Indigenous Peer Support Worker
Listed on 2026-09-26
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Social Work
Mental Health, Community Health, Community Support Services, Substance Abuse Counselor
Job Description
Position Summary:
The Indigenous Peer Support Worker provides culturally safe, trauma-informed, and client-centered peer support to individuals accessing withdrawal management and addiction medicine services. This is a peer-based, non-clinical role grounded in lived experience with substance use and recovery. The Indigenous Peer Support Worker supports all clients within the program, while bringing specialized knowledge and focus to Indigenous clients and prioritizing their engagement when present.
Drawing from lived experience, cultural knowledge, and peer support principles, the role assists clients in navigating withdrawal, stabilization, recovery, and connection to community resources. This role plays a key part in promoting culturally safe care by integrating Indigenous values, traditions, and healing practices, while also acting as a cultural resource within the interdisciplinary team. The Indigenous Peer Support Worker will advocate on behalf of clients and help clients to address problems and answer questions, gather and provide information and advise, and connect clients to resources and to the community.
Service provision will focus on working with clients to enhance their recovery. The incumbent must demonstrate the values of Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and contributes positively to the mission and vision of the program and organization. The Peer Support Worker complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Standards for the organization and is proactive in promoting a safe work environment.
- Provide one-on-one peer-based emotional support to clients accessing withdrawal management services
- Build supportive, trusting relationships grounded in empathy, respect, and shared lived experience
- Support clients through withdrawal, stabilization, and early recovery using harm reduction and trauma-informed approaches
- Share lived experience in a way that promotes hope, dignity, and engagement
- Provide crisis support, de-escalation, and emotional stabilization as needed
- Provide peer support to all clients, while prioritizing Indigenous clients when present
- Assist clients in accessing housing, healthcare, treatment programs, social services, and community support
- Support recovery planning, discharge planning, and community reintegration
- Connect Indigenous clients to culturally relevant services, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and traditional healing resources
- Advocate for client needs and culturally safe care within the interdisciplinary team
- Plan and facilitate regular psycho educational, wellness, and peer-based groups aligned with program needs and targets
- Facilitate sharing circles and culturally informed group programming where appropriate
- Raise awareness of mental health, substance use, harm reduction, and recovery
- Promote participation, self-reflection, connection, and skill development among clients
- Adapt group content to meet diverse needs, strengths, and stages of recovery
- Maintain group attendance and documentation
- Provide culturally grounded support to Indigenous clients
- Foster trust and credibility by supporting initiatives in ways that honour Indigenous values, protocols, and community priorities.
- Support access to Indigenous cultural practices, teachings, and healing approaches
- Assist clients in reconnecting with culture, identity, and community
- Demonstrated experience establishing, nurturing, and maintaining respectful, trust-based relationships with Indigenous communities, organizations, leadership, and partners.
- Collaborate with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Indigenous organizations
- Act as a cultural resource within the program to enhance culturally safe care
- Participate in case conferences, interdisciplinary team meetings, and care planning
- Liaise with internal teams and external service providers
- Build and sustain authentic, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationships with community organizations, Indigenous communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, leaders, organizations, and partners. Support staff in understanding culturally safe approaches when working with Indigenous clients
- Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all client interactions
- Track and record service activity, including:
- Individual peer support visits
- Group sessions and attendance
- Service provider interactions
- Contribute to program reporting…
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