Young Adult Peer Mentor - Part Time (20hrs/week)

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!