Senior Peer Support Worker

Position: Senior Peer Support Worker (vacancy)

Term: Full-time, 40 hours / week, 18 month contract

Location: Toronto, ON - Hybrid, with a minimum three days per week in office

Salary: $55,105

Application Close Date: Posting will remain up until filled

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Stella’s Place is an innovative mental health service for young adults (16-29 years). We utilize innovative clinical practices and processes that put young adults in the ‘driver’s seat’ of their own recovery plan. We are expanding our team to meet the growing demand for our service.

Our team is recruiting a Senior Peer Support Worker. In this role, you will work as a member of our multidisciplinary team to facilitate and support participants with their recovery process. You will draw from your lived experience with mental health challenges and recovery to assist participants in setting goals for their own recovery.

Your collaborative work with participants will be as a coach and liaison in assisting participants to advocate for themselves.

KEY FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Programs and Services

You will

• Focus primarily on supporting participants in Stella’s Place programs, both in individual and group settings
• Co-facilitate programs in a manner that centres the participants and maximizes their outcomes
• Be a shared learner with participants rather than a helper, therapist, or treatment provider
• Maintain clear boundaries and practice confidentiality as outlined in Stella's Place policies
• Contribute to program development, evaluation, outreach, research, and educational activities of the programs
• Assist participants in accessing local community-based resources
• Providing a consumer-survivor perspective to program development and implementation
• Document relevant participant interactions in accordance with Stella’s Place policies, procedures, and protocol, and provide relevant program data as required
• Co-lead the Peer Supporters' understanding of the core elements of Peer Support congruent with Stella’s Place’s model of peer support and program delivery
• Support new Peer Supporters in shadowing responsibilities and duties
• Co-lead the organization and coordination of restocking supplies in the cafe space
• Other duties as assigned

Performance Management and Professional Development

• Participate cooperatively in Stella’s Place performance management system process/system
• Participate in ongoing professional development and mandatory training
• Actively engage and participate in the supervisory process

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will have lived experience and have received mental health services. The. Past participants of Stella's Place who completed the DBT program in 2023 or earlier are also invited to apply. Computer literacy and the willingness to learn new computer programs are required, including the ability to use online platforms to provide programs and services.

Your role will include documentation via online applications. For virtual meetings, on-camera attendance is required to ensure safety and security.

• Candidate must have:
• completed a DBT program for a minimum of two years to be eligible to apply and have a strong understanding of DBT Skills
• Past participants of Stella's Place who completed the DBT program in 2023 or earlier are also invited to apply
• have significant comfort with group facilitation and public speaking.
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• experience working on a multidisciplinary team.
• completed peer support training, including training in recovery principles (WRAP or Pathways to Recovery).
• Knowledge of and ability to apply Recovery principles and empowerment-oriented philosophies and practices in work with participants
• effective decision-making and problem-solving skills
• experience providing peer support through a volunteer or paid work experience.
• experience working with young adults with a diversity of lived experiences

ASSETS

• Bilingualism (French)
• Familiarity with postsecondary environment and process
• Knowledge of Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP)

REPORTING AND HOURS

• This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week. The hours of work are Monday to Friday, ranging from 9:30a.m. to 9:00p.m.. depending on programming.
• Report to the Senior Peer Initiatives Manager, with training and supervision provided
• Some evenings and/or weekend hours may be required.

COMPENSATION

• Salary: $55,105
• A generous health and vacation package, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision health benefits, 3 weeks vacation, and 15 health days annually prorated to FTE. Vacation increases after one year of service.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience. Please also include the following information prominently in your cover letter and resume

• Information about any peer support training you have received
• Information about your work experience as a Peer Support Worker/Peer Supporter
• Information about your experience with Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

Applications received by the deadline will be reviewed.

To be considered for the Senior Peer Support Worker position at Stella’s Place, you must be 18 to 35 years of age and submit your CV and a cover letter clearly stating:

• Your professional background/experience
• Why you would be a good fit with Stella’s Place
• How did you hear about the position (include specific website or network)

We thank all candidates for their interest. Only applicants who include cover letters will be considered. We regret that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Minimal AI may be used in the recruitment process.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Stella’s Place is committed to having a workforce that reflects the diversity of the City of Toronto in general and of our participants in particular.

We encourage applications from racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, and all those who can provide and contribute to diversification of perspective at Stella’s Place.

Stella’s Place is committed to hiring practices that are inclusive and barrier-free. Stella’s Place will provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation during all stages of the hiring process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code in order to ensure the equal and fair assessment of all job applicants. Applicants are asked to make any accommodation request in advance.