Younity Yya Temp Intern Peer Mentor

Have you had your own experiences with mental health and mental health services? Do you feel strongly about using those experiences to help others? Seeking a team member who is passionate about improving the lives of youth and young adults through positive peer connections and community based supports. We are looking for the right person who knows what it is like to face a mental health or substance use challenge and can transform their lived experience into leadership to help youth and young adults who may be falling through the cracks of traditional supports and services. Join our dynamic team and be a part of our efforts to bring positive change to youth and young adults in and around Gloucester. 

Program Description:

Younity follows in the footsteps of our initial Healthy Transitions project, YouForward. It is an innovative program serving young adults ages 16-25 who experience or are at risk of developing serious mental health concerns. The program is designed to be flexible, offer low/no barrier access to services and supports, and to rapidly respond and link young people to needed resources. The program is currently funded by a grant from SAMHSA and implemented by the Department of Mental Health in collaboration.

Job Description:

The Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Peer Mentor Intern will work with the HT Program Director, YYA Peer Coordinator, and other program staff to ensure participants receive quality services. Specifically, the Peer Mentor will ensure activities are YYA driven and utilize engagement and service principles consistent with the needs of YYA. The Peer Mentor Intern will participate in monthly HT Program and Steering Committee meetings, weekly Younity team, and foster a culture of youth-driven programming at Younity. Most importantly, the Peer Mentor will serve as an example of resiliency and a positive community member.  

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Co-facilitate monthly Younity Youth Advisory Board (YAB) meetings to guide operations at Younity from a youth-perspective. Connect youth to leadership opportunities at Younity, in the community, and state-wide and develop their confidence and skill to participate and share their voice.
• Co-facilitate weekly Peer Support meetings or other group activities for YYA and provide one-on-one peer support with YYA at Younity both virtually and in-person.
• Collaborate with the Project Director and program staff, parent partners, and persons served, to provide education in the community on young adults with mental health concerns and recovery principles.
• Prepare and help young adults to engage in a recovery process and to communicate their strengths, hopes, dreams and goals to their identified support team using techniques such as harm-reduction and strengths-based approach.
• Collaborate with the YAB and other YYA at Younity to create programming and youth-driven initiatives in the community.
• Participate in professional development opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Educational:Possession of a High School diploma/HiSET strongly preferred, or plan to complete within one year of hire. Associate’s degree in a human services field from an accredited school encouraged.
• Experience: Lived experience within one of the state child serving systems. Experience utilizing a community mental health program preferred; experience working with specialized populations of adolescents preferred. Familiarity with the Wraparound Model preferred. Acceptable CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information), OIG background check.
• Please include a message or cover letter indicating what interests you in this position and a bit about how you plan to use your own experiences in your work.

Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Qualities:

• Willing to use and share their personal and practical experience of recovery process and/or wellness management.
• Demonstrates strong professional boundaries while remaining empathic and approachable to youth.
• A collaborative team player.
• Knowledge of person-centered, strengths-based, recovery-oriented values and principles and modalities, and psychiatric rehabilitation principles.
• Familiarity and comfortability interacting with diverse populations, particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+, have experienced homelessness or housing instability, and/or substance use and recovery models.
• Comfort and familiarity with engaging in courageous conversations such as those pertaining to anti-racism, gender and gender expression, sexual orientation, and other aspects of identity.
• Strong commitment to supporting people with mental illness to live, work, have meaningful relationships and receive the resources and supports needed in their community of choice.
• Knowledge of Restorative Justice Practices preferred. Willingness to learn and employ them a must.

This Job Is Ideal for Someone Who Is:

• People-oriented -- enjoys interacting with people and working on group projects
• Dependable -- more reliable than spontaneous
• Adaptable/flexible -- enjoys doing work that requires frequent shifts in direction
• Detail-oriented -- would rather focus on the details of work than the bigger picture
• Achievement-oriented -- enjoys taking on challenges, even if they might fail
• Autonomous/Independent -- enjoys working with little direction
• Innovative -- prefers working in unconventional ways or on tasks that require creativity
• High stress tolerance -- thrives in a high-pressure environment