JOB POSTING: HARM REDUCTION WORKER
Substance is a multidisciplinary, community-engaged, drug checking project housed at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) at the University of Victoria, located on the territories of the ləkʷəŋən peoples including the Songhees, Xʷsepsəm (Esquimalt) and WSÁNEĆ Nations. Substance provides drug checking and community reporting through a primary service hub in Victoria, as well as via outreach, community events, and distributed sites on Vancouver Island. The project also includes a significant research component that includes faculty and students in Chemistry, Social Work, Computer Science, Nursing, and Public Health and Social Dimensions of Health. To learn more about Substance: https://substance.uvic.ca/
JOB SUMMARY
Reporting to the Service Coordinator, and the Principal Investigators as required, the Harm Reduction Worker engages as part of the multidisciplinary Substance staff team to provide delivery of on-site drug checking services. Based at the primary service hub in Victoria, the Harm Reduction Worker utilizes harm reduction, evidence-based practice, and strong ethics to share information and provide tools (eg. safer drug use kits, naloxone kits, etc) to support safer drug use and to reduce risks associated with the social policies that cause harm to people who use drugs. The Harm Reduction Worker contributes to the intake, documentation, tracking, and reporting of drug checking results, and utilizes relationship-building skills grounded in harm reduction and social justice to build and maintain trust and connection with people accessing our services. The Harm Reduction Worker works in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, and project values to help maintain a safe and equitable workplace.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Engages with service users and community members, utilizing active listening skills and a non‐judgmental attitude, to provide harm reduction information, tools, and strategies for safer drug use.
- Conducts intakes with new service users including discussion of informed consent, privacy, drug checking instruments, and limitations of results.
- Maintains updated working knowledge of current drug use and market trends, local drug checking results, and harm reduction messaging to enable informed, non-judgmental discussions with service users.
- Conducts drug checking with immunoassay test strips, including safe handling and disposal procedures.
- Prepares samples and keeps track of sample queue for spectrometry drug checking by technicians.
- Communicates drug checking results and related harm reduction information to service users in-person and by phone.
- Contributes to monitoring trends and public reporting of drug checking information with the Substance team.
- Stocks and assembles harm reduction tool kits for safer drug use, including print materials and a wide variety of supplies.
- Provides information regarding prevention and response to medical emergencies such as signs of overdose, including reduced or absent respiration and prolonged sedation.
- Provides naloxone education and kits including information on how to administer injectable and nasal naloxone and referral to provincial naloxone training resources (as appropriate)
- Coordinate outreach collaboration with SOLID and other partner agencies for reduced barrier drug checking access
- Connect participants with other relevant local community resources and maintain relevant resource board at our site
- Support onsite crisis deescalation and response including accessing additional community supports as required
- Contributes to a safe workplace by following protocols related to injury prevention and critical incidents including overdose response, etc.
- Contributes to a positive, respectful, clean environment at the Service hub.
- Writes daily shift reports and attends regularly scheduled one-to-one and team meetings.
- Contributes to team knowledge translation activities (eg. production of info sheets, infographics, data cleaning, staff training, blog, and report writing, etc) as time permits.
- Contributes to knowledge sharing with collaborators, community partners, and students to promote a harm reduction framing of substance use, in accordance with the values of respect, social justice and personal autonomy that guide Substance’s work.
- Contributes to the research goals of the project by helping to identify questions and considerations that emerge in drug checking practice.
- Mentors undergraduate/practicum students who rotate through the service, and support their orientation and learning goals.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Ability to identify drugs and engage in discussion regarding benefits, risks, methods of use and implications of social factors such as prohibition, criminalization, etc.
- High comfort level initiating conversation with others and ability to build respectful rapport, using non-violent, and trauma-informed communication, with individuals who face systemic violence and trauma.
- Ability to remain neutral, non-judgmental, and professional when interacting with individuals who experience marginalization due to systemic violence and trauma.
- Ability to uphold confidentiality and clear personal boundaries, and ability to support others to do the same.
- Knowledge and experience of harm reduction practice and principles, including working social justice understanding and analyses around anti-racism, decolonization, drug-related stigma, ableism, homophobia, and transphobia.
- Demonstrates understanding of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, including how colonial policies and systems contribute to substance use-related harms, health inequities, and barriers to accessing care and services
- Ability to use tact, self-awareness, and sound judgment in situations that may be complex or urgent, including critical incidents.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills including the ability to work with team members to prioritize work and meet deadlines.
- Ability to work collaboratively with other team members and ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Strong oral and written communication skills are required to work effectively with other staff, service users, community members, and other service providers.
- Proficiency with standard computer programs (e.g. Zoom, Word, Excel, Outlook, Slack).
- Positive approach, flexible, resourceful, and enjoys working in a dynamic and relational workplace.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Degree in Social Work, Health or Social Sciences, or related field is preferred, equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience will be considered.
- Knowledge and experience conducting drug checking and interpreting results, including use of immunoassay test strips and infrared spectrometry, is an asset.
- Experience working with people who use drugs and/or other marginalized populations.
- Relevant training/experience in anti-racism, decolonization, cultural safety and humility, trauma-informed practices, etc is an asset.
- Experience utilizing non-violent communication and diffusing/de-escalation strategies from a trauma informed lens.
- Strong awareness and understanding of harm reduction philosophy with preference given to those with direct experience working in a harm reduction setting.
- Working knowledge of drugs, local drug use, current drug use and market trends, local community services and the ongoing crisis of toxic drug deaths.
- Personal lived/living experience accessing harm reduction services and/or accessing services designed to meet the needs of people who use substances is an asset.
- Interest in, and knowledge of, health equity, harm reduction, and social justice.
- Current First Aid training and experience responding to critical incidents, including opioid overdoses (rescue breathing, administration of naloxone) is an asset. Training provided as needed.
- Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position and operate related equipment.
POSITION DETAILS
Pay: Hourly salary ranges from $33 - $35/hour based on experience and education
Hours: Full-time 1.0FTE (35 hours per week)
Schedule: Monday to Friday 11:45am-7:15pm, with some exceptions for meetings, festivals or other community events.
Term: Starting immediately or as soon as possible. Position renews March 31, 2027, subject to funding.
Location: This position is based at Substance’s Service hub in the North Park neighbourhood, on ləkʷəŋən territories (otherwise known as the City of Victoria). Other work locations include but are not limited to the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) at the University of Victoria, and at community partner locations such as supported housing sites, overdose prevention sites, etc.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested applicants should forward their cover letter and CV/resume, or direct any questions, to Bruce Wallace at [email protected]. Please use subject line: Harm Reduction Worker Application. Applications will be accepted until July 22, 2026 or until filled.
It is beneficial to identify in the cover letter if you have lived/living expertise relevant to the position. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Thank you for your interest!
EQUITY AND DIVERSITY STATEMENT
UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across levels of power. We actively encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity. Read UVic’s full equity statement here: https://www.uvic.ca/equity/employment-equity/statement/index.php
Pay: $33.00-$35.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
