Job Summary

Come work as an Indigenous Cultural Youth Care Worker at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!
Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Indigenious Cultural Youth Care Worker to join the team in Squamish, BC. Apply today to join our team!
As a Indigenous Cultural Youth Care Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Provide support services to designated clients within the Youth Mental Health & Substance Use program and acts as a bridge between Western medicine and Indigenous culture by providing treatment services to Indigenous youth with serious mental health and substance use issues and working from a two-eyed seeing approach using land-based interventions in collaboration with Indigenous Elders and the interdisciplinary team.
• Using a salutogenic approach focused on health and wellbeing, collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, maintain and adjust treatment plans and assists clients to develop and achieve the goals outlined within their individualized treatment plan.
• Collaborate with Indigenous Elders and/or traditional teachers to establish rapport with designated clients based on mutual respect and provides emotional and spiritual support by applying Indigenous traditions to everyday living to assist with problem solving day-to-day matters/issues of living.
• Provides care within the interdisciplinary model through trauma informed practice, two-eyed seeing practice, harm reduction and a recovery oriented care approach.
• Assist clients with the development of life skills, healthy lifestyles and participates in case planning by working with clients from a cultural perspective to identify needs, cultural and personal identity and traditional practices that could serve as protective factors. Plans, organizes, facilitates and leads/co-leads social/cultural groups and cultural activities.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, maintain and adjust treatment plans and assists clients in developing and achieving the goals outlined within their individualized treatment plan.
• Facilitate the use of community services/resources by acting as an advocate to facilitate the transition to partnered community services.
• Participate in team care planning of Indigenous youth mental health, substance use and concurrent disorders prevention/early intervention strategies by participating in case conferences/meetings with members of the interdisciplinary team regarding the identification and management of Indigenous youth mental health and substance use issues.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care or a Bachelor’s degree in an equivalent, appropriate health-related discipline.
• Two (2) years’ recent related experience working with Indigenous youth/young adults experiencing significant mental health, substance use and trauma in an interdisciplinary health care setting using cultural and traditional practices.
• Valid BC Driver’s License and access to a personal vehicle for business-related purposes.
• Preference will be given to applicants who identify as First Nations, Metis or Inuit.
  Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of recovery in mental health and substance use.
• Working knowledge of colonial laws, policies and practices that have negatively impacted Indigenous Peoples.
• Demonstrated knowledge of salutogenic approaches to health and wellness.
• Demonstrated understanding of the concept of two-eyed seeing and the application of decolonizing approaches to health care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous-specific cultural interventions for mental health and substance use, including ceremonial practices and land-based healing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of behavioural, social emotional and mental health/psychiatric problems in youth.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Trauma Informed Practice, an Indigenous/Holistic Harm Reduction model and Recovery Oriented Care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health/substance use diagnosis and treatment.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peers, Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize signs/indicators of clients at risk of harm to self or others and knowledge of appropriate standards / processes as it relates to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge of other facilities and community resources.
• Demonstrated knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the normal growth and development of children/youth.
• Demonstrated ability to work with youth with behavioural, social, emotional and mental health/substance use issues.
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of theory and practice to a care coordination process.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with youth and their families, educational personnel, resource workers, service providers, colleagues, physician, and other health care staff, both one-on-one and in groups.
• Demonstrated listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and lead to a co-operative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Demonstrated ability to establish workload priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to provide culturally safe care to diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high volume/high stress environment with strong conflict resolution and problem solving skills.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.