Peer Specialist

Services for the UnderServed; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Services for the UnderServed is seeking a Peer Specialist in New York to engage with participants and families in Harlem and Bronx. The role involves building meaningful relationships, advocating for program participants, and distributing Naloxone kits.

The ideal candidate should have a peer advocate certification, strong community awareness, good interpersonal skills, and a positive recovery journey. The position offers a hybrid schedule and requires significant travel to engage with clients.

Qualifications

• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (or provisional) certification required.
• Strong understanding of the community and available resources.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and empathy.
• Two years of participation in substance use/mental health self-help activities.
• Excellent judgment and understanding of boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate engagement with participants and families in Harlem, Bronx, and communities.
• Train and distribute Naloxone kits to individuals and families.
• Develop meaningful relationships through empathy and collaboration.
• Advocate with and for program participants in the community.
• Collaborate with participants to develop their wellness toolkit.
• Influence team culture positively and maintain team communication.

Job description

Position Overview

Essential Job Functions:

• Outreach / Engagement / Bridge Building: Facilitate engagement by forging strong connections with participants and families residing in Harlem, Bronx, and surrounding communities. Undertake outreach activities designed to promote community awareness of S:US services, encouraging help‑seeking, and, when participants experience ambivalence about substance use treatment, serve as a bridge between treatment team members and participants.
• Combating Overdose: Peer Specialists will be certified to train and distribute Naloxone kits to individuals and their family members.
• Relationship Building: Develop authentic, meaningful relationships with individuals and families through empathy, sharing experiences, listening, and collaborating with genuine curiosity and interest.
• Embracing Creative Narratives: Understand, share, and discuss multiple frameworks for understanding life experiences such as substance use and psychosis with participants and the rest of the S:US team. Use language in the service of listening to understand and make space for complex personal stories of recovery and resilience.
• Advocacy: Advocate with and for program participants both in the larger community and on the team.
• Co‑Creating Support and Wellness Tools: Collaborate with participants to clarify their personal visions and develop their wellness toolkit. Support participants in strengthening self‑awareness, building life skills, and connecting to resources and community outside of the S:US team.
• Influencing Team Culture: Positively influence team culture by advocating for clients, promoting a youth‑friendly approach, and encouraging the use of recovery‑oriented language. Work actively within the team to build an environment that operates from a belief in human potential and an understanding of human diversity.
• Team Communication: Maintain open and frequent communication with the team. Report safety and other concerns to the team and keep notes on visits with program participants as required by the provider agency. Collaborate on reporting with the program participant in the spirit of peer support.

Hybrid Schedule Opportunity

Hybrid schedule opportunities are available for this role.

Qualifications

• Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (or provisional) certification required.
• Ideally a young adult or someone who relates well to young people.
• Strong understanding of the community in which the team is based and awareness of available community resources.
• Personal recovery progress that is positive and productive.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and the ability to empathize with, relate to, and effectively work with participants of mental health services.
• Two years of active participation in substance use/mental health self‑help activities, peer support or peer advocacy programs, or participant‑run organizations.
• Willingness to disclose recovery story, where appropriate, for the purposes of empowerment.
• Excellent judgment and ability to understand boundaries when working with participants of substance use/mental health services.
• Adherence to on‑call cell phone system to facilitate crisis intervention, emergencies, and other situations that require immediate action.
• Significant travel to engage clients at shelters, in their community, and other settings is required; 75% travel expected.

Min

USD $40,000.00​/Yr.

Max

USD $50,000.00​/Yr.

Company Overview

S:US is an equal‑opportunity employer committed to fostering a culture built on respect, integrity, support, maximizing individual potential and continuous quality improvement. Explore all that we offer on our Benefits Page and see how S:US invests in you.

S:US IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information and including all other statuses protected by Federal, State and Local laws. S:US is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities, including allowance of the use of service animals. To request reasonable accommodation or if you believe such a request was improperly handled or denied, contact the Leave Team at [e-mail].

ID

2023-14425

Work Location

In Person