Peer Support Specialist

Volunteers of America Colorado•Denver, CO

About The Position

The Peer Support Specialist provides trauma-informed, recovery-oriented support to women experiencing homelessness, housing instability, mental health challenges, and/or co-occurring behavioral health needs. Drawing on lived experience and peer support principles, this position fosters hope, engagement, and empowerment while helping participants access resources, strengthen recovery, build community connections, and work toward long-term housing and wellness goals. The role works collaboratively with shelter staff, behavioral health providers, housing agencies, healthcare organizations, community partners, and local service providers. It offers person-centered support, advocacy, outreach, referrals, and follow-up as participants pursue recovery, housing stability, and independent living. The specialist also organizes recovery-oriented, wellness, and community-building activities and contributes to a multidisciplinary treatment and support team. The position is based at Irving Street Womens Residence. Travel throughout the program’s service area is regularly required, including to community locations, partner agencies, healthcare providers, housing sites, and participant residences. Work may take place in diverse and sometimes uncomfortable environments. Hours may vary around a typical 40-hour workweek, with occasional overtime requirements. The listed pay range is $21.00–$23.00 per hour.

Requirements

Lived experience or knowledge of mental health and/or substance use.
Colorado driver’s license and state-mandated automobile insurance.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with team members and community stakeholders.
Ability to learn local housing resources, navigation procedures, housing intervention levels, and models.
Ability to learn about and access community mental health centers and mental health and/or substance use disorder treatment resources.
Ability to learn VOA internal record-keeping systems and document relevant housing and other identified goals, along with other administrative duties.
Understanding of resiliency, recovery, and wellness principles and concepts.
Demonstrable knowledge of mental health and substance abuse conditions and treatments.
Demonstrable knowledge of participant rights, HIPAA fundamentals, confidentiality, ethics, role clarification, and professional boundaries.
Ability to learn and apply Harm Reduction, Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, and Housing First principles.
Ability to work effectively in a diverse, multicultural team and serve people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, ideologies, and religions respectfully and professionally.
Ability to take initiative and work independently.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to apply appropriate self-care in response to difficult and/or traumatic situations.
Ability to maintain professional and healthy emotional and physical boundaries.
Ability to travel regularly throughout the program’s service area.
Ability to perform physical movements such as bending, kneeling, and walking, and lift 30 to 50 pounds as required.
Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation and without posing a direct threat to safety or health.

Nice To Haves

Maintained recovery from their condition(s) for over one year.
Lived experience of homelessness.
One year of related experience in peer recovery support.
Personal vehicle for transportation related to program needs; client transportation is not required.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with shelter staff, behavioral health providers, housing agencies, healthcare organizations, community partners, and local service providers to connect participants with supportive resources.
Advocate for participants’ housing, behavioral health, and recovery needs and help address barriers to stability and wellness.
Provide person-centered peer support as participants navigate stages of change, identify goals, overcome barriers, and build motivation for recovery, wellness, and self-sufficiency.
Build trusting relationships by meeting participants where they are and connecting them with ongoing mental health, behavioral health, housing, and community support.
Initiate and maintain engagement with shelter residents and program participants using community-based outreach, participant-centered meetings, and other engagement strategies.
Connect participants with housing resources, healthcare, Medicaid enrollment, behavioral health treatment, substance use recovery services, employment supports, and public benefits.
Provide follow-up and support as participants transition toward housing stability and independent living.
Assess participant needs, facilitate referrals, and assist with accessing community resources as appropriate.
Organize and facilitate recovery-oriented, wellness, and community-building activities that promote social connection and personal growth.
Work independently, exercise sound judgment, maintain professional boundaries, and participate as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment and support team.
Use computer systems, electronic documentation platforms, Microsoft Office applications, office equipment, and communication technology to support service delivery.
Travel to community locations, partner agencies, healthcare providers, housing sites, and participant residences for outreach, advocacy, and follow-up.
Use lived experience, recovery principles, and evidence-based engagement practices to support hope, resilience, self-advocacy, and recovery capital.
Collaborate with case managers, clinicians, therapists, housing specialists, medical providers, and community partners to promote mental health, housing stability, and overall well-being.
Advocate alongside participants to address unmet needs and strengthen access to supportive services.
Maintain appropriate self-care and healthy emotional and physical boundaries when working with people in difficult or traumatic circumstances.
Perform essential job functions in accordance with applicable laws and program requirements.