Community CARES Youth Outreach
Start Date: ASAP
Schedule: 37.5 hours per week, some weekend and evening work required
The Family Peer Support initiative focuses on the following guiding concepts and
principles:
• Ubuntu-Unity and Interconnectedness;
• Strengths-Based,
• Child and Family Centered,
• Developmentally Appropriate,
• Relationship-Based,
• Reflective, respect Identity & Culture, and be Child’s Rights Based, Trauma Informed, Antiracist, Holistic, and be based on Collaborative Practice.
The Family Peer Support Coordinator brings to the role a deep dedication to
fostering relationships, and including everyone in community building. The
Coordinator offers families/caregivers assistance with service navigation, education
and resource information while coordinating peer-based practical, emotional and
social support. The FPS Coordinator promotes holistic family health/wellbeing, and
belonging, while fostering the development of respectful, collaborative relationships
with family members/caregivers, service providers, peers, and their community
ACCOUNTABILITIES
• Under the direction of the Executive Director, (1) support navigation of families to
access community supports; (2) create a finite set of family peer support/helper
networks; and (3) engage a working group on community mobilization and family
peer support network development that will include the following areas of activity:
Listening and relationship building; Information sharing; Outreach and engagement;
Personal and lifestyle skill development; and Community engagement.
• Assess the needs, strengths, resources, relationships, and other assets of the
community and families that CCYO engages and identify areas for growth and
development.
• Develop and implement comprehensive community engagement strategies and
detailed action plans designed to promote measurable positive change at the
community level.
• Provide support, guidance and mentorship, in the areas of information, navigation,
education, resources and skill development to support and engage families as expert
partners.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of the impact of capacity-building programs and
make evidence/experience-based quality improvements as necessary.
• Support sharing of learning about the Sydney Mines Community – Family Peer
Support Network with others engaged in similar activities while respecting privacy
and confidentiality of community members.
• Develop and implement a communications plan, including a newsletter and other
communications to families and the community.
• Facilitate safe, inclusive dialogues around challenging issues such as harm reduction
and abstinence, ensuring the voices of impacted families are heard.
• Facilitate peer support and educational groups to promote skill development and
engagement, as well as foster peer-peer connection and networking opportunities.
Work collaboratively as an advocate and liaison between family member/caregiver,
young people, Hub staff and community partners.
• Collaborate with Youth Worker at the Hub to optimize the youth, young adult and
caregiver/family experience as it relates to service navigation and community
engagement.
• Facilitate meaningful engagement and participation of families in focus groups,
visioning/planning activities, and other opportunities related to peer support to
further build capacity and leadership.
• Participate as a Hub team member, attending meetings, planning sessions, round
tables, and other organizational activities.
• Complete and maintain related records and documentation including statistics,
progress reports, and referrals and other duties as assigned.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
• Deliver services with high degree of self-awareness, demonstrated ability to maintain
confidentiality, and work within personal and role specific limits and boundaries.
• Extensive experience as a “Community Connector”, demonstrated ability to
find/bring people and resources to a community mobilization initiative.
• Strong relationship and rapport building skills.
• Recent experience in bringing in voices of those who have been historically excluded
opportunities to participate in community, and community building.
• Model hope and resilience. Handle situations with sensitivity.
• Provide a safe, welcoming and supportive culture for families and caregivers
receiving services at the community level.
• Assertive communication skills with ability to respect others’ perspective. Experience
in organizing/leading community-based dialogues, meetings.
• Empathic, caring approach, with strong active listening skills.
• Ability to understand and follow a strength-based approach for sharing challenges
and co-creating solutions.
• Broad knowledge of community resources and support systems for diverse
families/caregivers.
• Knowledge and respect of the diversity of the Northside CB population.
• Demonstrated time management skills, accountability and reliability.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Self-starter with a positive attitude and willingness to work flexible hours.
• Basic computer skills; experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint.
EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
• Experience working with and advocating for vulnerable populations.
• Training in social work, family studies, community psychology, public health or
related discipline; and 3 plus years of progressively responsible experience in
community development and mutual support network development. An equivalent
of recent experience plus undergraduate training may be considered to meet this
requirement.
• Demonstrated experience with community development, social policy, and advocacy
strategy development.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to address the social determinants
of health inequities.
• Demonstrated commitment to strength-based approaches to community
mobilization.
• Strong conceptual and practical abilities to design and implement a working and
adaptable Family Peer Support Network and build local community capacity to
support it.
• Recent experience in group facilitation and community engagement that values
lived experience. Cultural humility and demonstrated ability to engage equity
seeking community groups.
• Ability to work outside of regular business hours as needed (i.e. some evenings and
weekends).
• Ability to travel and represent CCYO at provincial meetings and conferences.
• Driver’s licence and access to a motor vehicle would be an asset.
• Working knowledge of personal computer applications in a community setting, such
as word processing, email, spreadsheets, and databases.
TO APPLY
Please submit your resume, cover letter, and references to:
Dorothy Halliday, Executive Director,
Community CARES Youth Outreach (CCYO)
Email: ccyooperations@gmail.com