Job Information
The Home for Little Wanderers Young Adult Peer Mentor - Part Time (20hrs/week) in Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts
Description
When you join The Home for Little Wanderers, you join a team of professionals dedicated to creating better, brighter futures for kids.
For over 200 years, The Home for Little Wanderers has helped build stable lives and hopeful tomorrows for vulnerable children and their families. Our 25+ community-based and residential programs serve thousands of at-risk youths from birth to age 26. Many of these children have experienced abuse, neglect, trauma, or a disrupted family life. As the oldest child welfare agency in America, we provide them with safe surroundings, permanent loving relationships, and a secure path toward a better, brighter future. To learn more about the incredible impact our employees have on the lives of children and families, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXedSArtYbg
About The Program
The Children’s Community Collaborative, located in Roxbury Crossing organizes and manages a treatment continuum for youth with significant emotional and mental health needs and their families. The Collaborative, a program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health and the Department of Children and Families, provides community-based wrap-around services designed to keep youth at home with their primary caregiver. But also has a long and short-term out-of-home treatment component.
How You Will Be Making a Difference
This is for a part time position. Young Adult Peer Mentors use the art of strategic storytelling of their lived experiences to advocate, support, mentor and engage youth, families, and systems to provide therapeutic and transformative care. A Young Adult Peer Mentor is a youth advocate with lived experience in the mental health system and/or child welfare system. Through sharing personal recovery experience, young adult peer mentors identify skills, support systems, and resources to inspire hope and develop mutuality in peer-to-peer relationships and assist in youths’ treatment/recovery. Under the guidance of a supervisor, candidates will be expected to work in a therapeutic group care setting and with families living in their home communities throughout the Metro-Boston region. Young Adult Peer Mentors will provide services to youth ranging from 5-22 who are referred by the Department of Mental Health. This position includes the opportunity to further develop the Peer Mentor Department and its delivery of services in addition to providing direct client support and consultation.
Essential Functions
Assists individuals in navigating the mental health services system, building resiliency, and developing their potential as defined by the individual in the least restrictive service possible.
Provides in-person mentoring services to youth both within their home communities and at program locations.
Collaborates with interdepartmental team to provide peer-specific consultation as well as individual and group support through ongoing routine contact with youth.
Participates as needed in weekly treatment team reviews and quarterly Family Team Meetings and other meetings, as requested by the youth and/or other members of the treatment team.
Facilitates peer groups with the goal of sharing personal strengths and interests that align with those of the youth population.
Provides support when appropriate to program youth council to encourage and empower youth voice in decision making processes.
Partners with and advocates for youth through use of restorative practices.
Collects and shares information about community resources for youth receiving services.
Partners with, engages, and retains resources identified to support identified youth.
Meets weekly with identified supervisor for supervision.
Completes required documentation in timely manner.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Personal experience living with a mental health condition and/or having experienced trauma
Personal experience with the mental health system and/or child welfare system
Comfort with sharing own’s recovery story to engage, support and inspire others while demonstrating how one could engage meaningfully in their treatment
Willingness to attend trainings prior to beginning job functions
Frequent walking, standing, climbing stairs, and traveling to client home communities
Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office with the ability to learn new software applications
Skills and specifications
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
Exhibits a flexible attitude and easily adapts to the work environment
Demonstrates ability to take initiative and for self-reflection
Ability to exhibit a nonjudgmental approach, effective listening, and positive interactions
Program development experience preferred
Completion of Core GIFT Training preferred
Driver’s license preferred but not required
Valuing Diversity
We are committed to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously creating a culture that supports those values. We believe the differences we bring enhance our ability to provide exceptional service and care to diverse children, families, and communities. Moreover, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging align with our values and our mission to help vulnerable children and their families build permanent, positive change.
What The Home Can Offer You
In addition to the chance to make a lasting impact on the lives of the youth we serve, The Home for Little Wanderers offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including:
Generous time off including up to 15 days per year for new full-time employees, plus 11 holidays, and 5 sick days
Health and Dental Insurance that is effective immediately upon hire
Extensive training to new staff
Tuition reimbursement of up to $2,400 per fiscal year
403(b) Retirement Plan with employer match
Employer paid Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance, plus Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
And more!
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)