Position Type: Part-time Temporary position (10 available positions)
Hourly rate: 25$ per hour
Working hours: (Approximately) 6 hours per week
Start Date: April 1st (flexible)
Duration: 16 weeks
Location: 2 Trusted Messengers per each BC Health Region (Fraser Health, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health)
Language: English
Reports to: Two-Spirit Program Manager
Application Deadline: March 25, 2022, 12:00 pm PDT
Status: Closed
Community-Based Research Centre (CBRC) promotes the health of people of diverse sexualities and genders through research and intervention development. CBRC’s core pillars – community-led research, knowledge exchange, network building, and leadership development – position the organization as a thought leader, transforming ideas into actions that make a difference in our communities. CBRC was incorporated in 1999 and is a non-profit charitable organization. Our main office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, and we also have satellite offices located in Edmonton, Toronto, and Halifax.
Description
Act as a “Trusted Messenger” to deliver Indigenous and western sexual health resources, tools and information to 2S and Indigenous community members. Increase community awareness on the importance of accessing sexual healthcare by acting as a role model for sexual health. Encourage community members to integrate sexual health related information into their personal lives and challenge the current state of stigma/shame attached to sexual health testing and other services. There are 10 positions available, 2 Trusted Messengers per each BC Health Region (Fraser Health, Interior Health, Island Health, Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health).
Will be able to promote:
- Bringing the Sacredness back into Sex
- Indigenous sexual health resources, tools and information
- Options to connect community members to support groups, people and stories
- Importance of cultural safety to local healthcare providers
- Online sexual health resources, tools and information
- Out-of-community links to care
- Access to local Elders and knowledge keepers
Primary Job Responsibilities
- Act as liaison both in person and virtually between community members and the Two Spirit Messenger team
- Provide Indigenous and western sexual health resource information; medicine bundles (self-test kits), PrEP, U=U, invitations to participate in research surveys/questionnaires
- Participate in virtual meetings with Two-Spirit Messenger team
- Assist in creating culturally safe pathways to testing, follow-up, support, access to care for Two-Spirit and Indigenous community members; local, online, telephone, out-of-town
- Ensure anonymity and confidentiality of community members and devotedly adhere to the confidentiality policies of Two-Spirit program
- Will ensure all documentation during meetings with community members is provided to the Two-Spirit team to be stored on a secure server. No identifying information will be taken from community members and written down.
- Establish network within your community to disseminate program information – build trust and establish relationships with Two-Spirit and Indigenous community members, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous community leaders, local healthcare providers and local organizations
- Host local information sessions, presentations, meetings with local healthcare providers, band staff, local organizations, schools, youth groups, youth drop-ins, youth centres
Core Competencies
- Knowledgeable and understands Indigenous and Two-Spirit culture, history, and the impacts of colonialism, as they relate to the approaches of reconciliation and decolonization
- Willingness to address stigma around HIV, sexual health, sexuality, oppression, racism, homophobia and gender
- Proficient use of social media platforms for sharing, promoting Two-Spirit and Indigenous sexual health information
- Communication experience – Zoom, online platforms, phone, email, social media – or other communication pathways that are used within communities
- Access to computer, internet and office equipment
- Experience or knowledge with community engagement and community development within the Queer Indigenous and/or Two-Spirit Culture.
Other Competencies & Qualifications
- Any additional training or personal / professional experience in:
- Indigenous communities
- Support, community care, or crisis work or related certifications for professional development in this area (e.g. Mental Health First AID, Indigenous-focused approaches to care and learning, sensitivity training, etc.)
- Public health, with an emphasis on sexual health
- Youth-related work
- Harm Reduction
- Two-Spirit / LGBTQ+ communities
- Formal education or volunteering in relation to any of the aforementioned areas of community
- Self-motivated and able to work and organize themselves independently
- Willingness to adapt and explore different ways of communication (e-mail, in-person, social media, etc.)
- Flexibility in meeting with the rest of the Messenger team and arranging meetings within their own respective region of focus with community
- Willingness to listen and provide support in a peer to peer capacity
- Excellent communication skills including writing and/or editing documents
- Capacity to prioritize tasks and function under tight and/or competing deadlines
- Autonomous worker with an ability to adapt and work within a team setting
- Ability to interact professionally and effectively with partners from varying sectors including academic, government and community agencies
- Effective critical analysis and problem-solving skills
How to apply
Please email your application to Human Resources at [email protected] and put the job and the location you are applying for in the subject line, for instance “Trusted Messenger – (Fraser Health)”. All applicants are required to provide a cover letter and a resume. In your cover letter, please address why the position interests you and what it means to be serving and supporting access to sexual health resources in Two-Spirit and Indigenous circles. Consider including any relevant personal or professional experience not captured in a resume or worth further explanation than a resume allows, previous experience in Indigenous or Two-Spirit / LGBTQ+ community engagement and development, and your hopes, goals, or intentions in the role
Accessibility
If this process presents barriers, please get in touch via email with the subject line Access: Trusted Messengers to discuss alternative formats for submitting an application. Alternatively, you may call and leave us a voicemail (604-568-7478).
The deadline to apply for this position is March 25, 2022, 12:00 pm PDT
CBRC believes in work led by and for the community. As part of our commitment to employment equity, we encourage applications from queer, trans and non-binary people, Indigenous, Black and people of colour (IBPOC) individuals, Two-Spirit people, people living with HIV, people living with Hepatitis C, disabled people, 2SLGBTQQIA+ women, and other people with fabulous and diverse identities and experiences. CBRC acknowledges that not everyone is able to publicly disclose these identities, and this role does not expect that employees will disclose in the course of their work.
