Veteran Peer Navigator

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

22h•$55,000 - $60,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Veteran Peer Navigator (VPN) must have served in the United States Armed Forces in Active, Reserve, or National Guard service. The VPN provides day-to-day support to veteran households and assists with outreach, engagement, and service delivery to veteran applicants and participants across the five boroughs of New York City. They play an active role in participants’ cases as they pursue housing stability, using their lived experience to help veterans navigate SSVF services and community-based supports. The VPN advocates for participants, supports their individual needs and desired outcomes, and works with the S:US SSVF team to deliver supportive services and empower veterans to pursue housing stability goals. The role involves substantial field work and travel to engage, meet with, and support participants and applicants through all stages of the SSVF program. Candidates work in an office setting and at sites across NYC five days a week and may travel across multiple locations daily. The position may also require occasional events outside normal business hours.

Requirements

Must be a veteran of the United States military.
Ability to travel via public transit to engage veterans across the S:US service area.
Ability to communicate effectively with people served, S:US team members, and other stakeholders.
Effective written and oral communication skills.
Willingness and ability to travel to work sites and across multiple NYC locations as needed.
Ability to work in an office setting and at sites across NYC five days a week.
Willingness and ability to work with a diverse population of veteran households.

Nice To Haves

Basic computer skills, including use of MS Office and Windows.
Self-motivated and resourceful.
Strong verbal communication skills.
Bilingual English/Spanish.
Ability to work both as a team player and independently.
Knowledge of local resources, veteran entitlements, or other benefits.

Responsibilities

Help SSVF participants define, plan, and achieve goals related to homelessness prevention or rapid rehousing, income and benefits maximization, and housing stability.
Collaborate with the SSVF team, veterans, and their primary workers to support housing stability goals.
Provide community members and prospective participants with resources and referrals, particularly for VA services and entitlements, public benefits, and legal services.
Coordinate internal and external referrals for housing, health navigation, employment, and core services for veteran families.
Help participants access community services, including housing, employment, medical and behavioral healthcare, vocational services, food, clothing, and other community supports, through referrals and follow-up.
Maintain knowledge of VA and community resources and help participants navigate those services.
Encourage participants’ professional, educational, and personal growth when appropriate.
Advocate for veteran families and encourage and support participant self-advocacy.
Attend community outreach activities to raise awareness of SSVF services and recruit program participants.
Accompany veterans to appointments at DSS, VA, SSA, court, shelters, GPD, and other locations.
Document engagements with participants and applicants in accordance with VA and S:US standards, including case notes and contact logs.
Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries in accordance with S:US and funder standards.
Attend and actively participate in team meetings, supervision, and training.
Respond promptly, accurately, courteously, and respectfully to veteran and program needs.
Support team members in delivering daily services through positive modeling, peer counseling, support, and encouragement.
Screen and assess applicants for S:US Veterans Services.
Assist with developing Housing Stability Plans and completing follow-up recertifications with participants.
Participate in S:US Veterans Service Fairs and other events.
Travel in the field to engage veterans, potentially up to 80% of the time, and attend occasional events outside normal business hours.
Represent the agency and programs professionally to funders, participants, potential customers, referring agencies, network members, and other stakeholders.
Deliver high-quality customer service.
Perform other program-related duties as assigned by the Program Director and management team.