Peer Counselor, MRSS Youth Peer

YMCA of Greater Seattle; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 30,307 - 37,195; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

YMCA Membership for you and household

Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance

Retirement with employer contributions

Mental health resources

Job summary

YMCA of Greater Seattle is seeking a dedicated Youth Peer Counselor to provide culturally competent, strength-based peer support to youth and families. The role involves crisis outreach, assisting youth in navigating community resources, and collaborating with care teams to meet safety and stabilization goals.

This full-time position located in King County offers opportunities to work in homes, schools, and community settings, with a focus on youth empowerment and rebuilding connections to

Qualifications

• Youth peer support experience or life experience serving youth in complex systems is preferred.
• Ability to work independently and in a team; strong communication and crisis-deescalation skills.
• Comfort working in community settings and navigating local resources.

Responsibilities

• Provide crisis outreach to families in King County and surrounding areas.
• Flex schedule to evenings and weekends as needed.
• Assist youth in developing self-determination and empowerment skills.
• Identify community resources and natural supports; help youth navigate to those resources.
• Collaborate with staff and outside professionals to implement action plans.
• Transport youth to appointments and meetings as needed.
• Engage families to build a supportive team around the youth.

Skills

Youth Peer Support

Crisis Outreach

Family Collaboration

Empowerment

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Job description

Our Commitment to Equity

The Y actively promotes a culture free from bias and injustice. We are dedicated to removing institutional and systemic barriers that result in oppression and racism. We will be accountable to marginalized communities for creating equitable and sustainable environments where social justice is woven into every facet of our programs, and by caring for our communities in a culturally versatile and respectful manner.

Overview

The Y actively promotes a culture free from bias and injustice. We are dedicated to removing institutional and systemic barriers that result in oppression and racism. We will be accountable to marginalized communities for creating equitable and sustainable environments where social justice is woven into every facet of our programs, and by caring for our communities in a culturally versatile and respectful manner.

Job Summary

Provides culturally competent, strength-based peer support to youth and their families to decrease crisis and increase in-home stabilization. Identifies natural supports and teaches youth skills to effectively navigate community resources to meet priority needs. Provides services in client homes, schools or other convenient community locations. The goals of Youth Peer Support include supporting youth empowerment, assisting youth in developing skills to improve their overall functioning and quality of life. Collaborates effectively with co-workers, supervisors, outside professionals and others involved in delivering the youth’s care to meet safety plan needs and action plan goals. Supports the youth and acts as a bridge between the youth, family and system representatives. Willing to self-identify as a peer. Because of life experience, such persons have expertise that professional training cannot replicate.

This position is at the Social Impact Center Y, the social services branch of YMCA of Greater Seattle (YGS). The mission of the Social Impact Center Y is to accelerate young people’s ability to build safe, successful, and happy lives. Every year, we serve 5,000 children, youth, young adults, and families across King County with programs that aim to strengthen young people’s ability to develop to their fullest potential through four strategies: reducing risk factors; navigating systems towards successful life transition; ensuring stability, safety and wellness in times of crisis; and building competencies and social capital. The Social Impact Center Y’s programs include housing, behavioral health, foster care licensing, violence prevention, education, and employment. Many of the young people we serve have had involvement in the foster care, criminal justice system, and/or homelessness systems. MRSS (Mobile Response Stabilization Services team) serves families in crisis throughout King county. It is a free program to youth 3-18 y/o. Families and youth participate voluntarily. Their participation is private and MRSS adheres to HIPAA privacy & consent policies.

Position Type / Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position, and hours of work and days are Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Benefits

• Membership to the YMCA of Greater Seattle for you and your household
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance
• Retirement with generous employer contributions
• Free access to mental health resources
• Rapidly accruing paid time off (PTO)
• Discounts on qualifying YMCA of Greater Seattle childcare, day camp, overnight camp and outdoor leadership programs. 25% for part-time staff, 50% for full-time staff
• Some benefits only available to full‑time staff

Hiring Range

• Pre‑Certified Peer Counselor: $22.00 – 24.00 /hr
• Certified Peer Counselor: $24.00 – 27.00 /hr

Responsibilities

• Provides both immediate and scheduled crisis outreach services to families in King County and additional coverage as needed
• Flexes schedule to include evenings and possible weekends to meet the needs of families
• Assists youth in developing self‑determination and empowerment skills through self‑advocacy
• Identifies youth stresses, instability and provides appropriate support
• Identifies community resources and natural supports and works with the youth to effectively navigate resources
• Collaborates effectively with co‑workers, supervisors and outside professionals to meet action plan goals
• Transports youth to appointments, meetings, or other locations as needed to support the action plan and linkage to community resources
• Works with families to build their own “Child & Family Team”. Attends wrap‑around and other team meetings to support youth and ensure that their voice is heard. Acts as a role model for effective coping techniques and self‑help strategies
• Maintains a working knowledge of current trends and developments in behavioral health
• Completes required documentation within program deadlines
• Reports all critical incidents and adheres to YMCA program rules and procedures

Position Deliverables

• Assesses and creates safety plans to meet immediate safety and stabilization needs
• Customizes helping approaches to fit the family’s uniqueness, personality, culture and interest
• Reassures and communicates hopefulness so clients know, “they are not in this alone.”
• Willing and able to self‑identify as a person who has lived experience (e.g., has or is receiving mental health services and/or interactions with the juvenile court system)
• Articulates own lived experience and resilience stories in ways relevant to the obstacles faced by the youth
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Code of Conduct for Applicants

All employees and volunteers are responsible for adhering to abuse prevention policies, maintaining appropriate boundaries, completing required training, reporting suspicious or inappropriate behavior, and complying with mandated reporting requirements.

