At House of Friendship, we believe in what we are doing. We get out of bed each day to make a difference in our community; to walk with and to serve. We are not happy with the status quo. We get energy from ongoing learning and growth. We lead with passion and believe without a doubt that everyone deserves to belong and thrive. We live and breathe our values of Compassion, Inclusion, Justice, Dignity and Hope. And we have fun

Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? It is

We are hiring for an individual to join our Addiction Services, Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic program team as a Peer Worker. The Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic is a walk-in clinic for those concerned with their substance use and seeking support. We provide low-barrier, quick access to addiction medicine providers, addiction counsellors and peer workers for individuals looking to explore or make changes to their substance use. Peer Workers are the first point of contact for individuals accessing RAAM and share their own, personal, lived experience with substance use and recovery as a means of providing support and connecting with others experiencing similar challenges.

This is a permanent, part-time position with paid personal days and vacation pay. Schedule is every other weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Option to pick up additional shifts throughout the week as needed and as available. Successful completion of a Police Records Check (Vulnerable Sector) required pre‑employment.

Key Responsibilities

- Greet and welcome participants, build rapport, and create a comfortable and judgement‑free atmospherewhilemaintainingappropriate professionalboundaries




- Frontline de‑escalation and conflict resolutionto supportindividuals experiencingchallenges related to mental health and addiction
- Willingness to sharepersonal journey with addictionandrecoveryinacommon areaon an ongoing basis
- Manageindividualcaseload(average 6-10 participants), providing individual and system‑navigation support; this may involve actively supporting participants with enteringother programs
- Act as a role model forself careand self‑awareness
- Usea person‑centered approach to provide participants withappropriate informationon resources in the community
- Work with/have access to confidential material andmaintaincompliance with Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA)
- Facilitate completion of urinary drug screening
- Work as partofan interdisciplinaryteam, supportingthe participant process, advocating for participants needs,etc.
- Participationand involvement in other programs, AddictionServicesand broader agency activities. Building andmaintainingrelationships with other programs and organizations within the community

Job Specific Knowledge/Skills

- Sensitivity to and knowledge of issues relating to andimpactingon all genders and marginalized populations
- Strong understanding of interpersonal skills and the ability to engage in meaningful conversationsto develop rapport with individuals who usesubstancesusing a strength‑based approach




- Demonstrated capacity foraccurateand efficient documentation and computer data entry
- Demonstrated ability to calmly problem‑solve in a fast‑paced, sometimes stressful setting
- Strongcommunicationandlistening skills
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team
- Commitment to understand and uphold the mission and values of House of Friendship is expected.
- Commitment to and understanding of the Core Values of Peer Support and the Peer Support Code of Conduct
- Ability to accept and apply feedback and take initiative
- Extensive knowledge of community resources, service and support programs/groups, and barriers participants face in accessing them
- Commitmentto ongoing professional development and training

Education/Experience

- Minimum College Diploma or University Degree in related field of studyrequired(i.e. social services, social work, addictions, mental health, community development etc.)
- Peer Support Certification would be considered an asset
- Has had lived experience with substance useand addiction
- Knowledge and understanding of the complexities of substances, problematic substanceuseandrecovery orientedinterventionsrequired
- Experiencewithor strong interest in working with diverse populations including people from various cultural backgrounds, income levels, and sensitivity to their needs
- Experience with and commitment to using an anti‑racism, anti‑oppressive and trauma informedapproach to consultation, program design, evaluations of processes and service delivery

Critical Skills

- Comfort sharingpersonal experienceswith others to inspire hope
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📌 Peer Worker (Kitchener)
🏢 House of Friendship of Kitchener
📍 Kitchener