, best practice and standards (example: identify the key issues).
- Ensures a safe and healthy working environment by observing universal precautions and infection control procedures; removing obvious hazards; reporting faulty equipment, accidents, injuries, and near misses; and adhering to and enforcing rules, and reporting requirements regarding organization safety policies and procedures.
- Participates in staff meetings, quality improvement initiatives, committees and in-services, and maintains up-to-date knowledge through involvement in work-related continuing education, as required by the employer.
- Engages, works alongside, collaborates with, and provides organizational assistance including training, scheduling, monitoring and providing feedback and support to volunteers and peer coaches, and assists with orientation of new staff and education experiences of students, as well as sharing expertise with other members of the team, as required.
- Carries out administrative transactions such as petty cash, client accounts, collecting rents and money from clients for personal items, making deposits and withdrawals, purchasing daily supplies within the approved budget, monitoring program expenditures, providing feedback regarding resource needs, participating in fundraising activities, as required.
- Completes and maintains related records and documentation such as care plans, progress reports, statistics, and daily logs.
- Assists clients with activities of daily living such as feeding, lifts and transfers, grooming, and toileting, as required.
- Facilitates and participates in pre-established PSR programs designed to assist individuals gain or regain practical skills and independence. Promotes community awareness of these programs, and performs public relations and promotion activities such as preparing public relations material and advertisements, liaising with community groups, and arranging media coverage of events. Maintains contact with community groups and volunteer organizations to promote interest, participation and support for the programs.
- Performs other related duties as required by the role and the program
QUALIFICATIONS:
Education, Training and Experience:
Grade 12, diploma in a field relevant to the position (i.e. community social services, rehabilitation) and two years recent related experience working with individuals experiencing mental health and substance use problems; or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
Food Safe Level 1 Certificate, Basic First Aid Certificate, Non-violent crisis intervention training, and Valid BC Driver’s License.
Skills and Abilities:
- Ability to use psychosocial rehabilitation principles in a person-centered approach to recovery.
- Ability to work with a culturally diverse population.
- Knowledge of available programs, their interrelationships, and their function in delivering care in the community.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
- Ability to organize, prioritize and meet deadlines.
- Ability to analyze and problem solve.
- Ability to model, instruct and teach life skills.
- Ability to engage clients in effective personal goal setting and attainment.
- Ability to observe, recognize and report emotional, behavioral and functional changes in clients.
- Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients and their families.
- Home management skills.
- Ability to work independently.
- Ability to use effective interpersonal skills to establish/maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, the public and other agencies.
- Ability to promote positive change and independence.
- Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills.
- Physical and mental ability to carry out the duties of the position.
- Ability to operate related equipment including proficiency in relevant computer applications.
- Advocacy skills
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- Wellness program
Flexible Language Requirement:
- French not required
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person