Responsible for ensuring staff are properly screened, trained, supervised and held accountable to the organization’s abuse risk management standards.

Qualifications

• Young Adults ages 21‑30, with lived experience in receiving services as a youth in complex, child‑serving systems (juvenile justice, behavioral health, child welfare, special education preferred) and is prepared to use that experience in helping others
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to effectively communicate with others
• Ability to set priorities and manage time effectively
• Ability to use a computer and work with Microsoft Windows Outlook and electronic health records data system
• Trained in and familiar with recovery model and able to assist families and youth to focus on their strengths, utilize their voice and partner with their team
• Demonstrated ability to engage youth and their families in a structured process to verbalize their needs, develop an individualized care plan, and transition to reliance on natural supports
• Knowledge of community services and resources including support groups, mental health, substance abuse, child welfare, juvenile justice, developmental disabilities, special education programs, etc.
• Experience with crisis de‑escalation and crisis stabilization practices
• Physical and mental abilities: frequent lifting or carrying up to 15 pounds, ability to hear, frequent standing/walking, ability to communicate effectively in person and/or phone, ability to read, analyze and interpret information, write reports, correspondence and procedures, maintain notes/records, define and solve practical problems, collect data
• WA State Peer Counselor Certification preferred and required within one year of employment
• Possession of a high school diploma or equivalence preferred

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of and previous experience with diverse populations and ability to speak another language in addition to English strongly preferred
• Current State‑approved first aid certification, state‑approved CPR certification, BBP (HIV/AIDS) training certification
• Washington State Agency Affiliated Counseling Credential (within 30 days of employment or first available training). Start process of training and certification within the first month of hire and full certification as a Peer within 6 months of hire

Pre‑Certified Peer Counselor

• WA State Certified Peer Support Specialist Trainee or Certified Peer Support Specialist credential required within one year of employment

Certified Peer Counselor

• WA State Certified Peer Support Specialist Trainee or Certified Peer Support Specialist required within 30 days of employment

Authorized Driver Preference

This role has the potential to transport clients as an “authorized driver” for the YMCA of Greater Seattle (YGS) using an employer‑provided vehicle. Driving duties for this role are optional, but preferred. Driving roles are safety‑sensitive. To become an authorized driver, you must be 21+, have possessed a driver's license for at least 3 years, and pass a drug screen that will test for impairing substances (including marijuana) in addition to meeting the driving record standards below:

YGS Driving Record Standards

Within the last 3 years

• No more than two vehicle‑related suspensions and/or reinstatements
• No more than two moving violations and/or accidents (Speeding, Improper Lane Change, Failure to Yield in Right‑of‑Way, Failure to Obey Traffic Signal, Failure to obey Traffic Sign)

Within the last 5 years

• No major violations (DUI, DWI, OUI, OWI, BUI, Administrative Per Se, or Refusal to Test)
• Driving with an open container of alcohol
• Reckless Driving
• Hit and Run (property damage only; incidents involving injury fall under Permanent Disqualification)
• Racing
• Driving with a suspended/revoked license/insurance
• Speeding over 20 mph
• Fleeing and/or eluding police
• Any other felony driving convictions

Driving Records Resulting in Permanent Disqualification

• More than 3 DUI, DWI, OUI, OWI, BUI, Administrative Per Se, or Refusal to Test for entire driving history
• More than 3 Driving with a suspended/revoked license
• Hit and Run resulting in bodily injury or death
• Manslaughter/felony death by motor vehicle
• Due to state‑specific reporting requirements in our driver management system, we are not currently able to enroll California Driver's License holders as Authorized Drivers
• The YMCA of Greater Seattle will conduct individualized assessments of applicant criminal histories

Reliable Transportation Requirement

This role requires access to reliable transportation to meet clients out in the community, including locations that may not be easily accessible by public transportation.

You'll Be a Great Fit for the Seattle Y if You

• Thrive on working in a collaborative environment
• Are very adaptable
• Have high ownership and strong work ethic
• Are a great problem solver who can think on your feet
• Truly enjoy being of service to people
• Like being part of a team that cares about one another as people and enjoy working together
• Want to know that the work you do contributes to building a better, stronger community for all

Our Mission

Building a community where all people, especially the young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body.

Our Values

• Respect
• Responsibility
• Honesty
• Caring
• Passion for Excellence

YGS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse and equitable work environment. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by local, state, or federal law.

We are a drug & alcohol‑free workplace. We participate in the Federal E‑Verify system. All job offers are contingent on the results of a background check in accordance with Washington's Fair Chance Act. Please download and review the below resources for more information:

1. (i) The updated 2025 requirements of 49.94.010: https://seattleymca.icims.com/icims2/servlet/icims2?module=AppInert&action=download&id=251099&hashed=1503034877
2. (ii) The WA attorney general's Washington fair chance act guide for employers and job applicants: https://seattleymca.icims.com/icims2/servlet/icims2?module=AppInert&action=download&id=251100&hashed=74689660

If you need assistance of any kind with the application process, reach out to [e-mail].