If you want to help others and empower your peers, and have lived experience or personal knowledge of mental health, substance recovery, or other systems, then the role of Youth Recovery Support Specialist may be for you!

Youth ERA is an Oregon based non-profit that creates lasting positive change in the lives of young people and the systems that serve them. By uniting a diverse collective of young adults and organizations around innovative solutions, Youth Era impacts thousands each year.

The work we do is fueled by the unmatched dedication of our staff, the young people we serve, and the system partners we collaborate with who give their time and voices to empower young lives and improve our communities. Every day, our team creates positive change in a multitude of ways. Change happens when we support young people as they work to complete high school, find jobs, when we advocate for systems change, and so much more.

JOB DETAILS

Position Title: Youth Peer Recovery Specialist

Position Type: Full-time (40 hours/week)

Location: Clackamas County, OR - In-Person

Supervisor: Program Manager

Wage: $25 - $27 per hour, DOE

COMPANY BENEFITS

• Generous paid-time-off plan with accrual increases linked to tenure
• 12 paid holidays a year
• 100% employer-paid, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage
• Reimbursement for subscriptions like Audible, Hulu Plus, Costco, Spotify, Youtube Red, Ipsy Box and more, to support staff self-care and well-being
• Paid professional development opportunities and trainings
• We value mental health and allow sick time to be used for self-care and mental health purposes.

Please Note: All new hires will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or approved exemption.

SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE

The youth peer recovery specialist (YPRS) is responsible for providing peer support services to youth ages 14-25 who are in or working toward recovery for addiction. This position is charged with building connections to young adults and assisting in needs identification, solution brainstorming, and self-advocacy at all levels. This position supports youth in gaining control over their lives and in fostering positive community connections. The YPRS functions as a role model by demonstrating recovery, resilience and ongoing coping skills.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Sharing personal struggles and lived experience to provide peer support to young adult participants and helping them navigate the system(s) they participate in (mental health, addiction/recovery, incarceration/juvenile justice, Oregon Youth Authority, foster care, education, LGBTQ+, etc.);
• Engaging and building relationships with young adults during drop-in center hours;
• Monitoring physical and emotional safety, appropriateness, applicability, and engagement of youth participants at drop-in center, and interrupting oppressive and inappropriate behavior;
• Meeting one-on-one with the youth to provide individualized support to them;
• Empowering young people to advocate for themselves, set goals and implement achievable steps towards reaching them;
• Organizing and executing meetings or communication regarding support, resources, and crisis intervention as may apply;
• Advertising the program to community partners and recruiting young adults to receive peer support;
• Assisting young people in receiving services that suit their recovery, meeting with providers to improve relations, and role modeling effective problem-solving skills;
• Providing culturally responsive assistance to each youth and utilizing evidence-based practices including Positive Youth Development, CPS, Wraparound, and the 40 Developmental Assets;
• Referring to community-based resources, services, and opportunities;
• Communicating with participants via phone, text/chat, and social media;
• Documenting and reporting cases of abuse or neglect to the Oregon Department of Human Services;
• Collecting paperwork and complying with confidentiality procedures, tracking attendance of youth and volunteers, and inputting data into data tracking software;
• Attending weekly staff meetings, reporting to and communicating with supervisor;
• Traveling to attend one-on-ones, community meetings, and when necessary;
• Tracking of expenses/mileage on a YE-approved expense tracking program;
• Recording hours worked into YE-approved time tracking program;
• Complying with all current policies as written in the Youth Era Employee Policy Manual; and

• Performing other assigned duties.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Lived experience in addiction and recovery (identity as being in recovery from substance addiction and/or alcoholism)
• Ability to travel and willingness to work evenings and weekends as required.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and car insurance.

• Willingness to update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining professional networks, and attending trainings.

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES:

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the capacity to communicate and work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to build/sustain collaborative working relationships with staff, supervisors, and others as appropriate.
• Willingness to address and work to eliminate personal biases and prejudices.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Demonstrated social/situational problem-solving skills.
• Outstanding oral/written communication skills and strong organizational skills.
• Excellent advocacy and public speaking skills.
• Ability and willingness to learn about youth culture and the organization's history, mission, demographics, programs, etc. in order to persuasively articulate how Youth Era distinguishes itself from peer organizations.

• Proficiency in the use of computers, their routine software applications (i.e. Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel), and Google applications (i.e. Gmail, Hangouts, and Google Calendar).

PREFERRED CERTIFICATIONS:

• First Aid Certification
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification

• Oregon Food Handlers Card