About Sanguen Health Centre
Sanguen Health Centre exists to improve individual and community well-being by providing health and social care for people who face barriers to accessing traditional supports. This includes people living with HCV, people who use drugs, those experiencing homelessness and equity deserving communities.
Our vision is to create a future where everyone in our community is empowered, accepted, and cared for in the way they need to thrive.
Summary of the Role
As a member of the Primary Care team, the Outreach Worker collaborates with a Nurse and Prescriber to support the social and health care goals of individuals who are at increased risk of experiencing substance use related harms, poverty, and other vulnerable conditions. The Outreach Worker assists in the provision of direct, client-centered care mostly in outreach locations from the Sanguen Primary Care Bus. The Outreach Worker provides ongoing support, harm reduction education, system navigation, and advocacy while building strong relationships with participants of the program.
Responsibilities
- Support clients with system navigation, such as with food security, OW/ODSP/Emergency Drug Benefits, probation, identification.
- Provide emergency care (e.g. initiating CPR) or other conditions as required.
- Contribute to individual participant care plans across an interdisciplinary team.
- Provide complex case management
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team, including external providers within the circle of care, to assist with quality improvement and development of creative strategies to meet client needs, for individual clients as well as at a program level.
- Advocate for individual clients needs to ensure access to care, follow-up and resources from both an individual and system level.
- Maintain accurate and timely electronic records of interactions with participants.
- Complete evaluations with participants at Sanguen as appropriate.
- Develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external service providers, community groups, other agency representatives, and community members.
- Work in satellite clinic spaces and support clients in the community in the Region of Waterloo.
- Contribute to the onboarding and mentorship of Sanguen employees as appropriate.
- Participate in program and organizational meetings and adhere to actions as per internal organizational policies and protocols.
- All other administrative duties as appropriate.
- Collaborate and coordinate outreach activities with the team to enhance community engagement.
- Provide ongoing engagement to participants in need of support that may not be health driven.
- Provide appointment accompaniment with participants of the program.
- Support participants with attending appointments (appointment reminders, taxis).
- Liaise and collaborate with outreach and primary care team members on client health care related needs.
- Connect clients to health or social support where possible.
- Facilitate connections to other harm reduction programming such as the Drop-In, Community Health Van, etc.
- Share knowledge of relevant social, health and treatment services for people who actively use substances and work to facilitate connections to these services.
- Other tasks as required.
Qualifications
- Sensitivity to the needs of individuals seeking healthcare services and understanding of confidentiality requirements in a health care setting.
- Demonstrated ability to approach patients with a calming and non-judgmental demeanor.
- Effective communication skills for patient interactions and team collaboration.
- Demonstrated ability to empathize with individuals facing health-related barriers or challenges, showing compassion, and understanding.
- Committed to maintaining excellent personal and professional boundaries while providing accepting, non-judgemental services and support.
- Knowledge of the Social Determinants of Health and their impact on people who use drugs.
- Flexibility and Resilience: Adaptability to work in a dynamic and sometimes unpredictable environment, demonstrating resilience and maintaining a positive attitude. Flexibility to meet the needs of the program and community needs.
- Knowledge of relevant and local social, health, and treatment services available to people who use drugs (i.e.- Ontario Works, Ontario Disability, Consumption and Treatment Services, Legal Aid, Identification Clinics etc.).
- Experience working with people who use drugs, as service users and as colleagues.
- Experience working with Indigenous peoples or BIPOC communities, people who engage in sex work, people involved with the criminal justice system, and/or people living with mental health illness.
- Strong knowledge and experience with practices based in harm reduction values and philosophy, an asset.
- Proficiency in using Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software and basic computer literacy, an asset.
- Knowledge and understanding of substance use and overdose response.
- Demonstrated ability in conflict management and interpersonal relations.
- Ability to work collaboratively within and across teams, developing and maintaining positive relationships with service providers.
- Ability to work collaboratively within a diverse team and to adapt to dynamic outreach environments.
- Possess a valid driver’s license (G) with a clear driving abstract.
- Maintain a valid driver’s license, access to a reliable personal vehicle and adequate insurance for work-related travel.
- Willingness to be trained to drive the bus.
In addition, this position requires:
- Have emergency first aid (or equivalent) and BLS (Health Care Provider level preferred).
- As part of our commitment to the health and safety of our staff and community from COVID-19, subject to any accommodation required by applicable human rights legislation, Sanguen Health Centre requires that all staff have received all required doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada.
Hours and Location of Work
Working hours will be 30 hours per week (0.75 FTE), primarily daytime hours Monday through Friday, with the possibility of occasional weekend and evening hours as demanded by the nature of the work.
The primary place of work will be 29 Young St. E., Waterloo, providing outreach service via the Sanguen Primary Care Bus to the surrounding areas within the Region of Waterloo. Regular travel is required within the Region of Waterloo.
Compensation and Other Perks
- This is a salaried position of $43,680-$46,800 annually (equivalent to $28-$30/hour)
- 4 weeks’ vacation which accrues biweekly (pro-rated to FTE).
- A comprehensive Employee Benefits package upon successful completion of the probationary period.
- 15 paid sick days per calendar year.
Sanguen Health Centre is committed to developing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and work environment. Should you require any accommodation, please inform us and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs. For any accessibility-related assistance, requests for information in accessible alternative formats or to report any accessibility problems, please share in your application or email [email protected], referencing the job post ID number (2026-09).
Sanguen Health Centre is committed to building an environment where everyone feels heard, welcomed and included. Sanguen is a proud equal opportunity workplace that is committed to providing equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.
Pay: $28.00-$30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Paid time off
- Vision care
Licence/Certification:
- G-class Driver's License (required)
- car insurance for work purposes (required)
Work Location: In person
