June 17, 2026 In 1986, a small group of human rights activists and mental health workers gathered in Vancouver to support the flood of refugees arriving from the armed conflicts in South and Central America. They founded the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST), and this dedicated group of volunteers built what would become BC’s largest center for refugee mental health. Today, VAST works with refugees from over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

Our programs and services are offered in over a dozen languages, including Arabic, Farsi, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. We support the mental health of refugees who arrive in British Columbia with psychological trauma as a result of torture, political violence, and other forms of persecution on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We facilitate the healing process for 1,000 survivors of torture each year, and We facilitate the healing process for 1,000 survivors of torture each year, and their families, by providing accessible and culturally appropriate individual and group counselling and therapeutic services.

We also provide psycho-legal documentation and support refugee claimants through the asylum process, and are called in to work with Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada when their particular situation requires our support. Canada is a signatory to the UN’s Convention Against Torture (1985), and the Refugee Convention (1951), both of which oblige us to protect the rights of survivors of forced displacement, including the Right to Rehabilitation, and to provide safe haven to those who at risk of persecution. VAST is an active member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture (IRCT), the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), and the Canadian Network for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (CNSTT).

Founded on the conviction that ‘healing is an act of resistance’, for 40 years VAST has employed a province-leading model of trauma-informed mental health service provision. Our work has created and sustained a resilient, inclusive community amongst newcomers, and over More than half of our team identify as survivors themselves, and their voices are represented at all levels of our organization. We do not believe in working alone,



and our mission supports a range of advocacy and capacity building activities to strengthen BC’s mental health sector for newcomers, and encourage understanding of our work amongst government institutions.

In so doing, we relieve demand on the BC healthcare sector, especially in dense urban and more isolated rural areas of BC. VAST is more than a healthcare provider and is known throughout BC as a convener of voices with lived experience of torture and trauma, and an influential advisor to multiple levels of policy makers and practitioners. ‍ ‍ Role Summary The Social Work Lead works in close liaison with the Community Engagement Team, as well as the Clinical and Management teams. The goal is to facilitate productive access for referred individuals to the required services and resources at VAST appropriate to their situation. ‍ Full time 32 hrs/week This hybrid position requires in-office work (3 days a week) at our Vancouver/Surrey location Candidates must be local or able to commute as needed.

This position is unionized with CUPE-1936.

Salary rate: $30.08 ‍ ‍Responsibilities: ‍ Conduct intakes based on presenting issues and support Community Engagement team members in doing the same

Support leading weekly CET meetings

Train CET members on particular aspects of the clients’ database

Coordinate with settlement agency partners

Create and regularly update a comprehensive listing of resources available in the community for the Community Engagement Team members’ use

Serve as a member on interdisciplinary committees that work with our community members and professional associations

Facilitate interdisciplinary case conference meetings amongst VAST team members

Participate in providing public education on matters related to refugee mental health with community agencies, partner agencies and tertiary institutions.





Assist with reporting activities for the fundraising team to proceed in planning or developing activities to source and maintain funds for special projects for VAST, and support in reports preparation as needed. The primary need here is ensure the fundraising team has the training and is able to access the data to be able to do this reporting themselves

Establish and maintain interpersonal and cooperative relationships with prospective funders, community agencies/ partner agencies, clients and the public

Communicate with the database manager to maintain the system upgrade according to the needs and changes in the service providing procedures

Attend Clinical supervision meetings if needed

Participate in staff meetings and workshops

Perform other duties as requested ‍ As Needed Support to assess and identify the appropriateness, alignment, urgency, and complexity (with Red, Yellow, Green system) of the referred individuals’ cases to receive counselling services

Create and monitor a waiting list of the referred individuals

Facilitate decision making for and together with the Community Engagement Team members to conduct CET intake sessions in their first language or other

Collaborate with the Community Engagement Co-Lead, Clinical Supervisor and Counsellors in the allocation of clients for counselling appointments or vulnerability assessments

Coordinate with referral networks and referral partners

Support the effective integration of VAST services and team members with Health Authority and other partners, including Foundry Centers, Neighbourhood Houses, and Settlement agencies, and ensure coordination with SW teams in each location in re: referrals pathways and flow ‍ Qualifications: ‍ Master of Social Work degree

Registered Clinical Social Worker in BC

Significant Cross-cultural experience

Previous work with trauma

Ability to work in person

Preference given to candidates with some bilingual capability and some bi-cultural background or life experience

Ability to work with interpreters

Knowledge of the refugee and refugee claimant process & systems

Confident user of Google services, Confident user of CRM systems

Eligible and registered (or able to register) to provide services billable under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) - Pacific Blue Cross

📌 Social Work Lead - Full time (Vancouver)
🏢 VAST_BC
📍 Vancouver