School and Community Based Peer Support Specialist

$35,000 - $35,000/Yr

East John Youth Center - Lusby, MD

Full-time - Entry Level

Lusby, MD

About the position

The School and Community Based Peer Support Specialist will provide health equity focused programming to youth and young adults ages 12-18 in the local Calvert County public school system and afterschool. This role aims to promote awareness and educate program participants on social conditions and personal behaviors that can impact their overall mental and physical well-being, utilizing a Social Determinants of Health framework.

Responsibilities

• Promote awareness of factors that may contribute to negative health outcomes for adolescents.
• Provide education through implementation of a Life-Skills based curriculum that promotes frameworks around social determinants of health and developmental assets.
• Assist with outreach and/or health equity related education within local schools to identify youth for the program.
• Serve as the liaison between the Point Beyond Youth Empowerment Program and the community.
• Identify youth's need for additional community resources and make referrals.
• Plan, coordinate, and promote health equity focused activities.
• Manage health equity focused social media campaigns.

Requirements

• AA/BA in a related field or equivalent experience working with youth.
• Excellent communication skills and reliability to arrive on time.
• Experience in leading educational workshops and activities.
• Experience guiding or mentoring youth or peers in recovery from substance abuse and mental health disorders.
• Knowledge, skills, and ability to work within the 4 domains of peer work.
• Capacity to demonstrate sensitivity and confidentiality towards substance use and mental health issues.

Nice-to-haves

• CPRS certification within 6 months of employment is preferred.
• Training in the Botvin Life Skills curriculum required within the first 30 days of employment.

Benefits

• Continuing education credits
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance