Indigenous Youth Peer Support Worker
Job Summary:
The Indigenous Youth Peer Support (IYPS) Worker participates as a member of the Foundry centre team. IYPS workers have their own lived experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges, have accessed services through their own journey, and identify as Indigenous. IYPS workers use this personal experience to support youth and young adults in service navigation, improving their health and wellness, connecting with Indigenous culture, and connecting with Foundry and/or community resources. The IYPS worker offers peer-based mentoring and emotional support and works collaboratively with youth, their families and members of the care team. Using their own diverse, personal lived experiences, IYPS workers demonstrate the ability to support neurodiverse, gender and sexually diverse, Indigenous, racialized, rural and remote, or youth and young adults with physical disabilities. This position assists with the delivery of walk-in services and outreach activities, offering support both on a one-on-one basis and in a group setting. The IYPS worker acts as an advocate and role model, helping young people and their families recognize that with hope, recovery is possible.
Our Offer
- Wage: $24.53 per hour
- A part-time position at 10 hours per week, availability Mondays to Fridays, from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Flexible hours based on availability.
- Temporary until November 30, 2025.
- Perks include:
- Great in-house training opportunities.
- Access to online wellness resources including newsletters, physical health videos, and wellness events.
- Free use of Archway’s wellness equipment.
- Business insurance and associated mileage costs for program-related driving is covered by Archway.
- Rewarding work in a positive and supportive environment.
- Work/life balance.
Your Role:
Archway’s Indigenous Youth Peer Support Worker with the Foundry Abbotsford contributes by:
- Provides cultural support and guidance to Indigenous youth accessing peer support and groups.
- Provides support, guidance and mentorship for youth and their families and assists in sharing information on resources and lived experience system navigation.
- Establishes purposeful relationships with young people and supports their engagement and participation in centre services and meets youth in an outreach capacity.
- Supports youth with personal management skills such as time management, organization and interpersonal communication.
- Coordinates, participates in, or assists with planning recreation and social activities.
- Works with community Elders and Knowledge Keepers to Indigenize programs and spaces.
- Works collaboratively with team members to meet pre-established goals and objectives, facilitates recovery-based peer support meetings and activities.
- Plays a key role in ensuring that the centre offers a safe, welcoming, inclusive and youth-friendly environment.
This position is a great fit for someone who is able to establish rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with indigenous youth and their families.
Getting an Interview – you will be considered if you have:
- Grade 12 education.
- Lived experience of mental illness and/or substance use and willing to self-identify and share experience of recovery.
- Self-identifies as Indigenous and has a connection to their Indigenous culture.
- Willingness to complete Foundry’s recognized Youth Peer Support Training Program.
The Job Requires you to have:
- Ability to establish rapport and maintain therapeutic relationships with young people and family members.
- Knowledge of peer support practices and recovery.
- Empathic and compassionate, with good listening skills and creative thinking and a willingness to share one’s own story to facilitate and support recovery.
- Demonstrated ability to observe and recognize changes in youth and communicate those changes to others on the care team.
- Conflict resolution and crisis intervention skills.
- High degree of self-awareness and capacity to apply appropriate boundaries and maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to promote positive change and independence.
- Broad knowledge of social, mental health and substance use services available in the community.
- Knowledge of systemic issues and risk factors facing Indigenous youth, as well as 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC youth.
- Ability to work independently and show initiative, as well as be part of an interdisciplinary team.
- Basic computer skills: experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Valid BC driver’s license and access to a vehicle considered an asset.
- A satisfactory Criminal Record Check is a condition of employment.
Interested applicants are to reference Posting #2025-125-04 in the subject line.
Please submit your cover letter and resume online only:
Email: jobpostings@archway.ca
Subject: Job Posting #2025-125-04
