PAR TIME YOUTH PEER ADVOCATE

SCO Family of Services; Hempfield Township (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Vibrant in the Youth & Family Wellness Services Department seeks a Youth Peer Advocate to empower young people with lived experience to participate in planning their care and to ensure their voices are heard. The role involves one-to-one and group support, sharing experiences, outreach, public education on youth mental health, organizing activities, and representing youth in public forums.

Equal opportunity employer.

Qualifications

• Age 18–30 with lived experience of social/ emotional/ medical/ developmental challenges and/or navigating child-serving systems.
• Demonstrates leadership and advocacy know-how; can reflect on and share experiences with others.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Work flexible hours as required.
• Bilingual and bicultural candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates possessing exceptional skill but not all qualifications are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Family Peer Advocates to engage youth in planning care and ensuring their voices are heard.
• Share personal knowledge about the youth-serving system and available resources.
• Provide one-to-one and group support to youth.
• Attend community meetings and other meetings as needed.
• Educate the public about youth mental health issues.
• Assist in organizing social, recreational and educational activities for youth.
• Engage in outreach activities and represent youth interests in public forums.
• Document work with individuals and families comprehensively.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lived experience

Leadership

Communication

Bilingual

Team collaboration

Education

High School or better

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Vibrant (formerly the Mental Health Association of New York City) is a nonprofit organization with local roots and a national reach that for over 50 years has been leading the way in mental health with a three-part mission of service, advocacy, and education. Every year Vibrant reaches over one million people nationally with mental and behavioral health challenges through high quality innovative programs. We provide state of the art crisis services through public partnerships with the city, state, and federal government and with corporate entities like Facebook and the NFL. Vibrant is seeking an exceptional candidate to implement peer support expertise for the Youth & Family Wellness Services Department, providing services to youth under NYS Children’s Medicaid Re-design.

Qualities

• Must exhibit a commitment to the well-being of all
• Show respect in all aspects of work
• Collaborative, team-oriented spirit
• Possessing wisdom gained through lived-experience
• Ability to build and maintain relationships

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Work in collaboration with all Family Peer Advocates in engaging youth in planning their own care and having their voice heard
• Share personal knowledge and experiences about the youth serving system and resources available to youth
• Provide support to youth through one-to-one interactions as well as group interactions
• Provide support to youth at community meetings and other meetings as needed
• Provide public education about youth mental health issues
• Assist in the organization of social, recreational and educational activities for youth
• Assist in outreach activities
• Represent the interests of youth with emotional and behavioral challenges in a variety of public forums and advisory groups
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation of the work completed with individuals and families
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• The Youth Peer Advocate will be an individual 18 to 30 years old who has self-identified as a person who has first-hand experience with social, emotional, medical, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges, and has experience receiving mental health services and/or navigating other child-serving systems
• Demonstrates qualities of leadership, including knowledge of advocacy, and can positively reflect on and share his/her experiences with others
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Work flexible hours, as required
• Bilingual and bicultural candidates are encouraged to apply
• Candidates possessing exceptional skill but not all of the qualifications are also encouraged to apply

Vibrant is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for positions without regard to veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, creed, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national origin, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, caregiver status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Physical and Sensory Requirements

• Mostly sedentary work; using standard office equipment including: a computer, keyboard, and telephone
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, program participants, service providers and other stakeholders
• Ability to remain calm and composed under stress
• Ability to respond to telephones and other auditory stimulation
• Ability to evaluate/interpret information and make independent judgment/decisions

Education

Required

High School or better.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.