Peer Specialist

Services For The Underserved, Inc. • New York, NY

2d • $19 - $19 • Onsite

About The Position

The Peer Specialist role focuses on facilitating engagement with tenants, undertaking outreach activities to promote community awareness of S:US services, encouraging help-seeking, and advocating for the population served to maximize their full potential. This role requires the ability to understand and discuss various frameworks for life experiences, such as psychosis, with participants and the S:US team. Peer Specialists intentionally use language to foster understanding and create space for personal stories of recovery and resilience. They advocate with and for program participants in the community and within the team. Collaboration with participants is key to clarifying their visions and developing wellness toolkits. Peer Specialists also support participants in strengthening self-awareness, building life skills, and connecting to resources and the community. A significant aspect of the role involves positively influencing team culture by advocating for clients, promoting a friendly approach, and encouraging recovery-oriented language. Building an environment that believes in human potential for growth and understands human diversity is also crucial. Peer Specialists maintain open and frequent communication with the team, reporting concerns and keeping notes on participant visits, with co-collaboration on reporting encouraged.

Requirements

• High school diploma
• One-Two years of active participation in mental health self-help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, or participant run organizations or similar experiences or programs required
• Must possess the ability/ willingness to disclose their recovery story (where appropriate) for the purposes of empowerment
• Excellent judgment/ ability to understand boundaries when working with participants of mental health services is required
• Adhere to on call cell phone system to facilitate crisis intervention, emergencies and other situations that require immediate action.
• Willing and able to complete any additional assigned duties given by Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Regional Director and or Vice Presidents.

Nice To Haves

• It is preferable that the individual’s lived experience of mental health challenges includes experience with psychosis.
• Peer Certification preferred.
• If required by funder, Certified Recovery Peer Advocate
• It is preferable that the individual’s lived experience of mental health challenges includes experience with psychosis during youth
• Ideally the Peer Specialist candidate relates well to all ages, culture, and all background
• The Peer Specialist should understand the community in which the team is based with an awareness of available community resources
• The Peer Specialist should also be someone who has made positive and productive progress toward his or her own recovery
• Demonstrate good interpersonal communications skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to and effectively work with participants of mental health services
• Basic computer skills (e.g. MS Office suite and Windows)

Responsibilities

• Facilitate engagement with tenants and promote community awareness of S:US services.
• Encourage help-seeking and advocate for the population served.
• Understand, share, and discuss frameworks for life experiences with participants and the team.
• Use language to foster understanding and create space for personal stories of recovery and resilience.
• Advocate with and for program participants in the community and within the team.
• Collaborate with participants to clarify their visions and develop wellness toolkits.
• Support participants in strengthening self-awareness, building life skills, and connecting to resources and community.
• Positively influence team culture by advocating for clients and encouraging recovery-oriented language.
• Build an environment that believes in human potential for growth and understands human diversity.
• Maintain open and frequent communication with the team, reporting concerns.
• Keep notes on participant visits and co-collaborate on reporting with participants.
• Create a sense of community through the mutual sharing of lived experiences.
• Create professional boundaries when working with participants.
• Forge strong connections with participants and families.
• Serve as a bridge between team members and participants when they experience ambivalence about treatment or other services.
• Develop authentic, meaningful relationships with individuals and families through empathy, listening, and collaborating with genuine curiosity and interest.
• Advocate for and facilitate access to needed health care services, proactively addressing potential barriers.
• Facilitate individual and group-based educational, recovery, wellness, and skill-building opportunities.
• Accompany individuals to appointments and community/leisure activities.
• Carry a small caseload, as needed.
• Responsible for timely and accurate documentation of interactions, services provided, critical information, and events.
• Actively participate in agency and staff team meetings, individualized/team supervision, coaching, and professional development activities.
• Attend all required trainings.
• Maintain the highest levels of confidentiality.
• Perform other duties as required.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED