PROGRAM:
Pieces to Pathways (P2P)

HIRING:
6 positions (3 roles)

TYPE:
Paid harm reduction job training program
No experience required (we mean it)

QUALIFICATIONS:
LGBTQ2S+ identified
Between 19 – 29 years old
Lived experience with drug use (current or past)

ROLES:
1. Harm Reduction Outreach Trainee
2. Harm Reduction Education Trainee
3. Harm Reduction Kit Making Trainee

HOURS:
10 hours per week total
7 hours to be completed in person
3 hours flexible; in person or remote

 

RATE OF PAY:
$22 per hour + travel reimbursement

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
May 5th, 2023 at 11:59pm

CONTRACT:
1 year (52 weeks)

WORKING DAY(S):
Thursday afternoons
Occasional evening shifts in various locations

START DATE + SHADOW SHIFT
Thursday May 11th, 2023 from 12:00 – 7:00pm

ORIENTATION TRAINING SCHEDULE
Thursday May 18th, 2023 from 12:00 – 7:00pm
Thursday May 25th, 2023 from 12:00 – 7:00pm
Thursday June 1st, 2023 from 12:00 – 7:00pm

Please note we are not accepting any resumes or cover letters.

All applicants are asked to fill out the google form at the bottom of the page.

Please reach out to Claud (she/her) via email [email protected] if you would like a PDF copy of the job posting.

Description of roles provided below:



1. Harm Reduction Outreach Trainee (2 positions available)

The harm reduction outreach trainees will respond to requests for harm reduction supplies from various groups that serve LGBTQ2S+ young people. This includes delivering harm reduction supplies across the city to organizations, collectives, venues, and individuals. The outreach team will also conduct regular harm reduction outreach and overdose prevention at clubs, raves and parties.

Learning goals:

 

  • Practice spotting and responding to various drug-related crises such as opioid overdose, naloxone-resistant overdose, stimulant overamping and psychosis.
  • Train in current evidence-based practices for opioid overdose response— with an emphasis on trauma-informed procedures and airway resuscitation.
  • Learn more about STBBIs (sexually transmitted and blood borne infections) including transmission, prevention and treatment.
  • Examine the ongoing effects of the pandemic on drug and sexual practices of LGBTQ2S+ youth.
  • Deepen understanding of drug pharmacology, routes of administration and drug tolerance.
  • Broaden understanding of the systemic racism underlying drug criminalization and other social factors related to the ongoing drug poisoning crisis.
  • Explore real-world harm reduction outreach work in a variety of [sometimes unpredictable] settings with a diverse set of scenarios and populations.
  • Practice setting boundaries, asserting needs and advocating for worker wellness.


Deliverables
:

  • Distribute 1,000 harm reduction kits (harm reduction, sexual kits, houseless, naloxone).
  • Interview or shadow (2) harm reduction outreach workers with 5+ years of experience.
  • Conduct harm reduction outreach at (5) events (parties, raves or street-based outreach).
  • Co-facilitate (1) educational workshop related to STBBI education for LGBTQ2S+ youth.
  • Track your projects, events and kit distribution into a final portfolio and professional resume.
  • Complete all deliverables by May 9th, 2024.


2. Harm Reduction Education Trainee (2 positions available)

The harm reduction education trainees will research, develop and facilitate harm reduction workshops and group discussions for LGBTQ2S+ youth who use drugs. The education team will engage directly with community members to conduct a needs-assessment— and then develop engaging, relevant, accessible and evidence-based approaches to STBBI education.

Learning goals:

 

  • Learn more about STBBIs (sexually transmitted and blood borne infections) including transmission, prevention and treatment.
  • Deepen understanding of drug pharmacology, routes of administration and drug tolerance.
  • Broaden understanding of the systemic racism underlying drug criminalization and other social factors related to the ongoing drug poisoning crisis.
  • Expand personal capacity and tolerance to respond/problem solve when unpredictable situations occur in a group setting— i.e. discomfort, disruptions, conflict and harmful language.
  • Explore, practice and develop your own unique group facilitation style and approach.
  • Learn, grow and adapt from the feedback collected by workshop and group participants.
  • Practice setting boundaries, asserting needs and advocating for worker wellness.


Deliverables:

 

  • Attend and shadow at least (2) harm reduction outreach events alongside the outreach team.
  • Conduct (1) survey to determine topics of interest for LGBTQ2S+ youth workshop participation.
  • Research, develop and deliver (3) workshops and/or facilitated discussions on harm reduction, STBBI transmission or LGBTQ2S+ health and wellness.
  • Complete (4) workshops, trainings or certifications on a related topic and journal the experience as a participant.
  • Consolidate all the workshops you developed— along with research notes, facilitation scripts, engagement activities and participant feedback— into a final portfolio and resume.
  • Complete all deliverables by May 9th, 2024


3. Harm Reduction Kit Making Trainee (2 positions available)

The role of harm reduction kit making is to ensure our inventory of safer drug use and sexual health supplies are stocked, organized and available to meet the requests. This role has less direct interaction with people, and will primarily involve building harm reduction kits, tracking inventory, ordering supplies, and initiating projects to improve the efficiency and accessibility of our harm reduction kits.

Learning goals:

 

  • Learn more about STBBIs (sexually transmitted and blood borne infections) including transmission, prevention and treatment.
  • Familiarize with safer drug use and sexual health supplies distributed across the city.
  • Broaden understanding of systemic racism underlying drug criminalization and other social factors related to the ongoing drug poisoning crisis.
  • Train and practice using public health ordering systems, databases and tracking software.
  • Learn how to train community members on administering nasal and injectable Naloxone.
  • Deepen understanding of drug pharmacology, routes of administration, mixing substances and up-to-date information from drug checking reports.
  • Understand sharps safety protocols to prevent and respond to needlestick injuries.
  • Practice setting boundaries, asserting needs and advocating for worker wellness.


Deliverables:

 

  • Build at least 2,000 harm reduction and sexual health kits.
  • Order and organize at least (1) large harm reduction supply order from The WORKS.
  • Organize, promote and host at least (3) harm reduction kit making events/ open house events.
  • Join and participate in at least (1) Toronto-based harm reduction working group.
  • Initiate and complete at least (1) projects aimed to improve the efficiency/accessibility of the harm reduction room, supply stations or educational displays.
  • Promote access to primary healthcare services for LGBTQ2S+ youth by participating in at least (2) mobile health bus initiatives or HIV-testing events at Breakaway.
  • Complete deliverables by May 9th, 2024.