Peer Mentor | Impact Center

Gandara Center•Springfield, MA

21h•$18 - $19

About The Position

A Peer Mentor should have the willingness to share lived experience with purpose and intent: good listening skills: nonjudgmental ability to foster self-sufficiency; the desire to work in a natural family and youth setting; ability to establish trusting relationships through compassion, embracing of diversity and empathy and insight with TAYA.

Requirements

GED or high school diploma and 2 year experience working with children/adolescents age youth OR Bachelor’s degree in human services field from an accredited university and one year experience working with children/ adolescents age youth
Requires a current driver’s license and reliable vehicle for transportation
Ability to work effectively with other community agencies
Requires good organization skills and comfort negotiating multi-level systems on behalf of client and program.
Experience overcoming difficult situations and preferably personal experience with mental health services.
Lived experience is defined as: the personal experience of living with and overcoming a mental health/ substance abuse/ traumatic life concern which has caused difficulties in one or more areas of life. A person with lived experience will also have had valuable experience in navigating or using community resources, therapeutic services, or other supports to overcome the challenges.
Must be 21 years and over
Understanding/willingness to be part of a program that supports youth and families 24 hours per day, 365 days per year
Self-motivated
Involves repetitive motion activities for documentation and data input on computer.
Works well with Microsoft word , excel, power and navigates though internet

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish preferred

Responsibilities

Support, coach and train youth in connecting with community resources and services that help sustain the youth’s optimal function in the community.
Attend and coordinate youth advisory group meeting
Attend and participate in all training sessions and group meetings.
Work both independently and as part of a group with fellow peer mentor’s
Provide outreach to the community to engage in Transitional Age Youth and Young Adults (TAYA); provided information and linkages to mental health, substance use, primary healthcare, supportive housing employment, education, social support, BenePlan, and DTA.
Work as a team with Recovery Coach to meet the co-occurring needs of TAYA
Attend System of Care and other system meetings to infuse youth and young adult’s voice and perspective.
Meet individually with youth and family and summit report to the supervisor or coordinator.
Collect data to support quality of improvement
Maintain Social Marketing strategies develops through the grant