Positive Wellness Program

Internal/External

POSITION TITLE: Drop In Worker

CATEGORY: Casual

DEPARTMENT: Positive Wellness Program - Victoria

SUPERVISOR: Manager- Positive Wellness Program

WAGE RATE: $18.95/hr

HOURS: Generally 9:30am-1:30pm, Monday to Friday. We do not anticipate a large number of shifts as this is for holiday and sick leave replacement.
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JOB SUMMARY

Under the direct supervision of the Manager, or designate, the Drop-In Worker is responsible for the provision and delivery of direct services to persons living with HIV/AIDS in the Victoria area. This position provides supervision and support for a drop-in and hot meal program.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

1. Advocates on behalf of clients with various Ministries and agencies to ensure clients receive maximum information and support.

2. Provides advocacy to clients by working with them on issues such as housing, medical, legal and other support agencies.

AVI clients and staff held a workshop in September with an attendance of fourteen clients. We filled cedar boxes with dirt, spring bulbs and winter pansies. Everyone had a lot of fun. If you're interested in purchasing one of the flower boxes, contact Kealey or Kristen at AVI.

The Project

AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI) has a vision for our neighbourhood and for our clients. We envision all our neighbours, including businesses, property owners, and non-profits, working together towards a more beautiful neighbourhood. A neighbourhood in which we all take pride.

Our Community Beautification Project involves beautifying our neighbourhood with flowers, in cedar boxes and hanging baskets. The area for the first stage of the project includes a beautification of Amelia and Cormorant Streets.

Our clients are involved in the filling, watering and maintenance of the flower boxes and baskets in our agency's back lot. In the future, clients will be involved in the construction of the boxes.

Clients can be hired to maintain, through watering and pruning, the flowers through the summer months. Clients can also do re-planting twice a year, in the spring and the fall.

In other communities, with similar projects, community attitudes and behaviours change as people start to take ownership and pride in their neighbourhood. One of the positive aspects of this is peer policing in which peers are directly involved in the prevention of damage to the area.

Another important aspect of this project is the personal benefit to our clients. The Community Beautification Project provides a unique service by employing people who are marginalized. The majority live with unstable housing and in poverty. They face multiple barriers in their lives on a daily basis. This honourarium-based "employment” adds stability to their lives.

Even with all these barriers, people come forward to be volunteers. In our off-site syringe pickup program, volunteers experience positive rewards in their lives, including receiving positive comments from the public. We want to duplicate this experience for our clients with the Community Beautification Project.

This project will provide an opportunity for change. With the added self-esteem and confidence of being involved in this project, our clients may change their perception about themselves and envision possibilities for change in their lives. This will, in turn, change our neighbourhood and our relationship with our neighbours, for the better.

AIDS Vancouver Island gratefully acknowledges

support for this program from the:

AIDS VANCOUVER ISLAND

POSITION TITLE: Manager, Positive Wellness Program

DEPARTMENT: Positive Wellness

SUPERVISOR: Coordinator, Facility and Information Management

BARGAINING UNIT: Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association

CLASSIFICATION: Program Coordinator 2 – GRID 13
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JOB SUMMARY

Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator, Facility and Information Management, or designate, the Manager is responsible for the client and support services offered by AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI) to individuals, families, friends and partners affected and effected by HIV/AIDS and HCV. The Manager supervises the work of all departmental staff including clinical supervision in Victoria, Duncan and Nanaimo, and PWP practicum students and volunteers at the Victoria site.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

1. Based on the agency wide strategic plan, and working in cooperation and collaboration with stakeholders, the Manager is responsible for the development, promotion, implementation and evaluation of AVI’s Positive Wellness Program. In developing new initiatives the Manager will consider client needs, potential impact and cost effectiveness. A Framework of the Social Determinates of Health will be used in developing new initiatives.