Peer Navigator

Job Title: Peer Navigator - Strategic Housing Initiative for Fair Treatment 4 Youth (SHIFT 4 Youth)

FLSA Status: Part-time, Hourly (Approx. 20 hours/week), Non-Exempt

Reports to: Director of Operations,

Compensation: $32 per hour

Background: SHIFT 4 Youth (S4Y) is a collaborative housing initiative funded by the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP), a federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) effort to prevent and end youth homelessness nationwide. Supported by the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, S4Y is a partnership between two entities - The Health Council of South Florida (HCSF) and Transpire Trainings & Consulting. Together, we aim to provide stable housing solutions and wraparound support services tailored to the unique needs of LGBTQIA young people and youth living with HIV (YLWH) ages 18-24. In direct collaboration with other YHDP-funded partners and agencies working in Miami-Dade’s youth homelessness Continuum of Care (CoC), this project leverages innovative housing approaches and best practices for supporting young people’s stability, well-being, education and career opportunities, leadership development, and community involvement. Role

Summary: To apply for this position, individuals must have lived experience of homelessness and/or housing instability. The Peer Navigator leverages their lived experience to build trust, offer support, guidance, and advocacy for S4Y participants as they work toward housing stability. This role bridges the gap between participants and accessing the array of wraparound services provided by SHIFT 4 Youth, ensuring that support is both accessible and affirming. Peers work closely with the S4Y Care Coordinator, Housing Navigator, Transitional Housing Coordinator, and external service providers to advocate for participants' needs and help them to navigate local systems effectively. Through guidance and mentorship, Peers also equip S4Y participants to make informed decisions about their lives. In addition to direct participant interaction, Peer Navigators contribute to the S4Y team and the overall YHDP community by openly sharing insights that strengthen the effectiveness of service delivery. They also participate in ongoing trainings to hone their skills and build their capacity to make a positive impact in participants’ lives.

Primary Responsibilities:

● Participant Engagement: Establish and maintain trusting and supportive relationships with approximately 15 S4Y participants at a time, offering resource navigation, guidance, and advocacy. Actively engage participants through ongoing meetings, youth-friendly communication (i.e., texting), and accompanying them to housing, health, education/career, and legal appointments as needed.

● Resource Navigation: Assist participants in identifying and accessing community resources and services including housing, health and holistic services, education, and employment opportunities.

● Emotional Support: Provide dependable support to participants, listening to their concerns and providing encouragement.

● Advocacy: Alongside other S4Y staff, advocate for participants’ needs within the project, the CoC, and other systems to ensure they are treated with dignity and receive culturally appropriate and effective youth-facing care, services, and support. Additionally, work with S4Y staff to understand Housing Justice work and HOMY/YVAC work to link our participants to organizing and systems change opportunities.

● Crisis Intervention: Respond to participants’ urgent needs, providing crisis intervention through our partners when in distress and connecting them with appropriate emergency services if needed.

● Youth-led Success Planning: Collaborate with participants to develop and refine their Success Plan. Monitor progress towards goals, providing feedback and ideas to support participants’ growth and development.

● Community-Building & Participant Development: Along with the Transitional Housing Coordinator, co-plan fun, inclusive, and low/no-cost group events at the TH property or in the community that promote peer support, social connection, and leadership and life skills among all S4Y participants.

● Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Collect formal and informal feedback on participants’ experiences with the S4Y program and external services. Elevate both participant feedback and personal insights to contribute to internal and community-wide discussions.

● Training and Development: Actively participate in ongoing trainings and other educational opportunities to stay updated on best practices and emerging trends in youth homelessness interventions. Apply new learning to improve programmatic strategies and advocacy efforts.

● Documentation: Maintain accurate and timely documentation of interactions with participants, services offered, feedback received, and outcomes achieved. Support with ongoing reporting and quality improvement efforts as needed to enhance program efficacy and support program evaluation.

● Confidentiality & Privacy: Maintain accurate and secure records of client interactions, ensuring data privacy and protecting against unauthorized access. Abide by all federal rules and regulations, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Required Qualifications:

● High School Diploma, with at least two years of experience in community relations preferred

● Verbal and written Fluency in English required; bilingual proficiency in Spanish and/or Creole preferred

● A clear and resounding commitment to ending youth homelessness

● Empathetic, approachable, and appropriate when partnering with young people

● Must be able to pass a Level II background check

● Reliable transportation and willingness to travel often to meet participants at various locations

● Ability to work 20 hours/week, including some evenings, irregular hours, and weekends as needed

● Ability to travel outside of Miami-Dade for professional development 1-2 times a year if needed

Applicable Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes:

● Flexibility and a willingness to adapt within a new collaborative project and a rapidly changing local youth homelessness ecosystem

● Experience in working with or understanding the challenges faced by LGBTQIA communities, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, and people living with HIV, whether through lived experience, professional work, or academic study

● Familiarity with HIV service provision

● A willingness to build and maintain internal/external relationships in service to participants and ending youth homelessness

● Universal Hiring Standards - These qualities, skills, frameworks, and core competencies are sought after among all candidates for YHDP roles in Miami-Dade County

Equal Employment Opportunity: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and lived experience within our organization and on this project. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetics, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all team members, participants, and subcontractors. To foster a representative, equitable, supportive environment for the youth who rely on S4Y services, we especially encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply. In addition to federal law requirements, we comply with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: From $32.00 per hour

Expected hours: 20 per week

Benefits:

• Paid time off

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Evenings as needed
• Evening shift
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $32