Peer Support Counselor
About The Position
The Peer Support Counselor works as part of the Xamitin Haven emergency shelter team in Lakeport, California, supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Xamitin Haven is a collaborative homeless resource that provides housing-related services and safe shelter to people facing a housing crisis. Its low-barrier approach is intended to minimize barriers to shelter, services, and housing resources. The counselor engages with guests about their housing goals and helps connect them to shelter, laundry and shower facilities, housing resources, and other available services. The role contributes to a safe, stable, supportive, and sanitary environment and calls for compassion and acceptance toward people experiencing trauma, including when their behavior is difficult to be around. The counselor provides empathetic, high-quality customer service while working with diverse guests, staff, and community partners. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week, non-exempt position. The facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the role requires schedule flexibility, including weekends.
Requirements
- At least one year of experience in a position related to homelessness, social services, hospitality, mental health, substance use, or a similar area.
- Must be at least 21 years old.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends.
- Valid California driver’s license, current auto insurance, and a clean DMV record with no more than three points.
- Must pass a DOJ and FBI background check.
- CPR and First Aid certification.
- TB exam and physical at the time of employment.
- Occasional schedule flexibility to meet individual client needs.
Nice To Haves
- Lived or personal experience with homelessness.
- Ability to speak or fluency in Spanish or American Sign Language (ASL).
- Training in harm reduction, Housing First, trauma-informed care, or low-barrier service models.
Responsibilities
- Monitor guest interactions and behavior, intervening as needed to maintain a safe, stable, and supportive environment.
- Provide guidance and reminders to help guests follow facility policies.
- Walk throughout the building and around the facility perimeter to conduct safety and security checks.
- Engage with guests as needed and intervene in disruptive incidents.
- Intervene and de-escalate situations that could lead to dangerous behavior.
- Recommend or initiate non-physical measures to redirect behavior.
- Contact the on-call supervisor as needed or required for assistance, direction, and incident reporting in accordance with policy.
- Provide services consistent with person-centered, strength-based, low-barrier, harm-reduction, and Housing First principles.
- Focus on guests’ underlying needs rather than maladaptive behaviors they may exhibit to meet those needs.
- Maintain knowledge of substance use and the effects of various substances.
- Seek information and training on current best practices in harm-reduction interventions.
- Recognize signs of overdose and administer Narcan/Naloxone as appropriate for opioid overdoses.
- Work across agency programs as needed.
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package available.
- Additional hourly differential may be available, subject to qualification, for Spanish bicultural language translation ($1.00), ASL bimodal bilingualism ($1.00), ASL bimodal multilingualism ($2.00), and overnight/graveyard stay-awake shifts ($1.00).
- Employer-provided onboarding and training orientation, including CPR/First Aid, Crisis Communication/Pro-ACT, Trauma-Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, Collaborative Problem Solving, introductions to agency departments, and other training.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
