Standing Together: Honoring Lives, Breaking Stigma – International Overdose Awareness Day 2023

On International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD), our hearts echo with empathy and determination as we gather to remember, reflect, and recommit to supporting our community. IOAD stands as a poignant reminder of the lives lost to overdose, and a call to action to address this crisis with compassion.

In the tapestry of our ACB community in the Greater Toronto Area, the theme of this year’s IOAD, “Recognizing those people who go unseen,” resonates deeply. We understand that behind every statistic is a story, and behind every struggle is a person deserving of care, understanding, and hope.

At Black CAP, our commitment to Harm Reduction and support remains unwavering. We tirelessly strive to break down the barriers that often keep individuals from seeking help, and to create spaces where they can share their experiences without fear or judgment. We recognize that the impact of overdose reaches far beyond the individual; it touches families, friends, and communities. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing resources, education, and a supportive network to everyone affected.

As we commemorate this day, we stand in solidarity with all those who have been touched by overdose. We honour the memories of those who have left us too soon, and we offer our unwavering support to those who continue to fight their battles. Together, let’s amplify our voices against stigma, advocate for comprehensive support systems, and create a world where every individual’s journey towards healing and recovery is met with empathy and respect.

We invite you to join us in this ongoing journey, as we work to empower our community, lift the unseen voices, and strive for a future free from overdose and its devastating consequences. Your support, your stories, and your resilience inspire us every day. 

Eno Akan-Essien, Interim Executive Director

Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention

Art of Awareness (Youth Edition): Expressing Stories Through Creativity

We welcome you to the “Art of Awareness” event, a unique and empowering gathering designed to give voice to the experiences and emotions of the African, Caribbean & Black (ACB) community. Through the transformative power of art, we aim to create a safe and open space where individuals can freely express their stories, particularly those related to substance use and its impact.

Why It Matters In the ACB community, stories of loss, resilience, and strength often go unheard or unnoticed. The “Art of Awareness” event aims to change that by providing a platform for creative expression. Art has the remarkable ability to transcend words and connect people on a deeper level. It allows us to share our journeys, confront challenges, and find healing together. By sharing our experiences through art, we not only raise awareness about the impact of substance use but also stand against stigma and isolation.

What to Expect Join us for an inspiring afternoon of self-expression and community connection. Our event will feature a variety of art supplies and materials, enabling you to choose the medium that best resonates with your story. Whether it’s through painting, drawing, or any other form of artistic expression, you’ll have the freedom to create something truly meaningful. Engage in guided activities that encourage you to explore your emotions and experiences while surrounded by a supportive and understanding environment.

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Time: 12 PM – 4 PM

Location: HQ Toronto, 790 Bay St. #820, Downtown Toronto

How to Participate Participation in the “Art of Awareness” event is open to all members of the ACB community who wish to share their stories through art. The event is free, and art supplies will be provided. Simply register by submitting this form (click here) to secure your spot.*

Limited spots available.

Join us at Trans Beach Day: A Day of Fun, Sun, and Solidarity!

Date: Friday, 1 September 2023
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Meeting Point: Toronto Island Ferries, 11 Queens Quay W, Toronto
Ferry Tickets: Provided upon boarding together.

Dive into a day of joy, connection, and celebration at Black CAP’s Trans Beach Day! This special event is dedicated to Transwomen, Transmen, and Non-binary individuals, offering a safe and inclusive space to come together, enjoy the beach, and create unforgettable memories.

Event Details:
Our meeting point is Toronto Island Ferries, 11 Queens Quay W, Toronto, at 4 pm. Ferry tickets will be provided upon boarding. Come ready for an evening of fun and relaxation by the water.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to celebrate our diverse community, build connections, and enjoy a day at the beach like no other. Register now to secure your spot! [Registration Link]

Let’s make Trans Beach Day a day to remember. We can’t wait to see you there!

