Position: Peer Equity Navigator
Location: Toronto
Duration: 6-month contract. February – July 2026
Contract Type: Casual, up to 10 hours per week (approximately 1-3 events per week (varying
each week)
Pay: $25/ hour
As part of the CADWHO-HIV Project team, you will help to improve health equity within African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities by increasing HIV awareness, promoting preventative measures and promoting action. The project will create, implement, and evaluate an ACB community-based peer-led intervention, Peer Equity Navigators (PENs), to improve access to HIV prevention and care for ACB women in Ontario. As a PEN, you’ll receive training in topics such as critical health literacy, racial literacy, and peer education methods.
We are looking for 4 enthusiastic individuals to undergo 4 weeks of training and apply their learning through hands-on experience within our community partner networks in the Greater Toronto Area: Taibu, The African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario (ACCHO) and Women's Health in Women's Hands. Trained PENs will work under the supervision of the local site and the Toronto-based Co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Massaquoi. The PENs will be a vital community resource to ensure the successful implementation of the Critical Health and Racial Literacy Program (CHRLP), and the development of a data management framework for the ACB population.
Responsibilities of this role will include:
1. Module training and practicum:
Complete 4 weeks of in person module training
Undergo a community practicum
Review and be familiar with the training materials and engage in self-learning exercises.
2. Communication and liaison activities:
Act as a central contact person for investigators, subjects, research staff, and health care professionals
Promote and facilitate community events using various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, word-of-mouth, and at ACB-based community organizations and social activities/events.
Educate the ACB community about HIV and other related health issues.
3. Interacting with study subjects
Assist with recruitment of potential study participants by promoting CCL projects
through community organizations and peer networks.
Receive and process information and/or data in accordance with defined study protocols. For example, reviews and be familiar with the research project materials (especially the consent form, survey and protocol) before beginning data collection.
4. Administrative duties
Coordinate and arrange meetings, teleconferences and other research related events such as organizing, designing, and conducting educational events about HIV
Health for ACB community members over a period of 6 months (approximately one to three educational events per week).
5. Participate in bi-weekly debriefing sessions with the PENs Community Coordinator and Project team to debrief on progress and challenges with training, community education events, survey recruitment, and support fellow PENs.
What you will bring:
African, Caribbean, or Black Lived experience
Lived experience of being a woman (trans inclusive), femme presenting or non binary
High School Diploma
Flexible availability, including evenings and weekends for community events.
Demonstrate keen interest in contributing to better research and health programs for ACB communities.
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to clearly relay information about
health in a confident, friendly, and outgoing manner.
Comfortable facilitating discussions to groups and able to actively listen with empathy and remain non-judgmental.
Strong organizational, problem solving, and time management skills.
Strong computer proficiency using MS Office applications (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint), email, and electronic scheduling software.
Demonstrates respect and openness toward diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and lifestyles.
Fluency in English (e.g., reading, comprehension, writing) is essential. Fluency in French would be an asset.
Additional Assets:
An understanding of the social determinants of health among ACB people in Canada,
especially the impact of structural anti-Black racism.
Past experience related to the job qualifications.
Please list other languages you fluently speak or Proficiency in other languages
This position is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) under the leadership of Dr Josephine Etowa (Nominated PI) in partnerships with Co-Principal Investigators, Dr Notisha Massaquoi (University of Toronto) and Dr Francisca Omorodion (University of Windsor). This Ontario-wide project involves a team of researchers, service providers, and community members in the three study sites: Ottawa area, Toronto GTA, and Windsor area.
How to apply:
Please submit your resume and cover letter to info@bhel.ca with the subject as PEN Applicant 2026, by December 19th, 2025 11:59pm EST . We thank all who are interested in applying for the position. Please note that only selected candidates will be contacted.
