YWHO Peer Support Navigator

ABOUT US
York Hills is a children and youth mental health agency that offers a wide range of mental health services, supports and partnerships providing meaningful and evidence informed/based treatment to children, and youth, aged 0 to 18 years, and their families.

To learn more about us, including our mission, vision and values please visit our website https://www.yorkhills.ca

BENEFITS:
• Full extended health and dental, life insurance, EAP, LTD and RRSP plan.
• Generous paid time-off includes vacation, sick and float days.
• Opportunity to contribute to the building and establishment of the new York Region Youth Wellness Hub.
• Commitment to employee development through internal and external training and development opportunities.

ABOUT THE ROLE
Reporting to the Youth Wellness Hub York Region Manager, the Peer Support Navigator will be part of a diverse Youth Wellness Team, providing support to youth aged 12 to 25, experiencing mental health, substance use and/or other challenges. The primary focus of this role will involve providing emotional and practical support including working with youth to navigate the full scope of community resources available to them within the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario (“YWHO” or “Hub”) and the broader community to help support their continuity of care. The Peer Support Navigator will utilize their personal experience with mental health and/or substance use to relate to youth and support them in determining their unique goals and service needs. The role will contribute to program development and outreach activities related to the Hub’s clinical services, skills & well-being activities and community support services, including participating in outreach activities, drop-in activities and one-on-one mentorship. The Peer Support Navigator will contribute to co-creating a welcoming space for youth and work collaboratively with staff and external partners.

Employment Status: Permanent Full-Time

Location: This role will initially be based at 402 Bloomington Road (Aurora), with a planned transition to 9401 Jane Street (Maple) in summer 2025. Flexibility between York Hill sites will be required during the transition period, including travel within York Region.

Hours of Work: Thirty-five (35) hours per week, including evenings and some weekend work may be required.

Salary Range: $58,294 to $61,842

A LOOK AT YOUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Create, engage and maintain a developmentally appropriate, non-judgmental, non-stigmatizing, safe, and welcoming hub atmosphere for youth accessing services.
• Connect, engage and work with clients on an individual basis, including their families/caregivers, to better understand their service needs and goals through an individual and/or group facilitator approach.
• As part of a multidisciplinary team, provide support to youth, their families, and caregivers. that is consistent with the YWHO model and values.
• Provide informal counselling and support, including sharing about lived experience as it relates to addictions and mental health on an individual basis or in a group setting.
• Support a seamless experience of care for youth and families/caregivers, including the transition between various service pathways internal to the Hub Network (e.g., Skills and Well-being, Community & Social Support, Clinical Services), including linking youth to resources in the community.
• Provide care coordination and community-based support to youth with a number of care providers, including case conferencing to ensure strong communication among care teams.
• Work collaboratively with the youth wellness hub team to provide support to youth, ages 12 to 25, as it relates to mental health and addictions.
• Support the use of YWHO standardized measures when working with youth to provide mental health and substance use services, monitor progress, and improve youth outcomes that focus on measurement-based care.
• Accompany youth to appointments and provides a warm transfer support to youth referred to services both in YWHO-York Region and service providers in the community.
• Provide hybrid access to services through community outreach, on-site and virtually (as needed).
• Promote and encourage youth engagement and positive youth development in care planning and establishes goals by fostering therapeutic relationships.
• Develop promotional and workshop materials for peer support groups.
• Develop strong relationships with community services to build referral pathways for youth looking for specific services and supports such as housing, education, financial supports, employment, legal, basic needs, mental health, substance use, and physical health.
• Facilitate social and recreational activities, both within the Hub and community-based outings (e.g. gyms, community centers, land-based programming) as needed.
• Participate in presentations to schools and community service organizations.
• Provide individual mentorship and coaching to youth that support the navigation of mental health system(s).
• Assist in the planning, outreach and co-facilitation of skill well-being activities and drop-in programming.
• Assist with program evaluation activities and supports the development of program reviews as needed.
• Attend team meetings as required and contributes to integrated care planning for youth.
• Complete documentation of client interactions and timely completion of data entry, case notes and other electronic records as needed.

