Part - Time Youth Peer Specialist

Burke; Lufkin (TX); On-site; USD 16,024 - 22,823; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Ongoing training and supervision

Supportive work environment

Job summary

A mental health service agency in Texas is seeking a Youth Peer Support Specialist to empower young people using personal lived experiences. In this part-time role, you will build supportive relationships with youth and families, promote self-advocacy, and collaborate with a care team. Required qualifications include a high school diploma and personal lived experience with mental health services. Burke provides training and support for certification as a peer provider. Join us to make a meaningful impact in the community.

Qualifications

• Personal lived experience with mental or behavioral health services is required.
• Willingness to share personal experiences to support others is necessary.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills essential.

Responsibilities

• Support youth in developing their own recovery paths using personal experiences.
• Build supportive relationships with youth and families.
• Promote self-advocacy by assisting youth in expressing their goals.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Effective communication

Empathy

Understanding of healthy boundaries

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Location: Angelina Mental Health Clinic - Lufkin, Nacogdoches, & Livingston, TX
Position Number: P #1240
Schedule: Monday-Friday, flexible part-time hours (up to 29 hours/week)
Compensation: $14.10/hour + $0.29/hour bilingual differential
Certification: New employees have one year to obtain required peer certification (Burke provides support)

Position Overview

Burke is seeking a Youth Peer Support Specialist (YPSS) to help strengthen youth-driven services and amplify youth voice across our agency and community. Youth Peer Support Specialists are not clinicians-they are individuals with personal lived experience navigating mental or behavioral health systems who use their recovery stories to encourage, guide, and empower other young people.

This role is an opportunity to turn your lived experience into meaningful support for others by modeling recovery, building trust, promoting self-advocacy, and helping youth build the skills and support needed for a self-determined, fulfilling life.

Burke will assist new hires in becoming certified as peer providers and will provide ongoing training, supervision, and guidance.

Key Responsibilities

• Use your own recovery story, strengths, and wellness strategies to support youth in developing their own recovery paths
• Build authentic, supportive relationships with youth and families through empathy, listening, and collaboration
• Share information on community resources and help youth build natural support
• Promote self-advocacy by assisting youth in identifying and expressing their goals
• Communicate regularly with the care team, sharing safety concerns and collaborating to ensure services remain youth-driven, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive
• Participate in scheduled supervision
• Travel within the community, including work in homes, schools, and other settings; occasional travel outside the region may occur

Qualifications

Education

• Required: High school diploma or equivalent

Experience & Skills

• Required:
• Personal lived experience with mental or behavioral health services
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to engage effectively with youth and families
• Understanding of healthy boundaries and self-care
• Willingness to appropriately share personal experiences to support others
• Preferred:
• Knowledge of local community resources
• Experience collaborating and advocating alongside youth

Licenses & Additional Requirements

• Required: Valid Texas driver's license
• Must be insurable under Burke's insurance provider
• Must complete SAMA, CPR, and First Aid training
• Must be willing to share lived experience as part of the role

Physical Requirements

• Ability to see, hear, speak, walk, and drive
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs.
• Hand and finger dexterity for basic tasks

Why Join Burke?

This is a meaningful, growth-oriented role that allows you to make a real difference in the lives of young people by using your own story as a source of strength and connection. Burke provides training, supervision, and a supportive environment where youth voices truly matter.