Youth Peer Support Worker

CMHA Kelowna & District is hiring aterm Youth Peer Support Worker to join the Foundry Kelowna team for 12-months.

The position offers 37.5 hours per week, with a typical work week of Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm with a monthly shift variant of extended hours on Thursdays from 11:00am-7:00pm.

The Youth Peer Support Worker plays a vital role in the Foundry Kelowna team, leveraging their lived experience to create a youth-centered, low-barrier service for young people seeking support. This position emphasizes fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment while assisting youth and young adults with service navigation,resource information, and connection to community resources. The Youth Peer Support Worker offers peer-based mentoring, emotional support, and engages incollaborative efforts with youth and care team members.

• Create and maintain a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for youth
• Establish purposeful relationships with young people, promoting their engagement and participation in services
• Provide guidance and mentorship, assisting youth with resource navigation and accessing services
• Support youth in daily living activities, including time management, organization, and interpersonalcommunication
• Accompany youth to community appointments and advocate on their behalf
• Facilitate youth engagement infocus groups, workshops, and surveys to amplify their voices and experiences
• Provide support to reduce youth distress, improve functioning, and promote independence
• Act as aliaison between Foundry Kelowna, youth, and external support network
• Lead orco-facilitate group services focused on skills development and mental health recovery
• Plan,coordinate, and participate in recreational and social activities for youth
• Facilitate peer support meetings and activities, promoting a recovery-oriented approach
• Work collaboratively with care team members to meet established goals and objectives
• Maintain accurate records and documentation, including statistics and progress reports
• Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and organizational initiatives
• Performs other related duties as assigned

• Grade 12education or equivalent required
• Lived experience of overcoming significant life challenges, completion of (or eligibility for) recognized youth peer support training, and willingness to share recovery experiences
• Criminal Record Check clearance in the Vulnerable Sector
• Ability tomeet clients in the community on a frequent basis
• Valid Class 5 BC driver’s license considered an asset
• Experience working with youth/young adults with mental healthand/or substance use issues considered an asset
• Certificate sin First Aid, CPR and Naloxone considered an asset
• Ability to build rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with diverse youth populations
• Strong empathy and active listening skills to foster trust and connection
• Self-awareness and capacity toapply appropriate boundaries while maintaining confidentiality
• Advocacy skills for self andothers, promoting positive change and independence
• Proficient in basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Experience using case management systems
• Broad knowledge of social,mental health, and substance use services in the community
• Ability to gather, process, and analyze information to inform service delivery
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills to address youth needs effectively
• Ability to observe and recognize changes in youth behavior and communicate these to the care team
• Organizational skills to manage time effectively and maintain accountability and reliability
• Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills
• Ability tobe regularly exposed to individuals who are struggling with and/or recovering from trauma, drug/alcohol use, homelessness, mental health challenges and/ormental illness

At CMHA Kelowna & District, we are dedicated to Mental Health in our community. No matter how old or how young, weprovide support for families and individuals through programs that promote positive mental health and support recovery, while championing the…