This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new team supporting transitional aged youth (aged 18 to 29) with first-time experience of psychosis, chronic schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Funded by the Slaight Family Foundation the Recovery and Reintegration Program is a partnership between St. Joseph’s Health Centre (Unity Health) and LAMP Community Health Centre; focused on improving the physical, mental and social well-being of individuals in need in the West End of Toronto. St. Joseph's Mental Health and Addictions Service is seeking a temporary full time Peer Support Specialist. The successful candidate will be an individual who has personal lived experience of mental health and/or addictions issues and is able to engage individuals receiving outpatient care, provide hopeful information about recovery and wellness and provide peer support to individuals and small groups. Peer Support Specialists have the ability to share their personal recovery journey and experiences to support individuals in their recovery. Peer Support Specialists work as integral members of the interprofessional addictions team.

This is a 1 year contract position reporting to the manager of Outpatient Mental Health and Addictions.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Facilitates recovery by providing hope, encouragement and supporting self-determination to individuals seeking substance use treatment and care
• Shares personal recovery journey and experiences to support individuals in their own recovery
• Provides individuals with experience of substance use issues with 1:1 support in completing personalized wellness and recovery plan
• Provides social, emotional and instrumental support to individuals attending the Recovery and Reintegration Program
• Collaborates with the interprofessional team, service users and support network in the development, implementation and evaluation of an individualized and comprehensive recovery plan
• Co-facilitates interprofessional Group programming
• Engages in consultations with people with lived experience of addictions and their families to promote the delivery high quality, safe services and supports
• Assists individuals with lived experience of substance to access substance use services and supports
• Works to bridge the gap between service users and service providers
• Serves as role model for service users and educates staff on the service user point of view
• Participates in clinical care planning team meetings and conferences
• Participates in continuous quality improvement
• Participates in research and evaluation activities related to peer support services
• Provides education to stakeholders regarding the peer support specialist role and recovery
• Participates in ongoing continuing education
• Networks with community groups for people with lived experience of mental health and addictions as necessary.

Qualifications

• Personal lived experience of mental health and/or addictions issues is required.
• Knowledge of issues for people with lived experience of mental health and/or substance use is required.
• Demonstrated skills and ability to communicate with clients, their families, service providers and members of the community
• Demonstrates skills and ability to develop helping relationships with people with lived experience of mental health and/or addictions
• Demonstrated skills and ability to conduct groups with people with lived experience of substance use
• Demonstrated skills and ability in individual and small group teaching required
• Excellent communication and skills in both individual and team work are required.
• An understanding of the social determinants of health and their impact, and experience working with marginalized individuals is required
• Facilitator training in Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) , Life Ring, Hearing Voices or other specific wellness-oriented programming for people with mental health substance use preferred (or willingness to obtain)
• Completed certification as peer support specialist is preferred
• Evidence of continuing education courses preferred
• Recent peer support work experience, preferably in outpatient mental health and/or addictions setting preferred
• Excellent attendance and punctuality record

Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.