In 1986, a small group of human rights activists and mental health workers gathered in Vancouver to support the flood of refugees arriving from the armed conflicts in South and Central America. They founded the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST), and this dedicated group of volunteers built what would become BC’s largest center for refugee mental health. Today, VAST works with refugees from over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Our programs and services are offered in over a dozen languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Dari, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. We support the mental health of refugees who arrive in British Columbia with psychological trauma as a result of torture, political violence, and other forms of persecution on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

We facilitate the healing process for over 1,000 survivors of torture each year, and their families, by providing accessible and culturally appropriate individual and group counselling and therapeutic services. We also provide psycho-legal documentation and support refugee claimants through the asylum process, and are called in to work with Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada when their particular situation requires our support. Canada is a signatory to the UN’s Convention Against Torture (1985), and the Refugee Convention (1951), both of which oblige us to protect the rights of survivors of forced displacement, including the Right to Rehabilitation, and to provide safe haven to those who at risk of persecution. VAST is an active member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture (IRCT), the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), and the Canadian Network for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (CNSTT). 

Founded on the conviction that ‘healing is an act of resistance’, for 35 years VAST has employed a province-leading model of trauma-informed mental health service provision. Our work has created and sustained a resilient, inclusive community amongst newcomers, and over More than half of our team identify as survivors themselves, and their voices are represented at all levels of our organization. We do not believe in working alone, and our mission supports a range of advocacy and capacity building activities to strengthen BC’s mental health sector for newcomers, and encourage understanding of our work amongst government institutions. In so doing, we relieve demand on the BC healthcare sector, especially in dense urban and more isolated rural areas of BC. VAST is more than a healthcare provider and is known throughout BC as a convener of voices with lived experience of torture and trauma, and an influential advisor to multiple levels of policy makers and practitioners.

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The purpose of this role is to support VAST's Community Engagement team and provide a warm, culturally appropriate, welcome to any clients interested in any of VAST's individual, group, community, or advocacy services and supports, and to coordinate with the rest of the VAST team; The Community Engagement Team Worker provides initial, basic support and information to individuals and families who are referred to VAST and connect them to the appropriate services or service providers. In collaboration with the Executive Director or the Associate Director, the Clinical team, and the Community Engagement Team Co-Leads, the Community Engagement Team Worker is responsible for connecting to clients in their first language, identifying non-clinical needs, and making referrals to other community-based support services.

The Community Engagement Team Worker - Farsi and Dari speaking also leads the Cultural Broker Capacity Building program by working in collaboration with partner organizations to oversee the development and implementation of the program. 

This position is full-time (40 hours per week). Temporary, Maternity leave posting for 4 months, with the possibility of continuing part-time afterwards.

Expected Hiring Salary: $24.08

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● Collaborate with the Community Engagement Team Co-Leads  to: 

○ Identify the clients who need to have an intake session 

○ To exchange information about the clients and clinical assignments 

● Conduct individual and small group intake sessions, that includes: 

○ Contacting the clients to complete their profile information 

○ Identify the clients’ non-clinical needs and clinical concerns

○ Provide relevant information on the services available for the newcomers and refugees in BC 

○ Make referrals to other service providers when needed 

○ Make electronic notes of client information in the database 

○ Arrange clinical session appointments

● Follow up with clients to provide support and identify further needs 

● Book, reschedule and cancel appointments

● Arrange Clients’ participation in the groups

● Train clients on communication platforms 

● Assist with holding support groups like GTI, VAST Outdoors. This includes: 

○ Assisting with preparation of the room/video conference link and the required documents 

○ Conduct interpretation before, during and after the sessions 

○ Fill out the Attendance sheet and enter the information into the database 

● Organize and Facilitate ‘Welcome to VAST’ mental health orientation sessions for Farsi and Dari speaking service providers, referral sources, prospective clients

● Translate forms, posters, documents and VAST Social Media posts in a timely manner 

● Participate in Community Engage Team meetings with the Community Engagement Team 

● Participate in Clinical Supervision when needed 

● Provide support for other VAST activities like Move & Relax and outdoor activities

● Perform other duties as requested

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Cultural Broker Program Duties

● Support the relationship with MOSAIC and ISSofBC to develop and implement the Cultural Broker Program 

● Assist with reporting, monitoring, and evaluation 

● Assist with recruitment, promotion and selection of participants 

● Stay in close communication with program participants 

● Assist with design of curriculum and program plan 

● Assist with facilitation of sessions 

● Assist with development of partnerships 

● Support the coordination of the VAST Research and Documentation Center 

● Assist with monitoring relevant literature, policies, training opportunities, and date related to VAST’s work 

● Perform other duties as requested 

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● Awareness of the Torture Rehabilitation sector and the Migration pathways in BC 

● University degree in any of medicine, public health, law, psychology, psychiatry, social work, conflict studies, migration studies, writing, sociology, anthropology 

● Experience in a welcoming role 

● Effective relationship building abilities 

● Excellent written and oral communication in both english and Farsi and Dari 

● Proven ability to communicate with individuals who have survived forced migration, war, torture, and other forms of oppression 

● Knowledge of international affairs, human rights, international humanitarian law 

● Preference will be given to candidates with lived experience 

● Experience and knowledge of other cultures and languages is a plus

● Awareness of the Torture Rehabilitation sector and the Migration pathways in BC 

● University degree in any of medicine, public health, law, psychology, psychiatry, social work, conflict studies, migration studies, writing, sociology, anthropology 

● Effective relationship building abilities 

● Excellent written and oral communication in both English and Farsi and Dari 

● Proven ability to communicate with individuals who have survived forced migration, war, torture, and other forms of oppression 

● Knowledge of international affairs, human rights, international humanitarian law 

● Direct experience and knowledge of the realities of Afghanistan and the forced migration contexts affecting vulnerable populations 

● Experience in research 

● Preference will be given to candidates with lived experience 

● Experience and knowledge of other cultures and languages is a plus