Community Support Navigator

Job Title: Community Support Navigator

Location: Kelowna, BC and surrounding areas.
Status: Non-Union, Full-Time (35 hrs/week averaged)
Reports To: Community Support Coordinator
Hourly Rate: $29.90

Are you passionate about creating safe spaces for individuals experiencing domestic abuse? Do you thrive in environments where your experience can make a tangible difference in people's lives? If so, the Kelowna Women’s Shelter (KWS) invites you to join our team as a Community Support Navigator.

Kelowna Women’s Shelter has been providing programs and services for people impacted by Domestic Abuse since 1980. Our programs include emergency and second-stage housing, outreach services, PEACE program, education and prevention initiatives, a 24/7 support line, and a community thrift store. We are committed to fostering safety, choice, and inclusion, and believe in building a community free from abuse through education, support, and strong partnerships.

The Community Support Navigator will provide compassionate, non-judgmental support, crisis intervention, and essential resources to individuals experiencing domestic violence. As the first point of contact with our agency, this role will provide information regarding domestic violence and abuse, and related programs and services both internal and external to the agency.

Community Support Program team members provide sessions at a safe location, by phone or virtual technology. These sessions include emotional care, risk assessments, safety planning, goal setting, referrals to community services, and information about domestic violence. The program is designed to walk alongside individuals on their journey toward a life free from violence and abuse.

• Establish and maintain a participant caseload with the focus on participant relationship and support.
• Provide support with safety planning, case planning based on the participant’s inherent strengths and resilience, parenting support, and information on community resources that are available to meet the needs of the participants.
• Answer the two main phone lines operated by Kelowna Women’s Shelter, including the main Helpline, and the Hope Helpline, with a focus on calls that pertain to those who are in imminent danger.
• Provide immediate crisis intervention, including danger assessment, safety planning, and program eligibility assessment to individuals and families experiencing domestic violence who are in imminent danger – including access to transition house space, Kelowna Women’s Shelter programs and other community resources.
• Deliver program assessment, engagement, crisis intervention, goal and case planning, skills coaching, and program completion, consulting with the Community Support Coordinator as necessary.
• Meetings with participants may occur via phone, virtually, in person on location or in a safe location in the community.
• Attend appointments such as housing interviews, court dates, and medical appointments as required.
• Provide presentations, group-based programming, and participate in public awareness activities about services and issues of abuse as requested.
• Utilize engagement skills to help participants to feel validated and supported, provide participants with practical and emotional supports that focus on their here-and-now needs, and assist participants in overcoming crisis.
• Collaborate closely with community resources such as RCMP, Victim Services, housing, financial assistance, mental health and substance use to assist participants in accessing resources to meet identified needs.
• Complete the Danger Assessment Lethality Tool as appropriate with participants to determine level of danger to enhance the safety planning process.
• Is an advocate and maintains relationships within the agency and with external professionals to provide a client-led support system for participants.
• Complete and maintain the participants’ documentation requirements within established timelines (Assessment, transition and second stage referral, Consent Form, Danger Assessment, Case Planning, Case Notes, Non-Critical Incident Reports, and Exit surveys).
• Responsible for managing risk with participants,…