Indigenous Cultural Youth Care Worker

Come work as an Indigenous Cultural Youth Care Worker at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

Vancouver Coastal Health is looking for a Indigenious Cultural Youth Care Worker to join the team in Squamish, BC. Apply today to join our team!

As a Indigenous Cultural Youth Care Worker with Vancouver Coastal Health you will:

• Provide support services to designated clients within the Youth Mental Health & Substance Use program and acts as a bridge between Western medicine and Indigenous culture by providing treatment services to Indigenous youth with serious mental health and substance use issues and working from a two-eyed seeing approach using land-based interventions in collaboration with Indigenous Elders and the interdisciplinary team.
• Using a salutogenic approach focused on health and wellbeing, collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, maintain and adjust treatment plans and assists clients to develop and achieve the goals outlined within their individualized treatment plan.
• Collaborate with Indigenous Elders and/or traditional teachers to establish rapport with designated clients based on mutual respect and provides emotional and spiritual support by applying Indigenous traditions to everyday living to assist with problem solving day-to-day matters/issues of living.
• Provides care within the interdisciplinary model through trauma informed practice, two-eyed seeing practice, harm reduction and a recovery oriented care approach.
• Assist clients with the development of life skills, healthy lifestyles and participates in case planning by working with clients from a cultural perspective to identify needs, cultural and personal identity and traditional practices that could serve as protective factors. Plans, organizes, facilitates and leads/co-leads social/cultural groups and cultural activities.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, maintain and adjust treatment plans and assists clients in developing and achieving the goals outlined within their individualized treatment plan.
• Facilitate the use of community services/resources by acting as an advocate to facilitate the transition to partnered community services.
• Participate in team care planning of Indigenous youth mental health, substance use and concurrent disorders prevention/early intervention strategies by participating in case conferences/meetings with members of the interdisciplinary team regarding the identification and management of Indigenous youth mental health and substance use issues.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care or a Bachelor’s degree in an equivalent, appropriate health-related discipline.
• Two (2) years’ recent related experience working with Indigenous youth/young adults experiencing significant mental health, substance use and trauma in an interdisciplinary health care setting using cultural and traditional practices.
• Valid BC Driver’s License and access to a personal vehicle for business-related purposes.
• Preference will be given to applicants who identify as First Nations, Metis or Inuit.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of recovery in mental health and substance use.
• Working knowledge of colonial laws, policies and practices that have negatively impacted Indigenous Peoples.
• Demonstrated knowledge of salutogenic approaches to health and wellness.
• Demonstrated understanding of the concept of two-eyed seeing and the application of decolonizing approaches to health care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Indigenous-specific cultural interventions for mental health and substance use, including ceremonial practices and land-based healing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of behavioural, social emotional and mental health/psychiatric problems in youth.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in Trauma Informed Practice, an Indigenous/Holistic Harm Reduction model and Recovery Oriented Care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health/substance use diagnosis and treatment.
• Demonstrated ability to engage and collaborate with Indigenous Peers, Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize signs/indicators of clients at risk of harm to self or others and knowledge of appropriate standards / processes as it relates to the rights and obligations of clients and staff.
• Demonstrated knowledge of other facilities and community resources.
• Demonstrated knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the normal growth and development of children/youth.
• Demonstrated ability to work with youth with behavioural, social, emotional and mental health/substance use issues.
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of theory and practice to a care coordination process.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with youth and their families, educational personnel, resource workers, service providers, colleagues, physician, and other health care staff, both one-on-one and in groups.
• Demonstrated listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and lead to a co-operative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Demonstrated ability to establish workload priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrated ability to provide culturally safe care to diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to adjust to new or unexpected events.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a high volume/high stress environment with strong conflict resolution and problem solving skills.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software applications
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes. Successful applicants may be required to complete a Criminal Records Review Check.

As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers
• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers in 2024.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted for this posting.


***Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.***

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.