Outreach Social Worker, Oak Tree Clinic - BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre

Outreach Social Worker, Oak Tree Clinic
BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
Vancouver, BC

The Outreach Social Worker provides social work services, including psychosocial assessments and intervention, service utilization and access to resources for patients such as designated/marginalized HIV positive women and/or youth and their families who are receiving care at Oak Tree Clinic. The Outreach Social Worker will liaise extensively with community resources and healthcare providers and provides consultation to team members and relevant community agencies regarding child welfare concerns. This position reports to the Program Manager, Oak Tree Clinic, for administrative/support issues and the Professional Practice Leader, Social Work for clinical and practice issues.

What you’ll do

• Conduct psychosocial and family assessments by methods such as interviewing the patient and family, obtaining relevant information, gathering social data regarding the patient and family and formulation of assessment and plan of intervention, in accordance with professional practice standards and clinical policies.
• Provide consultation to team members and relevant community services by assessing child welfare concerns, being knowledgeable of risk indicators and helping the identification of risk situations, provide consultation from a psycho-social perspective, and make appropriate referrals accordingly.
• Facilitate attendance of patients to the Oak Tree Clinic by escorting or accompanying them to appointments as necessary, and by offering psycho-social support. The Outreach Social Worker may assist HIV positive youth and/or marginalized women and children (including patients living in the Downtown East Side) to access other resources such as education, recreation, social supports, food and housing and provides on-going advocacy and counselling.
• Assist patients in accessing benefits or assistance as appropriate and provides assessment and planning on issues related to HIV, social determinants of health such as income security, housing, social networks, self-efficacy and self-care.
• Act in an advocacy role with government agencies (MEIA, MCFD), health care providers and landlords.
• Act as a liaison and advocate between various agencies by acting as an inter agency link. Keep Oak Tree employees current on services available and informs other agencies and clients on services Oak Tree Clinic provides.

What you bring

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work.
• Minimum one (1) year’s recent related experience working with the relevant patient population such as HIV positive women and/or youth as well as experience working with marginalized populations and First Nations people or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Current full registration with the British Columbia College of Social Workers.
• Valid BC driver’s license and be eligible for membership in car sharing.

• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the historic and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism and systemic racism on Indigenous Peoples within social and health contexts. This includes understanding how these factors contribute to current health disparities and barriers to care. Show a clear commitment to identifying, challenging, and eradicating Indigenous-specific racism and all forms of discrimination impacting equity-deserving groups within healthcare settings. This involves recognizing personal biases, institutional barriers, engaging in anti-racism education and training and advocating for systemic change.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of legislative obligations and provincial commitments within BCW contexts found in the foundational documents including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, BC Human Rights Code, Anti-racism Data Act and how they intersect across the health care system.

Core Competencies

• Brings an understanding of the Indigenous specific racism and the broader systemic racism that exists in the colonial health care structure, and has demonstrated leadership in breaking down barriers and ensuring an environment of belonging. Embed Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility into all aspects of work. This means creating an environment where Indigenous patients feel respected, valued, and understood. Foster trust through respectful communication, active listening, and honoring equity-deserving people's perspectives on health and wellness. Commit to ongoing education and training on Indigenous health issues, cultural safety, and DEI principles. Participate in workshops, cultural immersion experiences, and continuous professional development to stay informed and responsive to equity-deserving groups. Provide patient-centred care that respects Indigenous ways of knowing and healing, respects BIPOC experiences and world views ensuring that care plans are culturally relevant and holistic.
• Knowledge of social, economic, political and historical realities of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples and familiarity with addressing Indigenous-specific anti-racism, anti-racism and Indigenous Cultural Safety and foundational documents and legislative commitments (The Declaration Act, the Declaration Action Plan, TRC, IPS, Remembering Keegan, etc.).

You have the ability to:

• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of Social Work theory and practice.
• Conduct and document a comprehensive psychosocial assessment.
• Work with marginalized and culturally diverse populations including those with chemical dependency, mental illness, and HIV.
• Demonstrate listening and information seeking skills that promotes communication and lead to a cooperative approach to problem solving within a multidisciplinary setting.
• Demonstrate working knowledge and familiarity with health and social service programs for women and/or youth and families.
• Demonstrated skill in CPR techniques and First-aid.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.

• Demonstrates a commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.
• Demonstrates foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

What we bring

Every PHSA employee enables the best possible patient care for our patients and their families. Whether you are providing direct care, conducting research, or making it possible for others to do their work, you impact the lives of British Columbians today and in the future. That’s why we’re focused on your care too – offering health, wellness, development programs to support you – at work and at home.

• Join one of BC’s largest employers with province-wide programs, services and operations – offering vast opportunities for growth, development, and recognition programs that honour the commitment and contribution of all employees.
• Access to professional development opportunities through our in-house training programs, including +2,000 courses, such as our San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training course, or Core Linx for Leadership roles.
• Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including municipal pension plan, and psychological health & safety programs and holistic wellness resources.
• Annual statutory holidays (13) with generous vacation entitlement and accruement.
• PHSA is a remote work friendly employer, welcoming flexible work options to support our people (eligibility may vary, depending on position).
• Access to WorkPerks, a premium discount program offering a wide range of local and national discounts on electronics, entertainment, dining, travel, wellness, apparel, and more.

Job Type: Temporary, Part-Time (0.80 FTE until August 31, 2026)
Wage: $42.27 to $52.81 per hour
Location: 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V6H 2N9
Applications will be accepted until position is filled.
Hours of Work: Monday to Thursday; 0800-1600
Requisition Number: 187344E

What we do

BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre (BCW) is dedicated to improving the health of women, newborns and families through a comprehensive range of services, research and education.

BCW is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose.

Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCW are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

Attention current employees of PHSA: 

You must apply via your internal profile at http://internaljobs.phsa.ca.

The internal job posting expires on August 16, 2025 and will no longer be accessible. If the internal job posting has expired, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with the six-digit job requisition number and your PHSA employee ID number to be considered as a late internal applicant. Please do not apply for the external job posting.

If you have not yet set up an internal profile, please e-mail internaljobshelpu@phsa.ca with your PHSA employee ID number to obtain your temporary password. Our business hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, excluding Statutory Holidays and a Help Desk Representative will respond to you with 1-2 business days.  

If you are not a current employee of PHSA and require assistance with your application, please contact the External Careers team at careers@phsa.ca.