Peer Support Worker, Addiction Medicine – RAAM Clinic
Direct Service - (OPSEU)
Full-Time, Permanent (Benefitted)
London, ON (London Zone)
- Application Deadline: June 22, 2025 -
The Peer Support Worker performs duties and responsibilities consistent with the principles of harm reduction, psychosocial rehabilitation, a wellness-oriented practice, and an evidence-based peer support model. While working as part of a multidisciplinary team within the Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, the Peer Support Worker lends their expertise including lived experience of substance use, to support participants in their unique journeys toward wellness. This is done in the areas of community inclusion, service engagement, and wellness promotion through individualized one-to-one support and group facilitation.
Consider revitalizing your career and making a difference in your community by joining our team!
WHAT WE'RE OFFERING:

• What you'll be making - Starting rate for this role is $27.14 per hour (Level 1 – Direct Service), with a wage differential, based on regulation ($30.01 per hour for Level 1 – Direct Service, Regulated):
  • Successful candidates who are registered with one of the designated professional colleges (e.g. OCSWSSW, CNO, COTO, CRPO, CPSO, or CPO) will receive the wage differential for regulation
  • Successful external applicants will start at Level 1, with grid progression based on seniority up to Level 8 ($34.41 per hour for non-regulated, and $37.26 per hour for regulated)
  • For internal applicants, grid level placement will occur as per the Collective Agreement
• When you'll work - 70 hours over two-week period; Hours will be Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm
• Your pension plan - Immediately enrolled in the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP)
• Your benefits will be – After a 90-day waiting period, will be enrolled in extended healthcare benefits

HOW YOU WILL BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE:
Wellness & Prevention:

• Utilize own lived experience (appropriately sharing own path to wellness and self-discovery as well as knowledge of services and potential resources) to support participants in their resilience-building process
• Model effective coping techniques and positive self-help strategies based on recovery, harm reduction and wellness principles
• Facilitate a strengths-based approach to care that emphasizes the importance of safety, respect, hope, self-determination, and empowerment
• Facilitate social/support/life skills groups based on identified needs of peers served
• Practice and model the principles, values and best practices of peer support, as outlined by Peer Support Canada
• Support peers with relapse prevention, overdose prevention, etc. as appropriate
• Facilitate access to services and supports critical to promoting a successful transition to community
• Assist peers navigating access to government programs and systems (e.g., Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, child welfare, community housing)
• Make referrals to local and culturally appropriate agencies, programs and services to meet immediate needs (e.g., housing, access to elders, mental health supports, etc.)

Assessment & Goal Planning:

• Provide assistance with wellness planning to support peer's achievement of goals for self-sufficiency and community inclusion
• Develop individualized harm reduction plans as needed;
• Provide active, empathetic listening to hear peer's perspective and wishes, with selective sharing to encourage, motivate, and support, keeping the focus on the peer's experience
• Explore with the peer the potential benefits of connecting with other community and clinical options
• Encourage peer's ideas and projects with a sensitivity to their worldview including awareness of diversity
• Use critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in collaboration with the peer to co-create new ideas and possible actions, rather than providing advice or making decisions for the peer

Communication, Documentation & Decision-Making:

• Complete required documentation of each peer support interaction in the peer's health record with brevity and a non-clinical approach
• Report on the progress of peers through on-going, effective communication with other team members
• Maintain healthy boundaries within the supportive, collaborative peer working relationship
• Ensure compliance with CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services policies and procedures including Code of Ethics Agreement, Conduct and Behaviour – Safe Space, Workplace Harassment, Workplace Violence, Health & Safety, and Privacy & Confidentiality
• Ensure compliance with CMHA Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services Peer Support Program Values as well as Limits & Boundaries
• Keep up-to-date on peer support-related topics and evidence-based practices

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO APPLY:
Police Vulnerable Sector Check Requirements
Successful candidates must have a Police Vulnerable Sector Check completed in the last six months. Interested applicants who reside in the City of London and are in need of a Police Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC) are encouraged to apply for one as soon as possible as PVSCs in the City of London are currently taking approximately 2 weeks to be processed and offers of employment cannot be made without receipt of a PVSC.
We require the following qualifications:

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent/related experience (primary proof of credentials will be required during the hiring process i.e. original degree/diploma or official transcript)
• Lived experience of mental illness, and/or addictions, and or homelessness
• Lived experience of substance use recovery
• At a place in your own recovery/wellness journey where you are able to model wellness to peers and able to respond to any personal mental health/addictions concerns as they arise

We prefer the following qualifications:

• Experience working with individuals living with mental illness and/or addictions/problematic substance use, especially in a peer support capacity
• Training in wellness and harm reduction principles
• Completed peer support training, education, or certification through Peer Support Canada, PeerWorks, Support House, etc., or equivalent, an asset
• Training in wellness and recovery interventions
• Completion of the WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Planning) program or a willingness to participate in the program
• One of: SafeTALK, ASIST (Applied Suicide Interventions Skills and Training), or Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
• Crisis intervention and prevention

INTERNAL APPLICANTS: To be considered as an internal applicant, current staff members are reminded to apply using their @cmhatv.ca or @slwar.ca email address.
Get your application in by – June 22, 2025:
Our recruitment process allows us to learn about your previous work experience, your qualifications and your commitment to fulfilling our vision. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only those individuals being considered for a position will be personally contacted by someone from the interview team.
We welcome and encourage applications from all members of our community including persons of any gender, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, persons with disabilities, Indigenous persons, and members of visible minorities. If you require accommodations related to a disability at any point during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected]

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