Peer Specialist

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

6d•$38,000 - $40,000

About The Position

The Peer Specialist engages participants in peer-based services to identify and overcome barriers to community integration. Using a peer relationship, the role fosters connection, trust, understanding, and validation with community providers and supports. Peer Specialists build relationships with participants and families, support engagement with services, advocate for participants, and collaborate with them to clarify personal visions and develop wellness tools. They also contribute to a recovery-oriented, youth-friendly team culture and maintain communication and required visit notes.

Requirements

Minimum high school diploma or equivalent.
Two years of active participation in mental health self-help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, participant-run organizations, or similar experiences or programs.
Ability and willingness to disclose one's recovery story, where appropriate, for empowerment purposes.
Excellent judgment and ability to understand boundaries when working with participants of mental health services.
Strong interpersonal communication skills and ability to empathize with, relate to, and work effectively with participants of mental health services.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Knowledge of and commitment to the Harm Reduction Model.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office.

Nice To Haves

New York State Certified Peer Specialist.
Lived experience of mental health challenges, preferably including psychosis during youth.
Young adult candidate or ability to relate well to young people.
Understanding of the community where the team is based and awareness of available community resources.
Positive and productive progress toward personal recovery.
Graduation from Howie the Harp or another Peer Specialist training program.
CASAC credential.
Familiarity with AWARDS.

Responsibilities

Facilitate engagement with teams by building strong connections with participants and families.
Conduct outreach to promote community awareness of S:US services and encourage help-seeking.
When appropriate, serve as a bridge between team members and participants who are ambivalent about treatment.
Develop meaningful relationships with individuals and families through empathy, sharing experiences, listening, and collaboration.
Discuss multiple frameworks for understanding life experiences, including psychosis, and make space for personal stories of recovery and resilience.
Advocate with and for program participants in the community and on the team.
Collaborate with participants to clarify personal visions and develop wellness tools.
Support participants in strengthening self-awareness, building life skills, and connecting with resources and community supports.
Promote a youth-friendly approach and recovery-oriented language, and advocate for clients within the team.
Help foster a team environment grounded in human potential and an understanding of human diversity.
Maintain open and frequent communication with the team, including reporting safety and other concerns.
Keep notes on participant visits as required by the provider agency; co-collaborating on reporting with participants is encouraged.
Adhere to the on-call cell phone system to facilitate crisis intervention, emergencies, and other situations requiring immediate action.