JOB POSTING: Mental Health Peer Navigator

Position Type: Part-time
Supervised by: Mental Health Coordinator
Hourly rate: $23 per hour
Department: Support 
Days per week: 3 (22.5 hours per week)
Years of Experience: 1 year
Duration: 18 months

 The Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) is a non-profit, community-based organization that serves Toronto’s diverse African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities. The mission of the agency is to reduce the transmission of HIV within Toronto’s Black communities while enhancing the quality of life of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Our approach to services recognizes that holistic approaches are required as we work with people who are living with, or at risk for, HIV. Black CAP is an inclusive space that provides services to a diverse ACB population that includes newcomers, LGBTQ communities, youth, and other at-risk populations. Operating in downtown Toronto, we are supported by a broad range of government and foundation funders. As an employer we also offer competitive compensation, a comprehensive health benefits plan, an Employee Assistance Program, annual RRSP contributions and access to a wellness program. To learn more visit us at www.blackcap.ca or on social media (Facebook and Twitter) at @BlackCAPTO.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a Mental Health Peer Navigator responsible for supporting the mental health coordinator in service delivery and providing support to our HIV+ and/ or LGBTQ+ clients at Black CAP. This individual is interested and/ or has experience in mental health and community service. Additionally, they have some knowledge or experience of operating from a trauma informed lens and harm reduction approach. They are comfortable working with folks from varying backgrounds and experiences and are passionate about supporting the ACB community.

The Mental Health Peer Navigator will be responsible for supporting in the facilitation of Black CAP’s support groups for our ACB HIV+ and/ or LGBTQ+ clients, along with co-creating two (2) wellness retreats for clients, providing system navigation support and intake assessment. They will work collaborating with other members of Black CAP’s support team, specifically the Mental Health Coordinator, and other Black CAP staff and volunteers to achieve the objectives of the program/ mission of Black CAP.

* Please note that we strongly encourage candidates from Toronto’s African, Caribbean or Black communities who bring lived and/or employment experience in relation to mental health and harm reduction. We also strongly encourage applicants who are living with HIV to consider this role. 

Key responsibilities of this position include:

We are seeking an individual with the following qualifications:

This is a bargaining unit position reporting to the Program Director. The position is subject to a 3-month probationary period. We thank all applicants; however only those selected for interviews will be contacted.   

Deadline for applications: 1 September 2023
Please forward resume and cover letter to:
Rosemary Okoth
20 Victoria St., 4th floor, Toronto ON

email: hiring@black-cap.com

Please use ‘Mental Health Navigator.’ as the subject of your email.

JOB POSTING: Program Coordinator

Job Title: Program Coordinator
Department: Health Promotion
Supervised by: Program Director
Position requirements: 37.5 hours per week
Term: Full-time, permanent  
Salary: $ 48,500

Organization Description: Black CAP is a leading organization in Canada serving the needs of Black, African and Caribbean communities impacted by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We provide support, education, and advocacy to individuals and communities affected by HIV, including the provision of comprehensive and culturally appropriate sexual health services.

Position Overview: Black CAP is seeking an experienced and dedicated Program Coordinator to join our Programs and Services team. The Program Coordinator is responsible for developing HIV strategies, strengthening prevention efforts, and promoting HIV treatment adherence. This role will involve working on two Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) funded projects, focusing on addressing Anti-Black Racism (ABR) as a root cause and implementing an integrated national HIV prevention strategy for ACB (African, Caribbean, and Black) people in Canada.

Responsibilities:

Project 1: Anti-Black Racism as Root Cause: ACB Knowledge in the Fight Against HIV-AIDS

Project 2: Integrated National HIV Prevention Strategy for ACB People in Canada

General Responsibilities:

  1. Assess the needs of HIV-infected and affected clients, provide counseling, advice, and referrals to other services, agencies, or programs, and develop strategies for each individual.
  2. Conduct research on effective strategies and models for peer-based programming to inform program delivery.
  3. Provide system navigation support and identify appropriate referrals to complementary programming based on the determinants of health framework.
  4. Offer Prevention Case Management (PCM) and other case management support to Peers.
  5. Coordinate the development of intake and assessment tools to assess risk and factors related to risk.
  6. Provide ongoing system navigation support to Peers.
  7. Recruit, train, and place Peers to engage in peer activities at all levels of program delivery.
  8. Support the delivery of workshops on safer sex, disclosure, goal setting, and treatment adherence.
  9. Provide referrals as required to HIV/STI testing sites, other ASOs (AIDS service organizations), and services such as housing, mental health, and employment.
  10. Attend staff and team meetings, as well as relevant training sessions.
  11. Participate in staff and team meetings, develop monthly reports, and perform other assigned duties.

