Young Adult Peer Mentor (Youth Quake)

Responsibilities

• Works with the YYA (if chosen) to enhance skills of self-direction and empowerment.
• Provides 1:1 support, coaching, and modeling to support and improve engagement in services.
• Carrs caseload of YYA for the purposes of providing individual 1:1 peer mentoring.
• Provides the core staffing for the Drop In center.
• Uses the Young Adult Peer Mentoring Practice Profile to define role.
• Provides outreach and marketing efforts to educate YYA and other stakeholders in the community about the program and services.
• Helps the Drop In leadership and TIP Facilitator staff with the identification and accessing of existing and new services and service providers that will benefit the YYA.
• Helps the YYA to develop supportive relationships and community connections.
• Promotes the development of healthy lifestyles and wellness practices, including substance misuse.
• Supports the YYA in the development of self-sufficiency and positive employment behaviors.
• Helps the YYA to identify their needs and goals relating to education, employment, family relationships, spirituality, and social recreation, and ensures they are integrated in their Wraparound Plan.
• Helps YYA in communicating and working effectively with service providers, employers, natural supports, family members, and others to achieve their goals.
• Helps YYA in developing life skills, finding their voice and identifying and using their strengths.
• Uses Achieve My Plan, Gathering and Inspiring Future Talent, motivational interviewing, harm reduction, and other evidence informed/based and best practice models, as trained.
• Promotes discovery and recovery as they use their own lived experience in a purposeful, strength-based way to support YYA.
• Inspires hope and future focus in YYA.
• Attends in-service trainings and staff meetings.
• Helps YYA develop self-advocacy skills, in groups or individually.
• Serves as a bridge between the child/young adult-serving mental health service systems on behalf of the YYA.
• Helps maximize choices available to YYA as well as their self-determination, and participation and decision-making in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of their services.
• Models effective coping techniques and self-help strategies.
• Provides crisis intervention, when needed.
• Performs other related duties, as required.

About Vinfen

Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve.

Qualifications

• Knowledge and Skills:
• Competent in the use of the Young Adult Peer Mentoring Practice Profile
• Knowledge of both the DMH Child Youth and Family and Adult services systems
• Skilled in the use of Achieve My Plan
• Ability to assist YYA in directing Wraparound team to meet YYA expressed goals
• Skilled in mediation and conflict resolution
• Willing to use and share his/her personal, practical experience of recovery process, wellness management, and the personal effort and commitment required for YYA to have a full and satisfying life in the community
• Strong commitments to the right and ability of people with psychiatric disability to live, work, have meaningful relationships, and receive the resources and supports needed in their community of choice
• Knowledge of person-centered, strengths-based, recovery-oriented values, and principles and modalities
• Ability to learn and use evidence-based approaches and approaches
• Ability to create and maintain supportive, trusting relationships with YYA served by the Drop In
• Commitment to maintain confidentiality of YYA
• Knowledge of engagement and participatory planning techniques
• Sensitivity to the cultural, religious, ethnic, disability, and gender differences of YYA
• Knowledge and use of advocacy techniques
• Respect for and knowledge of legal, civil, and human rights of YYA
• Knowledge of community and other resources
• Ability to work independently as well as a part of a team
• Ability to use crisis intervention techniques and relapse prevention techniques
• Ability to balance competing priorities
• Ability to make independent judgments and decisions
• Knowledge of personal computer applications and equipment

Experience

• Experience as a recipient of services for people with psychiatric conditions and be well along in own personal recovery (self-knowledge and habits needed to support one’s own health)
• One year experience working with YYA experiencing co-occurring disorders in addition to psychiatric conditions

Education

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required; Bachelor’s degree in a human services discipline strongly preferred

Physical Effort

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, stoop, crouch, crawl, climb as this is a very physically active position
• Must be able to lift at least 25 pounds using proper lifting techniques or the use of a two-person lift
• Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment such as a calculator, copier, and printer
• Ability to sit, reach, climb stairs, and maneuver through narrow spaces or hallways
• Ability to assist clients with tasks of daily living
• Ability to speak, hear, and communicate with clients, staff, and external representatives

Specific Vision Abilities

• Close vision
• Distance vision
• Color vision
• Peripheral vision
• Depth perception
• Ability to adjust focus

Required Certifications

• CPR required within two weeks of hire
• First Aid required within two weeks of hire
• NET required

Required Credentials/Licenses

• Certified Peer Specialist or successfully complete the Core Elements of Young Adult Peer Mentoring Training by six months of hire