Community Outreach & Wellness Navigator

POSITION OVERVIEW

POSITION: Community Outreach & Wellness Navigator
HOURS OF WORK: Full Time – 70 hours bi-weekly
REPORTS TO: Director of Health
WAGE RANGE: $32-36 / Hourly depending on Education and Experience
DEPARTMENT: Health / Mental Health & Addictions

SȾÁUTW̱ First Nation is seeking a Community Outreach & Wellness Navigator to provide culturally safe, compassionate, confidential, community-based support to members experiencing mental wellness challenges, substance use concerns, emotional distress, social isolation, and barriers to services.

POSITION SUMMARY

Using strengths-based and trauma-informed approaches, the Navigator builds trusting relationships, supports early intervention, harm reduction and recovery, and helps individuals and families identify wellness goals, access services, and stay connected to community, culture, family, and supports. The role works with Nation programs and external providers to coordinate practical assistance, referrals, and ongoing follow-up.

This is a non-clinical outreach and support position. The Navigator does not independently diagnose, provide psychotherapy, prescribe medication, or perform regulated clinical duties.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Community Outreach and Relationship Building: Build respectful relationships with youth, adults, Elders, and families; conduct approved home and community visits; engage members facing isolation or service barriers; and respect choice, privacy, readiness, and professional boundaries.
• Mental Wellness and Emotional Support: Provide non-clinical listening, encouragement, and practical assistance; connect members to counselling, clinical, cultural, peer, and community supports; and coordinate appointments and follow-up, including after hospitalization or treatment.
• Substance Use, Harm Reduction and Recovery Support: Provide non-judgmental support, treatment information, referral and intake assistance, waitlist follow-up, aftercare, and recovery connections. Facilitate approved harm reduction supplies, overdose-prevention education, and naloxone support only when trained and authorized.
• Service Navigation, Referrals and Advocacy: Help members access Nation programs, FNHA, Island Health, Indigenous wellness services, and community agencies; assist with forms, transportation, identification, and other practical needs; advocate with informed consent and follow up on referrals.
• Coordinated Care and Wraparound Supports: Collaborate with authorized care partners, support individualized wellness plans and care transitions, and connect members with food security, housing, income assistance, and other supports while protecting consent and privacy.
• Crisis Recognition, Response and Safety: Recognize urgent distress, suicidal concerns, overdose, family violence, and other safety risks; follow approved procedures, activate qualified emergency or crisis resources, and participate in safety planning under qualified direction. Work within training and scope.
• Cultural Wellness and Community Connection: Support holistic wellness and access to Elders, Knowledge Keepers, cultural activities, traditional practices, and land-based healing when requested and authorized, respecting member preferences and self-determination.
• Documentation, Confidentiality and Reporting: Maintain timely, objective, confidential contact and referral records; prepare aggregate or de-identified monthly activity summaries unless identifiable reporting is authorized; report incidents and privacy concerns; and identify service gaps and improvements.
• Community Wellness Promotion and Education: Help deliver culturally appropriate wellness events, workshops, resources, and awareness activities that support mental wellness, recovery, social connection, overdose prevention, and help-seeking.
• Administrative and Organizational Responsibilities: Manage outreach schedules and follow-up, attend meetings and supervision, participate in training and planning, follow Nation policies and safety requirements, and perform related duties within the position’s scope.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Cultural safety and humility; relationship building and trust; trauma-informed practice.
• Compassionate communication and active listening; service navigation and advocacy.
• Crisis awareness and sound judgment; confidentiality and professional ethics.
• Organization and accountability; collaboration and teamwork; adaptability and resilience.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Preferred education: A diploma or degree in Social Work, Mental Health and Addictions, Community Support Work, Social Services, Indigenous Wellness or Indigenous Health, Human Services, Community Health, or a related discipline. An equivalent combination of relevant education, training, lived or living experience, cultural knowledge, and demonstrated community-based work experience may be considered.

Required experience:

• Community outreach, client support, service navigation, or related human services, including support for people experiencing mental wellness challenges, substance use concerns, or complex social barriers.
• Building trust with individuals and families, maintaining confidential records, and managing referrals and follow-up.
• Working independently in community settings and collaboratively within a team using culturally safe, trauma-informed, non-judgmental approaches.

Preferred experience: Work with First Nations communities or Indigenous wellness programs; knowledge of SȾÁUTW̱, W̱SÁNEĆ culture, FNHA, Island Health, and Greater Victoria and Saanich Peninsula services; harm reduction, recovery support, treatment referrals, discharge or aftercare; and wellness education with youth, adults, Elders, and families. Relevant lived or living experience may be shared voluntarily where it demonstrates the required competencies.

Certifications and other requirements: Required at appointment or within an approved onboarding period:

• Valid Class 5 BC driver’s licence and satisfactory driving record where driving is an essential duty.
• Satisfactory criminal record screening appropriate to the role, including vulnerable-sector screening where legally applicable.
• Standard First Aid and CPR; naloxone administration and overdose-response training.
• Trauma-informed practice; suicide awareness and intervention appropriate to the role; non-violent crisis intervention or de-escalation; and organizational privacy, confidentiality, and workplace-safety training.

Additional training in Mental Health First Aid, ASIST, Indigenous cultural safety, harm reduction and substance use outreach, motivational interviewing, grief and loss support, case management, and service navigation is preferred. Completion timelines will be established by the supervisor and Human Resources.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

Knowledge, or the ability to develop working knowledge, of mental wellness, substance use, recovery, harm reduction, culturally safe and person-centred practice, service-access barriers, crisis recognition and escalation, local health and social resources, consent and privacy, documentation, and safe outreach and lone-worker protocols. Strong organizational, interpersonal, communication, advocacy, problem-solving, and computer skills are required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work takes place in Nation offices, community facilities, and approved outreach settings, with regular community outreach and local travel as required. Approved home visits and contact with members experiencing distress or complex circumstances require adherence to safety, lone-worker, and incident-response procedures. Scheduling flexibility may be required for approved events or program activities. Supervision, debriefing, sound judgment, and professional boundaries are essential. This is not an emergency-response or 24-hour crisis service.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and résumé outlining their qualifications and interest in the Community Outreach & Wellness Navigator position, attention to Bonnie Seward, Director of Health via email to hrapplications@stautw.ca

SȾÁUTW̱ First Nation is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community it serves. In accordance with Section 41 of the BC Human Rights Code, preference may be given to qualified Indigenous applicants, including Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit candidates.

All applicants are encouraged to self-identify in their application if they choose. Hiring decisions will be made based on merit, qualifications, and organizational needs, while supporting SȾÁUTW̱ First Nation’s commitment to Indigenous employment and self-determination.

OTHER FACTORS

Culture/Language

Respect for W̱SÁNEĆ culture and SENĆOŦEN language, cultural safety, and a willingness to learn respectfully from members, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers are essential. Knowledge of the SȾÁUTW̱ community and W̱SÁNEĆ culture is preferred.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate maintains strict confidentiality, professional boundaries, and respectful, empathetic, non-judgmental relationships, demonstrating Respect, Empathy, Strength, Pride and Equality.

Our benefits package includes:

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 13, 2026 at 3:00PM