Youth Peer Advocate

The Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) will work with young people who are experiencing social, medical, emotional, developmental, substance use, and/or behavioral challenges in their home, school, placement, and/or community. The structured activities provided by this position emphasize the opportunity for young people to expand the skills and strategies necessary to move forward in meeting their personal, individualized life goals, develop self-advocacy skills, and to support their transition into adulthood.

Qualifications: This role will be fulfilled by a youth with lived experience receiving mental health services through the mental health service system.

• High school diploma or equivalency required;
• YPA Candidates should be between 18-24 years of age.
• Able to utilize lived experience with a disability, mental health challenge, substance use disorder and/or experience in juvenile justice, special education, and/or foster care to assist in supporting young people in their resiliency/recovery and wellness.
• Must have qualities of leadership, knowledge of advocacy and group facilitation.
• Must be able to obtain Youth Peer Advocate Provisional Credential via Families Together in New York State's Youth Peer Advocate Training Level l and Youth Peer Advocate Professional Credential within 18 months of receipt of the Youth Peer Advocate Provisional Credential.
• Must clear NYS Criminal Justice Background Check, Office of Children and Families Background Check, NYSDOH Background Check, and clear NYS staff exclusion list.
• Ability to maintain a flexible schedule to work weekends and/or evenings.

Job Responsibilities:

• Help youth self-advocate and navigate the health care/social services systems.
• Develop a facilitate a county-wide Youth Advisory Council
• Identify/address youth's needs- promote healthier functioning and overall well-being.
• Provide youth with supports geared to improve functioning and promote the development of skills as defined in treatment goals.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with youth and other service providers.
• Actively participates in Advisory Committee meetings and evaluation activities
• Must maintain confidentiality of individuals worked with and agency functions.
• Any other job duties as assigned by the YPA's direct supervisor.

Supervisory Relationships: Reports to Lead School Based Coordinator.

Skills/Knowledge: Knowledge of youth-guided care and knowledge from lived experience. Demonstrates cultural competence including strong understanding of rural culture, youth culture, and culturally responsive practices with culturally and linguistically diverse families.