Career Opportunity

Position Title: Navigator Black Focused Social Prescribing Program

Classification: Community Health Worker (under review)

Job type: 1.0 FTE (35 hrs/week) TERM until june 30th, 2026

Department: Mental Health & Counseling

Reports to: Manager, Mh & Counseling

Compensation $28.78 $34.72 per hour plus 14 hs paid personal leave

Start date: as soon as possible

Deadline to apply: July 11th 2025 by 12:00pm

Apply at: Insert

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About us

We are Somerset West Community Health Centre (SWCHC), a non-profit, community-governed organization that serves over 18,000 clients annually. Established in 1978, SWCHC provides a wide range of health care services such as primary health care, health promotion, community development, mental health, and harm reduction. We are deeply connected to the communities we serve and committed to removing barriers to accessing services for people who experience vulnerabilities because of their age, income, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, and language or culture.

SWCHC strives to ensure that our team reflects the communities we serve. We work within an anti-racist, anti-oppressive framework that acknowledges the existence and impacts of systemic racism and seeks to ensure that systems are fair and equitable for everyone.

What Youll Do

Reporting to the Manager, Mental Health and Counselling, The Social Prescribing Navigator Black Focused Social Prescribing Program (BFSP) is responsible for enhancing service coordination and connecting clients to various social services and non-clinical programs needed to manage their health care goals, as well as identifying and facilitating the development of programs and/or services for members of the Black community in Ottawa. The Navigator will be called upon to establish formal pathways for connecting clients, to act as a liaison, resource and navigator, to explore and develop partnerships and to implement health, social and community support programs based on identified community needs.

The Navigator will work as part of an inter- and multi-disciplinary team to support client access to the health, cultural, recreational and community resources necessary to improve and maintain overall well-being. This role is actively involved in the intake, assessment, care planning, and referral processes within the clinical team, and will coordinate both internal and external referrals and service connections as appropriate.

This position is situated within the Black Mental Health Program, which operates under a by the community, for the community model of care. The program is rooted in principles of equity, culturally responsive and affirming care, and reducing barriers to services for African, Caribbean, and Black communities in Ottawa. The Navigator will provide support through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive framework, applying a social determinant of health and client-centered lens. The Black Focused Social Prescribing Program is rooted and guided by Afrocentric principles of well-being.

This position involves a hybrid of work from home, virtual, in office and face-to-face client and administrative hours, including potential of evening and weekend hours, and inter-provincial travel.

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What Were Looking For

Your Education Path

• Post-secondary education in a related field of social services, social work, mental health, community development or related health discipline OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Linguistic profile

• English required
• French, Arabic, Swahili and other priority languages in our service community are an asset

Professional Experience

• Minimum 3 years experience in a community-based setting with emphasis on health promotion, community development, and mental health support and care coordination
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers and community partners in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Experience in program development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation
• Experience with a wide range of diverse populations e.g. low income, immigrant and newcomers, racialized groups, people who use drugs, people living with homelessness, mental health, and addiction challenges etc.
• Experience providing outreach in a community setting
• Experience with service navigation and advocacy for people whove experienced trauma, racial trauma, and discrimination due to systemic barriers
• Experience providing and facilitating community groups and workshops
• Demonstrated ability in community engagement and community needs assessments
• Working knowledge of Afrocentric principles of wellbeing or willingness to learn.

What You Bring to the Table

• Lived experience as a member of the African, Caribbean, and/or Black community, and a demonstrated commitment to working from a by the community, for the community model of care within a Black Mental Health program.
• Commitment to working within a client-centered and social determinants of health framework
• High sensitivity to psychosocial and health needs of marginalized communities
• Excellent communication skills, able to bridge gap between clients and service providers/service agencies
• Strong relationship building, interpersonal and advocacy skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as an effective member of an interdisciplinary team
• Commitment to strength-based philosophy and practice
• Extensive knowledge of local community resources and service navigation
• Ability to integrate culture, connection and Afrocentric principles into programming, outreach, and client interaction(s)
• Demonstrated commitment to working within an anti-racism, anti-oppression, health equity and harm reduction framework, including an evidence based and reflective practice
• Ability to work flexible hours, evening or weekend shifts may be required

• Valid drivers license, insurance and use of a personally owned vehicle
• Ability to represent SW CHC at the Provincial Social Prescribing Community of Practice
• Ability to travel inter-provincially for conferences, retreats and seminars

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Ready to Apply?

Take your career to the next level! Submit a cover letter and your resume by 12:00pm on July 11th, 2025, to:

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Somerset West Community Health Centre is an equal opportunity employer who values the diversity of individuals in our programs and services.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of Indigenous, Black and racialized communities, Two-Spirit, nonbinary, LGBTQ+ people; people with disabilities; and members of other equity seeking groups. Applicants are encouraged to share accessibility needs in the application process, and every attempt will be made to accommodate them.

Due to the high volume of applicants, we can neither confirm receipt of nor respond to inquiries regarding your application. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.