Lead Youth Advocate

Rising Ground, Inc.•New York, NY

10d•$0 - $45,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead Youth Advocate will model the Youth Peer Advocate Code of Ethics in daily practice, reinforcing appropriate use of lived experience, boundaries, confidentiality, professionalism, and youth voice. This role involves supporting Peer Navigators with high-risk youth situations, providing one-on-one peer development support, and assisting with workshop preparation and training creation. The Lead Youth Advocate will also help ensure programming remains youth-centered and support various youth initiatives like the Youth Council and aftercare services. Additionally, the role requires representing Rising Ground and Roadmap to Adulthood in external presentations and collaborating with peer navigators from other organizations.

Requirements

High School Diploma
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Computer Proficient
Authorized to work in the U.S.
Ability to work in-person in Brooklyn for at least 3 days or more per week.
Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Connections a plus
Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus

Responsibilities

Model the Youth Peer Advocate Code of Ethics in daily practice.
Reinforce appropriate use of lived experience, boundaries, confidentiality, professionalism, and youth voice.
Support Peer Navigators with high-risk youth situations by helping them think through peer-based engagement strategies and knowing when to escalate concerns.
Provide one-on-one peer development support focused on growth, confidence, facilitation, youth engagement, boundaries, communication, and professional development.
Support Peer Navigators in preparing for workshops, presentations, events, and youth activities.
Work with the Program Director and Training Coordinator to help create peer-centered trainings for new Peer Navigators.
Assist with onboarding new Peer Navigators by helping them understand the peer role, YPA Code of Ethics, lived experience, documentation awareness, youth engagement, and professional expectations.
Help ensure programming remains youth-centered, youth-influenced, and rooted in the peer-based model.
Support the Program Director with planning peer-led workshops, lived-experience programming, Youth Council, aftercare support, and youth-centered events.
Help build and support the Youth Council by encouraging youth voice, youth leadership, and youth feedback.
Support aftercare and transition work by helping youth stay connected to resources, positive supports, and community.
Represent Rising Ground and Roadmap to Adulthood in approved school presentations, youth panels, community events, tabling opportunities, and external spaces where peer voice is needed.
Interact and collaborate with Peer Navigators from other runaway and homeless youth organizations during approved projects, events, panels, and peer-centered initiatives.