JOB PURPOSE
The Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) will use their lived experience to assist who youth who are experiencing social, emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges in their home, school, placement or community and help them in achieving their goals and living healthy, self-directed lives. The YPA will use their lived experience to connect with youth while working alongside the treatment team to identify, advocate, and act as a liaison between youth and other professionals and community natural supports. The advocates develop a structured, strength-based relationship with clients and families to provide support, information, empowerment, skill development and advocacy using strength-based, youth guided care at all levels of contact with families, communities and service providers.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
- Provide strength-based support to youth at their homes or at mutually agreed upon community locations.
- Assist youth with identifying needs, strengths, challenges, and developing goals and care plans for themselves.
- Using a strength-based approach, identify with the youth/family the goals that they want to work on.
- Collaborate with care providers and community supports to help youth meet their goals.
- Monitor progress to determine goals met.
- Coach youth on how to advocate for themselves.
- Co-facilitating skill-building groups and training for youth and staff.
- Provide groups and workshops on self-care and wellness, resiliency and skill development including stress and anger management and coping strategies.
- Link and refer families to community-based service and supports as needed.
- Conducting outreach to community organizations and participating in LETC health fairs
- Maintain records in a timely manner.
- Attend all required training courses.
- Attend committee meetings, health fairs or other activities if requested.
- Participate in bi-weekly supervision and monthly group supervision.
- Participate in monthly staff meetings
- Use an electronic healthcare record to document family demographic information, goals, progress and all services.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Must be an individual 18 to 26 years old who has self-identified as a person who has first-hand experience with, emotional (mental health), behavioral challenges, and/or co-occurring disorders;
- Must be able to use lived experience with a disability, mental illness, and involvement with juvenile justice, special education, substance use disorder, and/or child welfare to assist in supporting youth in their resiliency/recovery and wellness;
- Have a high school diploma, high school equivalency preferred or a State Education Commencement Credential (e.g. SACC or CDOS). This educational requirement can be waived by the certifying agency if the person has demonstrated competencies and has relevant life experience sufficient for the peer certification.
- Must be willing to obtain provision Youth Peer Advocate Credential
- Must obtain Professional Credential within 18 months of hire.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively engage with peers and conduct outreach.
- Interest in developing knowledge of community resources and experience navigating service systems.
- Proficiency in Office 365 and the ability to learn how to document case activity in an electronic case record system.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
- Personal lived experience with behavioral (mental health), emotional, and/or developmental challenges is mandatory.
- Strong analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
- Demonstrated ability to handle a variety of work assignments and to think creatively.
- Capable of working both independently and as an interdependent member of a team.
- Demonstrated good oral and written communication skills.
- Individuals must demonstrate sensitivity, respect, and competency with diverse cultural backgrounds, social identities and practices of community members and be willing to participate in anti-racism focused diversity training to increase skills in this area.
- Demonstrated ability to work with a diverse group of people and groups successfully with sensitivity and respect for diverse cultural backgrounds and practices.
- Excellence in interpersonal and communication skills, including writing and making effectively.
- Computer proficiency including word processing, data entry, spreadsheets, and generating reports using standard software applications.
- Ability to respond to questions from groups of department heads, managers and members.
- Skill in planning and scheduling to establish deadlines and ensure the timely completion of several independent tasks and short-term projects.
- Strong organizational skills including the ability to manage multiple projects and details simultaneously.
- Ability to analyze and solve complex problems.
- Ability to gather data, compile information.
EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled
Job Type: Part-time
Pay: From $18.00 per hour
Expected hours: 18 per week
Benefits:
Schedule:
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person