• Participate in community network meetings and community engagement such as outreach in community and schools.
• Provide hybrid access to services through community outreach, on-site and virtually (as needed).
• Participate in YWHO Provincial Community of Practice for Peer Support Worker and YWHO Provincial Community of Practice for Care Navigator role.
• Support and attend Youth Advisory Council as needed.
• Work from a harm reduction and culturally responsive approach.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Don’t check all the boxes? We encourage you to apply anyway!

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
• Completion of a post-secondary diploma/degree in Child and Youth Care, Social Work, Psychology, Addictions and Mental Health or relevant health and social science field.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience working with children and youth in a community-based mental health/substance use setting.
• Lived/living experience as a young person with mental health and/or substance use challenges, which may include experience as a recipient of mental health and/or substance use services, is required.
• Knowledge of community resources and services in York Region.
• Demonstrated ability to relate to young people accessing services from a peer perspective and can work within a multidisciplinary health care team.
• Formalized peer support work experience and experience supporting/connecting with diverse youth is an asset.
• Familiarity with system navigation models and principles, an asset.
• Strong self-awareness, self-care practices and can establish and maintain professional relationships with youth accessing peer services.
• Knowledge of approaches that promote health equity, including anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice, 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion, community engagement, cultural safety, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and human rights and accessibility frameworks.
• Experience in supporting safe and meaningful drop-in participation and being open to diverse ways of thinking about, understanding and articulating issues related to mental health and substance use is an asset.
• Commitment towards completion of training in Peer Support and/or Recovery.
• Knowledge of Wellness Recovery Action Planning and experience belonging to groups, agencies or organizations related to peer support would be an asset.
• Superior interpersonal, collaboration, facilitation, and negotiation skills.
• Competence in modelling professionalism and maintaining a high level of confidentiality.
• Demonstrate versatility in the ability to work independently and collaboratively to support agency and program goals.
• Experience utilizing suicide risk assessment and intervention skills.
• A willingness to work flexible hours which include evenings and some weekend work; comfortable working in office and in community-based settings.
• Experience developing and facilitating groups, webinars and workshops.
• Functional technological skills (e.g., Office 360, MS Office, SharePoint, software applications).
• Awareness and appreciation for the dynamics of equity issues (diversity, equity and inclusion) especially as it relates to gender, ethnicity, race, and economic status.

• Identification with the strategic mission, vision and values of the organization including inclusion, collaboration, people-centred, knowledgeable and courageous.
• Driver’s licence and clear driver’s abstract, including proof of automobile insurance.
• Must possess a satisfactory Police Record Check.

NICE TO HAVES:
• Applicants with fluency in another language are encouraged to apply.
• Fluency in American Sign Language.
• Standard First Aid Certificate.
• Mental Health First Aid Certificate.

ON-BOARDING REQUIREMENTS:
• A Vulnerable Sector Screening Check (within the last 180 days).
• Valid Ontario Driver’s License and access to a reliable motor vehicle.
• Completion of a Driver’s Abstract.
• Proof of automobile insurance.

HOW TO APPLY:
York Hills is strongly committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the populations we serve. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including applicants from all cultures, racialized communities, abilities, diverse sexual and gender identities and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

York Hills is committed to building a diverse, inclusive, accessible and respectful workplace. We believe in cultivating a selection process and employment environment without discrimination or harassment, that is inclusive and barrier free.

York Hills is an Equal Opportunity Employer and in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, should you require a code-protected accommodation, through any stage of the recruitment and selection process, please contact Human Resources.

We encourage you to reflect upon the diversity you would bring to this role within your application.

Please submit your cover letter and resume to our online portal on the York Hills website (see URL below) by July 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those under consideration will be contacted.