Qualifications:

This is a bargaining unit position reporting to the Program Director. The position is subject to a 3-month probationary period. We thank all applicants; however only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 1 September 2023
Please forward resume and cover letter to: 
Rosemary Okoth
20 Victoria St., 4th floor, Toronto, ON
or email: hiring@black-cap.com


Please use ‘Program Coordinator.’ as the subject of your email.

JOB POSTING: Sexual Reproductive Health Project Coordinator

Job Title: Sexual Reproductive Health Project Coordinator
Department: Health Promotion
Supervised by: Program Director
Position requirements: 37.5 hours per week.
Term: Full-time, 1-year contract (with potential for renewal)
Salary: $46, 098 annually

Organization Description: Black CAP is a leading organization in Canada serving the needs of Black, African and Caribbean communities impacted by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We provide support, education, and advocacy to individuals and communities affected by HIV, including the provision of comprehensive and culturally appropriate sexual health services.

Position Purpose: The Sexual Reproductive Health Project Coordinator will play a critical role in developing, coordinating, and implementing Black CAP’s initiatives to promote access to sexual reproductive health services for Black, African and Caribbean communities in Ontario. The coordinator will work closely with Black CAP staff, community members, and other key stakeholders to increase awareness and understanding of sexual health issues affecting Black communities and to build the capacity of Black-serving agencies to address these issues.

Duties and Responsibilities

organization’s broader health promotion initiatives.

General and Administrative Responsibilities:

Working Conditions:

Qualifications:

Please note: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 1 September 2023

Please forward resume and cover letter to:

Rosemary Okoth
20 Victoria St., 4th floor, Toronto, ON
or email: hiring@black-cap.com

Please use ‘Sexual and Reproductive Health project Coordinator.’ as the subject of your email.

JOB POSTING: ACB PHA Wellness and Mental Health Support Worker

The Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) is a non-profit, community-based organization that serves Toronto’s diverse African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities. The mission of the agency is to reduce the transmission of HIV within Toronto’s Black communities while enhancing the quality of life of those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. Our approach to services recognizes that holistic approaches are required as we work with people who are living with, or at risk for, HIV. Black CAP is an inclusive space which provides services to a diverse ACB population that includes newcomers, LGBTQ communities, youth, and other at-risk populations. Operating in downtown Toronto, we are supported by a broad range of government and foundation funders. As an employer we also offer competitive compensation, a comprehensive health benefits plan, an Employee Assistance Program, annual RRSP contributions and access to a wellness program. To learn more visit us at www.blackcap.ca or on social media (Facebook and Twitter) at @BlackCAPTO.

Position Summary:

Black CAP’s Wellness and Mental Health Support Program will provide counselling, mental health and addiction services to African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) people living with HIV in Toronto. The Mental Health Worker will support clients’ recovery through the provision of client-centered assessments and case management services to support capacity building and empowerment, this includes supports to individuals using a screening tool, solution focused counseling and referrals to mental health and addiction services to support individuals to address short term mental health and addiction issues and access longer-term mental health and addiction services. The program will also provide group programming based on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and/or other models to address mental health and addiction issues and provide peer-based support.

We are seeking an individual with the following qualifications:

Black HIV positive and/or LGBTQ youth in crisis, helping them to address their specific challenges, and referring and supporting them to access required services.

Black CAP is committed to employment equity and strongly encourages applications from members of Toronto’s African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities and ACB persons living with HIV.

This is a Bargaining Unit position reporting to the Program Director. The position is subject to a 3-month probationary period. We thank all applicants; however only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 1 September 2023

Please forward resume and cover letter to:

Rosemary Okoth
20 Victoria St., 4th floor, Toronto ON

email: hiring@black-cap.com


Please subject your email as ‘ACB PHA Mental Health Worker

JOB POSTING: Harm Reduction Coordinator

Job Title: Harm Reduction Coordinator
Department: Health Promotion
Supervised by: Program Director
Position requirements: 37.5 hours per week.
Term: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: $50-54K annually

Organization Description: Black CAP is a leading organization in Canada serving the needs of Black, African and Caribbean communities impacted by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. We provide support, education, and advocacy to individuals and communities affected by HIV, including the provision of comprehensive and culturally appropriate sexual health services.

