The Integrated Youth Services Collaboration Centre (IYS-CC) is a new and unique initiative launched by Providence Health Care in partnership with the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) and in collaboration with Integrated Youth Services initiatives in Canada. The IYS-CC, while closely affilitated with Foundry, is an independent initiative and its activities are coordinated with a CAMH team of professionals.

We are seeking a Youth Engagement Specialist who will provide leadership within IYS-CC to enhance, promote, and engage youth and community participation in the planning and development of IYS-CC services and other relevant planning and policy development processes across the IYS-CC network. This position:

• oversees the development and management of the pan-Canadian youth network committee, including its role in governance;
• identifies opportunities for youth skill enhancement, provides mentoring, leadership and advocacy skills development and support to youth in the network in order to increase their comfort during and effectiveness participating in peer led activities pertaining to a specific program and/or project;
• helps facilitate and manage community and research partnerships to support enhanced engagement;
• designs, implements, evaluates and reports out on engagement activities across the IYS-CC network;
• supervises Youth and Family Engagement staff, and works with IYS-CC teams and communities in the network, in developing meaningful approaches required in developing youth engagement strategies.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in related field supplemented by three years of recent related experience in youth or community engagement and working with youth and young adults with lived and living experience with mental health and/or substance use challenges or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience in youth/community engagement. Public speaking and strong facilitation skills an asset.

Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated creativity and initiative in designing, leading and evaluating youth or community engagement projects and developing new strategic partnerships both internal and external to the organization.
• Knowledge and experience in methodologies, planning, delivery, evaluation and reporting out on community engagement and public participation.
• Knowledge of complex organizational and system dynamics in terms of involving multiple stakeholders.
• High level communication, negotiation and facilitation skills, including understanding of social media in citizen engagement. Strong writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to speak on behalf of those with lived and living experience in a constructive way.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, collaboratively, and cooperatively with groups, individuals and organizations. Builds credibility, understanding and trust in the external community to assist Foundry to meet its strategic directions.
• Knowledge of participatory community-based research, planning and analysis skills, and ability to synthesize information from a vast range of sources into practical plans and useful recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to independently determine appropriate levels of engagement with internal and external stakeholders while ensuring leadership staff are informed.
• Demonstrated project management skills.
• Demonstrated computer literacy and word-processing skills.

A competitive salary: The salary range for this position is $38.12 - $47.64 per hour, depending on experience.

Growth opportunities: We welcome individuals at all stages of their career, offering opportunities for professional development and growth.

State-of-the-art facilities:  The new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus will be the most innovative approach to the delivery of integrated care in B.C. and Canada, designed to appropriately address the future health needs of patients, families, and our communities. From hospital care to primary and community health solutions, the new St. Paul’s Hospital and health campus will continue to lead innovations in care, research, and teaching. The new St. Paul’s Hospital is expected to open in 2027.

Inclusive culture: We respect the diversity, dignity and interdependence of all persons. We value the cultural richness that our diverse workforce brings to the care of our equally diverse population of patients and residents.

Hybrid work opportunity.

Meaningful impact: Your dedication and expertise will directly impact the lives of youth struggling with mental health and substance abuse.

A comprehensive health benefits package including dental, vision, and life insurance as well as pension.

Your Day to Day:

• Supports the development of a comprehensive engagement strategy, with a focus on young people, that integrates with IYS-CC’s planning and organizational priorities, including themes related to: strategies to support relationship building, build engagement reach and youth participation, integration of engagement protocols, processes and structures for enhanced youth decision making in the design and delivery of IYS-CC research, services and supports.
• Increases the IYS-CC network’s organizational capacity to meaningfully engage with young people locally and provincially. This includes inclusion, partnership and meaningful engagement of young people in governance, decision-making processes and the design and delivery of IYS-CC services, policy and program development, research, evaluation and education. Representation of IYS-CC to communities, related stakeholders and partner organizations.
• Leads and facilitates events, working groups, workshops and meetings attended by IYS-CC staff, partners and young people. Ensures appropriate and culturally safe processes and engaged and effective two-way communication. Supports IYS-CC centres in facilitating local conversations with youth, families and partners as required.
• Creates opportunities and supports youth in IYS-CC’s research and evaluation program to attend conferences, develop leadership skills and advise on the youth engagement strategy within research and evaluation projects.
• Supervises and provides leadership to the IYS-CC Youth Peer Engagement Coordinators by being the main point of contact for all inquiries related to youth engagement within the IYS-CC network. Mentors and empowers young people with lived and living experience on IYS-CC’s YFE team.
• Leads the orientation planning of new Youth Peer Engagement Coordinators.
• Works with the Indigenous Wellness team to integrate Indigenous cultural safety and humility knowledge into work by committing to ongoing learning and self-reflection about culture and biases and their impacts on equitable access to health care for young people.
• Assists in the development of educational resources, guides and strategies to enhance IYS-CC centres’ organizational capacity to respectfully engage youth in the design and delivery of IYS-CC services and supports.
• Participates in establishing and preparing standards, policies, procedures and instructions that contribute to the effectiveness, safety and inclusivity of youth engagement.
• Supports Lead with IYS-CC Experience initiatives to create and maintain a consistent, optimal experience for young people within the IYS-CC network that is in line with the organization’s values and brand.
• Recognizes where skill development is needed within IYS-CC’s Provincial Youth Network and creates opportunities for young people across the province to acquire the skills to thrive as young leaders and advocates in their local community.
• Prepares reports, briefs, presentations, discussion and option papers and frameworks by formulating, researching, and identifying youth engagement experiences.
• Develops personal performance goals and objectives consistent with IYS-CC’s vision, mission and values and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Who We Are:

Providence Health Care is one of the largest faith-based health care organizations in Canada. For the people at Providence, living our Mission, Vision and Values means providing British Columbians with compassionate, socially just, exceptional and innovative care every day.

From our humble roots 129 years ago, Providence has grown into globally renowned research, teaching, and care organization. As individuals within a mission-driven organization, we choose to be part of Providence Health Care because we value the organization’s long commitment to social justice and compassionate care, and its commitment to the process of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

We acknowledge that Providence Health Care and the new St. Paul’s Hospital site is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.