Peer Specialist

CHD Brand; Holyoke (MA); On-site; USD 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Vacation time

Paid holidays

Job summary

Center for Human Development (CHD) seeks a Peer Specialist to use lived experience to support individuals with psychiatric diagnoses, trauma histories, homelessness, or substance use challenges. You will advocate for the voice and goals of the individuals you serve within a collaborative team.

Responsibilities include helping clients express their needs, navigate barriers, and engage in meetings with a focus on empowerment.

Qualifications

• Must have direct lived experience with psychiatric diagnoses, trauma histories, homelessness, or problems with substance use.
• Strong interpersonal skills and empathy for others.
• Ability to work well within a team model and independently.
• Bilingual candidates (Spanish/English) are strongly encouraged to apply (1$ differential).

Responsibilities

• Offers support to people receiving services to identify wants, needs, goals, and dreams.
• Identifies challenges and barriers to self-determined goals and facilitates exploration toward overcoming them.
• Advocates and supports in meetings (e.g., treatment planning, medical appointments, employment services).
• Connects people to community resources and opportunities to access peer support after respite.

Skills

Direct lived experience

Interpersonal skills

Bilingual Spanish/English

Job description

The Center for Human Development, (CHD) is seeking a Peer Specialist to join our team. The Peer Support Specialist uses their own unique lived experience in order to support and advocate for those who have had similar life-disrupting challenges, such as psychiatric diagnoses, trauma histories, homelessness, or problems with substance use.

Your responsibilities as a Peer Specialist:

• Offers support to people receiving services to find their voice and identify wants, needs, goals, and dreams.
• Offers support to identify challenges and barriers to self-determined wants and needs, as well as open-ended exploration towards overcoming them.
• Offers advocacy and/or support in preparation for and/or during a variety of formal or informal meetings (e.g. treatment planning, medical appointments, employment services, etc.) with a primary focus on ensuring the voice, preferences, and strengths of the individual receiving services are acknowledged and respected.
• Partners in the exploration of community resources and/or recreational activities.
• Offers support and/or advocacy during the start-up and conclusion of the service relationship with CHD.
• Acts as a resource broker, connecting people they support with natural supports, community resources, and continued opportunities to access peer support at the conclusion of a respite stay.
• Partners in researching and uncovering new information and learning opportunities.
• Communicates, represents, and promotes the perspective of the person receiving services, serving as an advocate in collaboration with the person.
• Facilitates mutual support and self-help groups and/or supports people receiving services in the development of their own leadership and facilitation skills.
• Promotes the other staff’s learning and understanding of each person’s cultural identity and choices.
• Develops activities, programs, and resources that support people in recovery to achieve their self-identified goals.
• Works with individuals to develop or strengthen natural support networks outside of the human service or mental health systems

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must have direct lived experience with psychiatric diagnoses, trauma histories, homelessness, problems with substance and/or other life-disrupting events
• Strong interpersonal skills and empathy for others
• Ability to work well within a team model and independently
• Bilingual candidates (Spanish/English) are strongly encouraged to apply ($1 differential for bilingual candidates)

SUCCESS FACTORS:

The Peer Specialist supports Persons currently utilizing Respite Services to navigate emotional distress and extreme states with the core mission of transforming what is commonly referred to as a “crisis” into a learning and growth opportunity. Other core competencies include working with individuals to move towards their hopes and dreams in life, and to live in the least restrictive environment of their own choosing while offering feedback and consultation to the other respite staff related to the overall understanding and approach in how services are provided. Overarching objectives include broadening perspectives on emotional and or/mental distress, sharing information about community resources, advocacy alongside individuals receiving services, and trauma-informed mutual support.

Take advantage of a competitive compensation at $20.00/hr ($1 differential for bilingual candidates) as well as a phenomenal benefit package that includes, Dental, Health and Life insurance. Paid time off, earned vacation time and paid holidays just to name a few.

At Center for Human Development (CHD) Care Finds a way:

The Center for Human Development (CHD) provides a broad range of high quality, community-oriented human services dedicated to promoting, enhancing, and protecting the dignity and welfare of people in need. At CHD we are celebrating differences, inclusion is not just a policy- it is a daily practice. Multicultural, multilingual, and fluent in sign language, CHD is a reflection of those served.

Qualifications

Skills

Preferred

First Aid Certif, Current

Novice

CPR Certif, Current

Novice

Behaviors

Preferred

Team Player

Team Player: Works well as a member of a group

Innovative: Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking

Detail Oriented

Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Dedicated

Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations

Preferred

Flexibility

Flexibility: Inspired to perform well when granted the ability to set your own schedule and goals

Work-Life Balance

Work-Life Balance: Inspired to perform well by having ample time to pursue work and interests outside of work

Ability to Make an Impact

Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
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.