Position Purpose: We are seeking a Harm Reduction Outreach Coordinator responsible for managing Black CAP’s Harm Reduction (HR) Program. The individual must have experience working in, and preferably managing, a harm reduction program and effectively overseeing a team in a harm reduction setting. Black CAP’s HR Program conducts prevention and education outreach to a range of clients including youth, adults, clients living with HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ people in areas of Toronto where there are geographic and social concentrations of African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) people.

The Coordinator will play a role in strengthening Black CAP’s response to substance using communities and increasing levels of awareness of drug prevention and harm reduction for our clients, staff and community partners. The HR Coordinator will support the part-time Peer Educator who will assist in HR outreach activities and will help to supervise placement students completing their practical experience in the agency. The Coordinator also works collaboratively with other members of Black CAP’s prevention/outreach team and other Black CAP staff and volunteers to achieve the objectives of the program/mission of Black CAP.

* Please note that we strongly encourage candidates from Toronto’s African, Caribbean or Black communities who bring lived and/or employment experience in relation to substance use/harm reduction to apply. Candidates unable to demonstrate this experience will not be considered. We also strongly encourage applicants who are living with HIV to consider this role.

Key responsibilities of this position include:

We are seeking an individual with the following qualifications:

This is a bargaining unit position reporting to the Program Director. The position is subject to a 3-month probationary period. We thank all applicants; however only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 1 September 2023

Please forward resume and cover letter to:

Rosemary Okoth
20 Victoria St., 4th floor, Toronto ON

email: hiring@black-cap.com

Please use ‘Harm Reduction Coordinator.’ as the subject of your email.

Overdose Recognition & Response Training for Toronto’s ACB Community

The opioid crisis has been a growing concern across Canada, and Toronto’s Black community is not immune to its impact. In response to this pressing issue, Black CAP is proud to offer Overdose Recognition & Response Training tailored specifically for the Black community in Toronto. Our training sessions aim to equip attendees with essential knowledge and skills to address opioid-related risks effectively and foster a safer community.

Toronto’s Black community faces unique challenges when it comes to substance use and harm reduction. Stigma, systemic barriers, and historical inequalities often exacerbate the risk of overdose and limited access to critical resources. By providing culturally responsive training, Black CAP aims to bridge these gaps, empower individuals, and foster a supportive environment for those affected by substance use.

During our Overdose Recognition & Response Training, attendees will acquire comprehensive knowledge and practical skills to confidently respond to overdose situations. The training will cover essential topics, including the identification of opioid overdose symptoms, the proper administration of Naloxone (a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication), and harm reduction strategies to reduce the risk of overdose.

Moreover, participants will learn about community resources and support services available specifically for the Black community in Toronto. By providing this tailored training, Black CAP seeks to empower attendees with the tools and resources they need to support themselves and their community members in times of crisis.

A Naloxone kit with a couple of vials at pharmacy

At Black CAP, we believe that every life in the Black community is valuable, and that includes safeguarding against opioid-related harms. Our Overdose Recognition & Response Training is designed to build resilience, save lives, and foster a sense of empowerment within Toronto’s Black community. Together, we can make a difference by taking proactive steps to address the opioid crisis and ensure the health and well-being of our community. Join us for this essential training and let’s create a safer and stronger future together.


For more information and collaboration opportunities contact:

Bishen Mudie
TO2AN Harm Reduction Coordinator

Phone: 416.977.9955, ext. 286
Email: b.mudie@black-cap.com

Trans ID Clinic – August Edition

Join our monthly Trans ID Clinic, exclusively for ACB community members!

Black CAP offers legal support and forms assistance monthly to help transgender individuals from the African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) community through the process of legally changing their name and sex designation on Ontario and Canada government IDs, birth certificates, and other records.

Don’t miss this empowering opportunity tailored to the unique needs of the ACB trans community. Click the link below to register and let us support you on your journey of self-discovery and identity affirmation.

Click the link below to register.