Peer Mentor

Wayside Youth; Waltham (MA); Hybrid; USD 28,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Job summary

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network’s Waltham site is hiring a Young Adult Peer Mentor for the PACT-Y program, a DMH-funded, evidence-based model serving youth and families. The role emphasizes shared lived experience, mentorship, and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team.

The position requires driving in the community, a Monday–Friday schedule with flexibility, and a commitment to recovery-focused supports for youth and families served by the program.

Qualifications

• Lived experience of mental health or trauma enabling peer support.
• Willingness to share recovery story in peer support context.
• Driving in the community required; valid license and reliable vehicle.
• High school diploma or GED completed.

Responsibilities

• Work with youth, young adults, caregivers and providers to coordinate care.
• Share lived experience as a hopeful example to youth and families.
• Provide emotional and social support to individuals receiving services.
• Help youth engage in services and develop recovery skills.
• Mentor individuals to support goals and decisions in their recovery.
• Promote youth voice in treatment and navigate community resources.
• Collaborate with community-based organizations to coordinate services.
• Foster family supports and cultural competency in care.

Skills

People connection

Strong communication

Risk assessment

Flexibility & creativity

Boundaries

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Young Adult Peer Mentor - Community Services

PACT-Y - Waltham

Salary Range:$20.50 - $24.00/hour depending on experience and certification + sign-on bonus (half paid after 6 months of employment and half paid after 1 year of employment/pro-rated for part-time).

Wayside Youth & Family Support Network's Waltham site is hiring a Young Adult Peer mentor (YAPM) for an innovative, evidenced based model of treatment in Massachusetts, the Program for Assertive Community Treatment for Youth (PACT-Y). This program is a DMH funded, intensive, self-contained, community-based program, serving youth and their families.We are looking for individuals who are open to working Monday - Friday with flexible scheduling.

We provide a supportive culture that allows for a balance of personal responsibilities and professional development while contributing to the community.

What you will do:

• Work as part of a strong, collaborative, multidisciplinary team with the youth, young adults, caregivers and providers to ensure close collaboration and coordination of care.
• Share your own lived experience as an example of hope to youth and families who are experiencing distress.
• Provide emotional and social support to individuals receiving services.
• Support individuals in making positive life changes and developing skills to facilitate their recovery.
• Act as a mentor, assisting the individual's recovery process and supporting the individual's goals and decisions.
• Work directly with youth and ensure youth engagement in services.
• Encourage youth to have an active voice in their treatment.
• Assist youth served in navigating systems, to promote their awareness of resources and access to supports.
• Support and empower youth with skills and strategies to support their behavioral health needs.
• Promote and strengthen family's natural supports to foster a welcoming and supportive community for the youth.
• Ensure that the youths' rights are respected, particularly in regard to cultural competency.
• Collaborate with other community-based organizations to provide services and care for clients.

Competencies/Traits of Our Superstars:

• Talent connecting with people.
• Strong communication skills–both written and verbal
• Ability to assess and manage risk.
• Flexibility,creativethinking, andadapt to competing priorities.
• Excellent boundaries.

MinimumRequirements:

• Lived experience of mental health, emotional health and/or trauma resulting in significant life disruption.
• Willingness to share your recovery story in the context of peer support.
• High school degree or GED.
• Driving in the community is a requirement of this position; please ensure you have a valid driver's license and access to a reliable vehicle.

We will train you in:

Motivational Interviewing; Courageous Conversations; Attachment, Regulation and Competency Model (ARC); Trauma Informed Practice; Substance Use Intervention; Risk and Safety Assessment.