Youth Peer Advocate/Family Peer Advocate

POSITION SUMMARY:

Seeking a dynamic Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) or Family Peer Advocate to work in our fast-growing organization. The peer will serve as an integral part of the interdisciplinary team. Under supervision, the candidate for the position uses their lived experience navigating one or more systems that serve youth and families. The peer serves in a variety of settings and ways to help youth reach their goals. The peer may provide social and emotional support, training, guidance in navigating youth-serving systems and more. Above all, the peer is guided by empathy and firsthand experience. The peer provides direct services to youth and families in an outpatient clinic. Works in close collaboration with clinic staff, school staff, clients and family in planning and implementing treatment plans, supporting and navigating the system of care.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Helps youth with developing the skills needed to independently navigate the various service systems. Increase youth feelings of self-efficacy
• Aids youth with goal setting and building community living skills.
• Provides youth with the skills needed to cope with and manage their psychiatric symptoms, traumatic experiences, issues related to their substance use disorders, and any other life experiences that they may be enduring.
• Provide mutual support, hope, reassurance, and advocacy that includes the sharing of one’s own “personal recovery/resiliency story” as the Youth Peer Advocating (YPA) or Family Advocate deems appropriate as beneficial to both the youth and them.
• Serve as an advocate, mentor, and/or facilitator for the resolution of concerns and/or issues.
• Connect youth to community resources and services.
• Ensure that youth understand their treatment plan, as well as help to ensure that plan is person and family driven.
• Assist youth with identifying needs, strengths, challenges, and developing goals and care plans for themselves.
• Facilitate groups and hold individual one-on-one peer support sessions focusing on engagement and supporting participants ability to navigate youth serving systems (schools, foster care, mental health, juvenile justice, etc.), meet their goals and support stronger relationships with caregivers.
• Provide groups and workshops on self-care and wellness, resiliency and skill development including stress and anger management and coping strategies.
• Coach and model shared decision-making and skills to support collaboration with caregivers and other supportive individuals (teachers, coaches, relatives, etc.).
• Accompany youth and families to meetings and appointments as needed.
• Connect youth to support systems within their own community.
• Help youth to improve social skills and become more involved in leisure and recreational activities as well as connect them to institutions and cultural activities and organizations.
• Help youth/families understand mental health diagnoses, medication, and treatment options.
• Attend regular supervision meetings, staff meetings, training, and program related meetings as required.
• Perform other duties assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications:

• At a minimum a Youth Peer or Family Peer Advocate must have a high school diploma, high school equivalency (GED), and receive specialized training and supervision.
• Two years of full-time experience in counseling, community work or community health activities in a government agency or community organization engaged in providing community services to the public, assisting members of the community in obtaining community services or maintaining liaison with schools, community organizations or other agencies for the purpose of providing assistance and obtaining participation and support.
• Have provisional credential and attainment of professional (certification) credential within 12 months of hire.
• Demonstrate lived experience with a disability, mental illness, juvenile justice, special education, substance use disorder, and/or foster care to assist in supporting youth in their resiliency/recovery and wellness.
• Ability to work amongst diverse social, cultural, and economic groups.
• Excellent written, verbal, and listening skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and have some knowledge and using Electronic Health Records (EHR).
• Good time management and communication skills.
• Proven ability to effectively outreach and engage youth and families.
• Knowledge of community resources and experience navigating serving systems.

Schedule: 19 hours per week