Casual Crisis Responder (Experiential) - CRCL Comox Valley

CRCL works in environments and conditions that many change quickly, including with persons who may be or become escalated. At all times, the Experiential Community Crisis Responder is expected to:

• Utilize a trauma informed approach, including with persons who are escalated and who use language or express beliefs that could be offensive or triggering for staff,
• Decenter themselves to provide care to all persons accessing our services,
• Utilize situational awareness, assessment, de-escalation, and mental health training to work safely within changing and unpredictable environments,
• Be prepared for and able to adapt to changing work environments, including:
• All kinds of weather
• For extended periods
• Within and around diverse types of substance use
• Within and around respiratory illnesses
• Within potentially hazardous dwellings
• Within unknown and unpredictable environments
• Perform in-person assessment to critically assess and determine the next course of action, including in cases where Dispatch was unable to provide detailed information,
• Remain on scene and able to critically assess, including when a situation escalates and/or requires a higher level of care,
• Professionally engage service providers, including police, ambulance, fire and healthcare providers, etc.
• Utilize ongoing assessment, rapport building and universal precautions,
• Utilize direct questions (open and closed ended), direct feedback and motivational interviewing skills

Community-Led responses to mental health and substance use related crises are a new and evolving approach to care, grounded in living knowledge and accountability to communities and individuals who use the service. As such, the Experiential Community Crisis Responder is required to:

• Be open to feedback, engage in self-reflective practices and humility,
• Understand and practice both collective and personal accountability,
• Be self-directed and able to perform all duties and professional obligations, without prompting or reminding,
• Demonstrate and engage in collaborative support and relationship building with K'ómoks First Nation Community, and its members
• Ability to support program building, public relations and events to promote CRCL program within the Comox Valley
• Adhere to all CRCL Program Policies and Practices
• Adhere to AVIs Policies and Procedures and Code of Ethics

• Strong understanding of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
• Minimum 2-3 years relevant experience, including mental health services, de-escalation and crisis response, and case management.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing lived/living expertise in service delivery and advocacy.
• Living/lived experience of systems of oppression, including criminalization of illicit and street-based substances; victimization and persecution of mental health experiences; gender-, race-based and/or experiences of othering, particularly experiences of violent and/or harmful emergency services interventions.   
• Crisis Intervention Skills, including extensive experiencing with situational awareness, mental health assessments and suicide intervention.
• Able to respectfully engage and support Indigenous relationships, with a trauma informed and decolonial lens.
• Demonstrated skills, experience, and knowledge of harm reduction and health promotion practices.
• Demonstrated practice of social justice, cultural humility, and trauma-informed approaches to care.
• Relevant or applicable training/experience in anti-racism and an analysis of colonialism and the ways in which historical and ongoing colonization impacts Indigenous People
• First aid and CPR level C  
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License with “Normal” Drivers Status  
• Driver’s Abstract (AVI will review the past year’s driving record. Drivers will need to have no suspensions or prohibitions or 1 passenger only restrictions or a Driver's Factor of 1.1 or lower)
• Employment subject to criminal record check for working with vulnerable populations

• Ability to manage hostile interactions, utilizing non-violent communication, situational awareness, and diffusing techniques.
• Emotional Resilience and ability to center the needs of the person in crisis, including persons who are angry, hostile, expressing values and beliefs that are opposed to yours/the teams.
• Humility, flexibility and self-directed
• Ability to critically assess and remain grounded in complex, changing situations.
• Ability to work mandatory overtime, to continue to provide emergency responses, where and as needed.

• Pay: $36.06/hour to start with stepped increases based on your seniority with AVI. (Pay for this role is based on the BCGEU pay grid 38) 
• Term: December 1, 2026
• Hours and Schedule:This position works a 4 week rotation and the shifts are 12 hours long. The rotation is:
  • • 4 days on, 4 days off with shifts running from 8:15 am to 8:15 pm
    • Subject to change based on operational needs of programLocation: CRCL office and throughout Comox Valley responding to crisis and in the community and where as needed, including in people’s homes, community centers and outside/with folks surviving outside.
• Weekend Shift Premium for Some Shifts: Weekend Shift Premium of an additional $0.50/hour applies to each hour worked between 00:01 hours Saturday and 24:00 hours Sunday. As such, some of the shifts of this ad may qualify for an additional $0.50/hour premium.
• Union: AVI is a union environment under the Collective Agreement: HEABC & Health Services & Support Community Subsector Association 2022-2026 and this role is a BCGEU union position.
• Pension: If you are already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan (MPP), you can continue with them at AVI immediately. At this time, AVI contributes an additional 9.31% towards your pension account. If you are not already a member of the Municipal Pension Plan, part time staff may become eligible after 2 years with AVI.
• Other Perks: This position receives Stat In Lieu, which means is paid an extra 5% in lieu of vacation 5% in lieu of stats, meaning your hourly rate is 10% higher than listed.

Hours of Work, Days Off and Work Area may be subject to change.

TO APPLY: Please click on 'Apply to position' and submit your resume and cover letter(optional) by 5pm, October 16, 2026.

AVI is committed to equity and diversity and we strongly encourage applications from, but not limited to, folks who identify as Indigenous Persons, persons of colour, racialized, persons living with a disability, persons who use/d drugs, persons with experience of sex work, persons who live with HIV and/or hepatitis C, and persons representing diverse genders and sexualities. Accommodation is available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. As AVI is a union environment, internal staff will be prioritized in the hiring process.

We would like to thank all those that apply but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.