Peer Support Facilitator - 2SLGBTQI Health & Wellness

Job Posting

Position Title:  Peer Support Facilitator – 2SLGBTQI Health & Wellness

Employment Status: Temporary Full-time contract (6 months) with possibility of extension

Position Status: This is a Bargaining Unit position. All terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement apply.

Job Posting Deadline for Internal Candidates: December 18, 2025, at 5:00pm

Hours of Work/Schedule: 35 Hours per week (May includes some evening/Night shift)

Position Reports To: Manager, Integrated Care and Experience  

Salary Range: Annualized salary range $51,000 - $57,000, commensurate on skills and experience, plus participation in HOOPP.

Primary Work Location: Pickering, ON (with flexibility to transition or to work at other DCHC sites as required)

Organization

Durham Community Health Centre (DCHC) is a registered, charitable organization that provides integrated, accessible, and equitable community-based primary care, wellness services, and health education to Durham community members who face multiple barriers to their health and well-being.

DCHC also provides equity-based programs and services that focus on priority populations such as Indigenous, Black, the 2SLGBTQI Community, Newcomers to Canada, Seniors, and Unattached patients (i.e., those without a family doctor), to name a few. DCHC ensures Durham community members receive not only sick care, but preventive care as well.

At DCHC, we are a team-based interprofessional group of staff including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, counselors, dietitians, outreach workers, medical secretaries, and other administrative staff. We always place every client at the Centre of our approach to care, based on their needs. We address these needs through integrated clinical and wellness care and health education.

It's an exciting time to be joining DCHC, while we are embarking on an energizing path with a focus on making our biggest impact yet on local health care by diversifying, expanding, and leveraging our Strategic Plan, Theory of Change, Brand, Client Stories and Resources.

DCHC’s 2023 – 2026 Strategic Goals

• Drive Program and Service Integration and Client Experience Across All that DCHC Does
• Evolve Program Offerings to Improve Health Equity and Meet the Needs of DCHC’s Priority Populations
• Establish DCHC as a System Advocate and Champion for Equity
• Enhance DCHC’s Brand and Awareness Across Durham Region
• Become an Employer of Choice with a Focus on Recruitment, Retention, and Development

Position Overview

The Peer Support Facilitator will integrate their personal lived experience with gender-diverse healthcare to contribute insight, support, and leadership to services offered by Durham Community Health Centre’s 2SLGBTQI Health & Wellness program.

Working as a valued member of the Gender Care Team, the Peer Support Facilitator will offer peer-based support, advocacy, and system navigation assistance to clients exploring or affirming their gender identity. This role is pivotal in fostering a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment where clients feel empowered and supported throughout their journey.

The Peer Support Facilitator will also bring essential lived experience to inform service delivery, guide program design, and help shape the evolution of DCHC’s future hub-space model for 2SLGBTQI Health & Wellness.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one peer support to individuals navigating gender identity and gender expression, offering empathetic listening, guidance, mentorship, and emotional support.
• Facilitate support groups focused on gender-diverse experiences, fostering a safe, inclusive space for sharing and peer connection.
• Share personal lived experiences, where appropriate, to offer insights and peer-led encouragement.
• Assist clients in accessing healthcare, mental health, and community services related to gender-affirming care.
• Advocate for client needs by building bridges between community members and healthcare services, increasing trust and engagement.
• Contribute lived experience to program design and planning, ensuring services are reflective of client needs and community realities.
• Represent the 2SLGBTQI Health & Wellness program at community events, outreach activities, and advocacy initiatives.
• Collaborate with the broader gender care team to promote comprehensive, gender-affirming care and cultural safety.
• Participate in ongoing training, supervision, and professional development opportunities to strengthen peer support skills.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries at all times.

Qualifications

• 2-year Diploma in Social Services / Mental Health and Addictions or similar.
• Strong understanding of the needs, challenges, and barriers facing transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals in healthcare and social service systems.
• Demonstrated personal lived experience navigating gender identity and/or gender-affirming care is required.
• Minimum 2 years of program planning and delivery experience.
• Peer Support Training Certificate is an asset.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and active listening skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within an interprofessional team environment.
• Effective organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to remain flexible, self-reflective, empathetic, and supportive in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and create a safe space for peer sharing and support.
• Experience facilitating peer support groups or educational sessions is an asset.
• Experience working with service users or community organizations is an asset.

Key Competencies

• Strong communicator
• Collaborative team player
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Adaptability to changing priorities and client needs
• Strong time management and organizational skills
• Crisis management and problem-solving abilities
• Empathy and a client-centered approach
• determine priorities.

Full vaccination against COVID-19 is mandatory for this position (DCHC will however adhere to its duty to accommodate those who are unable to be fully vaccinated for a reason related to a human right protected ground).

Application Process:

1. While we thank all applicants for their interest in applying, only those qualified and considered for an interview will be contacted. All applicant submissions will be kept on file for six months, for future consideration.
2. All applicants are encouraged to provide a valid email address for communication purposes. Applicants may receive written correspondence regarding this job posting directly to the email address provided on their resume. As an applicant, it is your responsibility to ensure that you check your email regularly.
3. All positions are subject to the successful completion of the following pre-employment conditions for all external hires: Reference Checks; and Criminal Background checks (including Vulnerable Sector Screening).
4. Please be advised that AI Technology supports the screening process of applications. All final hiring decisions are made by our recruitment team.

Durham Community Health Centre (DCHC) is committed to creating an inclusive environment that welcomes and celebrates diversity so that all employees have the opportunity to thrive.  DCHC will comply with all applicable standards as set out in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code, and any other applicable legislation.  Accessibility: If you have accessibility needs and require alternate formats or other accommodation, please contact our Talent and Culture team at 905-723-0036, or by email to [email protected].