Harm Reduction Outreach Peer Supporter

HOUSING TO HEALTH - PEER SUPPORTER

POSITION TITLE:

Harm Reduction Outreach Peer Supporter

Full-time contract position until March 31st, 2028, with the potential for renewal, pending funding.

Housing to Health Program (H2H)

Manager of Peer Support Programs

A reliable vehicle, valid Canadian driver's license, and insurance are required for this position.

Housing to Health is a collaborative between Blue Door Shelters, LOFT-Cross links, and Krasman Centre, through United Way Greater Toronto by Service Canada. H2H is a Housing First Program that supports people that have experienced chronic or episodic homelessness into housing while providing continued support & capacity building for them to maintain their housing. The Peer Supporter collaborates with Housing to Health participants to provide individualized and flexible supports to engage and integrate them into the community, helps to facilitate their access to resources and supports to maximize their independence and potential, and promotes their recovery.

Lance Krasman Memorial Centre for Community Mental Health provides programs and services to enhance the lives of individuals with mental health and addiction challenges to promote and sustain recovery and wellness. Krasman Centre is unique in that our agency is led and run by people with lived experience of mental health and/or addiction challenges, as well as family members/caregivers.

"Peer support is a naturally occurring, mutually beneficial support process, where people who share a common experience meet as equals, sharing strengths and hope, allowing people to learn ways of coping from each other. Formalized peer support begins when persons with lived experience, who have received specialized training, assume unique designated roles... to support an individual's expressed wishes."

Source:
Addictions and Mental Health Ontario's, Best Practices in Peer Support

"Peer support is not scripted. It does not follow steps. It is about relationship. It comes from the heart through insight and knowledge gained from experience."

Source:
Mental Health Commission of Canada, Guidelines for the Practice and Training of Peer Support.

Peer Supporters have gone through a process of recovery and have obtained peer support related training to assist others with mental health/addictions and other adversities to identify and achieve life goals as part of their own recovery. Peer Supporter use strengths-based and recovery-oriented approaches with individuals and/or groups to help combat stigma, promote self-determination, and instill hope.

We are seeking an individual with personal lived experience of substance use that significantly impacted their life, who is able to intentionally and safely draw upon their own experiences to support others. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to harm reduction principles and practices, recognizing that recovery and wellness are self-defined and that everyone deserves dignity and respect. Experience navigating mental health and/or housing challenges is also considered a strong asset.

The role of this Peer Supporter will be to provide wrap-around supports to participants of the Housing to Health program in finding and maintaining housing.

This position requires travel to Krasman Centre Drop-in's, Blue Door Shelters locations, Loft Cross links locations, travel to various locations throughout York Region including visits to various community partners. Includes some work from home in a safe, secure and confidential space.

Computer, cell phone – provided by Krasman Centre for this role

This position provides support across a large geographical area. The Successful candidate must have reliable vehicle/valid Canadian driver’s license and proof that insurance covers use of personal vehicle to transport project participants (participant transportation - post pandemic)

• Support the delivery of the Housing to Health project – specifically supporting those that identify as not housed (examples include - living in shelter, couch surfing, unstable housing, housing unfit…