Peer Mentor

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Job Summary: Peer Mentors support people with developmental disabilities to live, work and belong in their community. Peer Mentors help people to be independent. Peer Mentors help people with their person-centered plans. Peer Mentors share their life experiences. Peer Mentors share their experiences with services to help people be more self-directed. Peer Mentors support people to learn problem-solving and self-advocacy skills. Peer Mentors help people build their self-esteem and self-confidence.

Peer Mentors work with people to:
• Create plans for their work together and the steps they will take to help the person meet their life goals.
• Prepare for their Person-Centered Planning (PCP) meetings and provide support at the meeting.
• Help connect people to resources for public benefits, housing, employment, transportation, training and education, advocacy, and recreation.
• Build a positive, trusting relationship to discuss problems and challenges and build on what is working.

Qualifications and Requirements
• Must be 18 years old.
• Must have an intellectual/developmental disability (IDD)
• Must be willing to share personal experiences to guide and support others.
• Experience receiving disability-related supports and services.
• Understand and be able to explain rights to the person they are mentoring.
• Obtain certification as a Peer Mentor through the Certifying Agency
• Ability to work in-person and virtually.
• Preferred experience:
     - lives or has lived independently (not in your family home)
     - has or has had a job in the community, and
     - is actively involved in your community.

Special Knowledge and Abilities
• Ability to be excited, honest, and upbeat with people.
• Ability to listen closely and work to find solutions to problems.
• Ability to support people to develop Self-Determination skills.
• Ability to find services and resources.
• Knowledge about local agencies
• Ability to develop relationships with agencies.

Reporting Relationship:

Reports to the Supervisor at the Agency employing the Peer Mentor

Duties and Responsibilities:

Duty 1: Peer Mentor (70% of their work time)
• Create a good relationship with a person who has selected them as their Peer Mentor
• Share part of their story and get to know the person’s hopes and dreams.
• Develop a Plan with the person. This plan must have a list of goals and action steps.
• Assist the person in building a circle of support and connect with community resources to
help meet their goals.
• Serve as an advocate with family members and friends to assist the person in having selfdirection.
• Participate in the person-centered planning process, if the person wants help.
• Spend time with the person to support them to reach their goals.
• Medicaid reporting: Write down the date of your meetings, the length of time of your
meeting, what you discussed, if it was in-person or virtual meeting.
Duty 2: Ongoing Peer Mentor Training and Networking (15% of their work time)
• Attend training with the agency, community or through advocacy organizations to
improve your mentor skills in person-centered planning, independent facilitation, selfdetermination,
community inclusion, employment, and transportation resources.
• Maintain contact with the Peer Mentor group through monthly and quarterly conference
calls and scheduled meetings.
• Encourage Self-Determination as an option for all people through public speaking at
conferences, training and other events, when asked.
• Provide group peer to peer education on self-advocacy, self-determination, and rights.

Agency Requirements (10% of their work time)
• Attend agency new employee training and new employee orientation.
• Complete all State, County, and agency training requirements.
• Follow all agency policies and procedures, including code of conduct and ethics.

Educational Support (5% of their time)
• Share information at meetings for people, staff, and funders about the role of a Peer
Mentor and potential support and services available.