INDIGENOUS INREACH WORKER

JOB SUMMARY 

Reporting directly to the Senior Manager of Indigenous Engagement Health and Safety, supervised by facilitator and supported by Elder.  The Indigenous Inreach Worker will work directly with WISH IHSP Back to Basic program participants on a one-on-one basis. Supporting Indigenous women and gender-diverse folks.  The Inreach Worker will provide on-going support to the twice-weekly IHSP Back to Basics program and Sex Work Circle program twice-weekly Drop-in sessions.  The overall responsibility will be to support Indigenous participants’ access to care beyond WISH’s basic-needs programs. The Indigenous Inreach Worker will collaborate with two other Inreach workers, a Housing Worker, Program Assistants, Shift Leads and Program Manager and Supervisors to increase WISH’s capacity to provide participants access to opportunities to make free, healthy, positive choices and autonomy over themselves. 

ABOUT WISH 

Based in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, WISH is the largest sex worker support organization in Canada. For more than thirty-five years, WISH has offered a safe place of respite for women involved in street-based sex work. The women who access WISH services and programs are made most vulnerable due to extreme poverty, homelessness, social exclusion, violence, racism, discrimination, and the relentless effects of current and past trauma. WISH Drop-in Centre Society is an organization and space for women (cis and trans) and people of marginalized genders, including Two-Spirit, trans, and non-binary. For more information about WISH and our programs and services, visit our website: https://wish-vancouver.net/. 

Over the past two years, WISH has embarked on considerable growth in response to the needs of street-based sex workers navigating multiple crises. WISH now operates with close to 200 staff, 100+ volunteers and a growing number of programs and services to meet the needs of street-based sex workers. To support this considerable growth, WISH is mid-way through a full-scale Organizational Development Review, designed to evaluate our workplace culture, identify opportunities to improve our work, and implement actionable changes to increase our impact. 

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

· Work in collaboration with two WISH Inreach workers to manage a fluid caseload of approximately 30+ Indigenous WISH participants to provide, Traditional Cultural, holistic, participant-centred support in following the Medicine Wheel Teachings.  

Supporting IHSP Back to Basics program participants with one-to-one support.  Assisting the IHSP Facilitator with other duties as required.  

· Connect participants with the MAP Van, Indigenous Health and Safety Program (IHSP), Supportive Employment Program (SEP), the Music Therapy Program, the Learning Centre, and other WISH programs and assist in navigating these internal systems. 

· Connect participants with outreach workers who visit WISH as well as other external resources and support systems such as mental health services, housing opportunities, violence prevention, and detox. 

· Create plans, conduct referrals, make calls, and ensure follow-through and follow-ups with participants for whatever their priority needs may be. 

· Support participants in filling out Bad Date Reports 

· Red Light Alert: compile and distribute hard copies as needed. 

· Support/link the IHSP participants with additional Inreach services. 

· Conduct proactive and regular check-ins with participants in the various WISH programs. 

· Support staff in conducting New Faces conversations. 

· Initiate new partnerships with service providers in the DTES to ensure wrap-around services for Indigenous participants. 

· Proactively work with participants to limit any potential service restrictions or bans. 

· Work with Drop-In Supervisor and Shift Leads on violent ban check-ins and reintegrating participants into the Centre or Shelter. 

· Provide information to WISH staff to build the internal capacity and knowledge regarding community resources, workshops, and opportunities for both staff and participants. 

· Accompany participants to appointments and resources, as needed. 

· Update participant logs with case notes. 

· Update and manage the IHSP resource room as needed. 

· Provide strengths-based participant updates at monthly staff meeting as well as information regarding community resources, events, developments, and opportunities to staff. 

· Attend all relevant staff meetings. 

· Work collaboratively with all WISH programs, Program Coordinators, front-line staff, and practicum students. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS 

· A minimum of 2 years supporting Indigenous women and gender-diverse folks. 

· A minimum of 2 years' experience working in front line social service delivery 

· A minimum of a 2-year commitment is sought to provide participants with consistency and opportunity to build trust with the Indigenous Inreach Worker. 

· Solid knowledge and understanding of Traditional Indigenous Peoples Culture and history in BC and Canada. 

· Strong understanding of the Truth and Reconciliation Report (TRC), the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (NIMMIWG), and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). 

· A strong feminist analysis of violence against women and gender-diverse folks with an understanding of power and its intersection with gender, race, culture, class, physical ability, sexual orientation, and age as well as all forms of oppression based on experiences of colonization, religion, ethnicity, and heritage. 

· A strong knowledge and understanding of sex work, trans-inclusivity, gender diversity, Indigenous cultural competency, substance use and cycles of addiction. 

· An unwavering acceptance of women involved in sex work and their life circumstances. 

· Experience working with Indigenous Peoples and a strong knowledge of the legacy of colonization, the Residential School system, the 60’s scoop, and the foster care system. 

· Excellent knowledge of the Downtown Eastside supports and services, proven ability to navigate the social welfare, public health, and justice systems, particularly in the areas of poverty reduction, housing, emergency medical care, detox and substance use services, and counseling. 

· A deep understanding of the inherent issues that WISH participants face daily. 

· Experience assisting WISH participants with accessing services beyond the Drop-In center and providing Traditional Holistic Support in a pro-active way to participants on a long-term basis. 

· Excellent interpersonal skills (de-briefing, active listening, conflict resolution, de-escalation, problem solving, and direct support) are essential. 

· Strong analytical, critical thinking, creative problem solving and organizational and planning skills. Must be a self-starter, who is curious, flexible and an adaptable team player. Excellent time management is essential. 

· Demonstrated ability to support vulnerable women and gender-diverse folks while maintaining strong boundaries, non-judgement, and self-care. 

· Flexibility required for schedule and hours. Must be prepared to aid participants at various hours (including occasional overnight hours). 

· Demonstrated ability to work independently while maintaining inclusive and collaborative relationships with the rest of the WISH team. 

· Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, including strong computer literacy in Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.) and internal communications tools such as Slack are essential. 

· The ability to maintain composure in challenging situations and respond to emergencies. 

· Past involvement in the sex industry or similar lived experience is an asset. 

· Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Mental Health First Aid, First Aid, Trauma Informed Care training or similar certificates are assets.  
Equivalent work history will be considered.