Description Housing Works requires employees working in our Health Services division to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless approved for a legal accommodation. If you need an accommodation for any reason, including related to this job requirement, please contact Human Resources. Job candidates should be aware that scammers may pose as employers and create fake job postings in order to extract personal information from individuals for financial gain. Housing Works will never ask job candidates for personal information, such as social security numbers or bank account details, over the phone. If you suspect that a job posting may be fake or wish to confirm that a job posting from Housing Works is genuine, please contact us at ...@housingworks.org Housing Works was founded in 1990; With a long-term commitment to AIDS advocacy. Housing Works established New York State's first harm reduction-based, OASAS-licensed outpatient drug treatment program. Other services include Health Home care management, behavioral health, and syringe exchange programs. A pioneer in the social entrepreneurship movement, Housing Works operates 10 high-end thrift shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn and a much-loved Bookstore Cafe in Soho. For more information, visit www.housingworks.org Housing Works fights for funding and legislation to ensure that all people living with HIV/AIDS have access to quality housing, healthcare, HIV prevention, and treatment, among other lifesaving services. Benefits: We have three comprehensive healthcare plans to choose from based on your priorities and budget. Housing Works covers most of the plan; you pay a portion, based on your salary. Staff begins accruing PTO immediately for a total of up to 30 days earned in the first year. We offer employees an educational benefit. This money is available for tuition loan reimbursement, tuition costs, and text books. Housing Works provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements. Housing Works complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Housing Works also does not request prior salary information during the hiring process. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. This position is included in a bargaining unit of Housing Works' New York City employees represented by a labor union known as the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union ( RWDSU ). Accordingly, the RWDSU has the exclusive right to bargain over the terms and conditions of employment related to this position and this position may become covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement (a CBA ) between Housing Works and the RWDSU Compensation: $17/hr Overview: Using a one to one, person-centered counseling model, the Community Oriented Recovery & Empowerment (CORE) program seeks to improve the functioning of individuals living with mental illness, histories of chemical and alcohol dependence, or physical disabilities, helping them achieve personal goals in the areas of recovery, employment or independent functioning. Under the supervision of the Program Director, the Peer Specialist who carries a caseload of twenty clients will function as a role model to peers; exhibiting competency in personal recovery and use of coping skills; serve as an advocate, providing information and peer support for clients. The Peer Specialist will perform a wide range of tasks to assist peers in regaining independence within the community and mastery over their own recovery process. Recovery resources such as booklets, tapes, pamphlets and other written materials will be utilized by the Peer Specialist in the provision of services.Responsibilities:
- Assist clients in articulating personal goals for recovery through the use of one-on-one up sessions.
- Demonstrate empathy towards population.
- Support clients in identifying and creating goals and developing recovery plans with the skills, strengths, supports and resources to aid them in achieving those goals
- Collaborating with clients' case manager or treatment team in determining the steps needed in order to achieve these goals and self-directed recovery.
- Assist clients in setting up and sustaining self-help groups, as well as means of locating and joining existing groups.
- Utilize and teach problem solving techniques with individuals
- Share their own experiences and what skills, strengths, supports and resources they use to aid recovery.
- Teach clients how to identify and combat negative self-talk and how to identify and overcome fears.
- Support clients' vocational choices and assist them in choosing a job that matches their strengths, overcoming job-related anxiety by reviewing job applications, and providing interview tips.
- Assist clients in building social skills in the community
- Where necessary, accompany clients to and from appointments.
- Make appropriate referrals for clients, when needed.
- Assist in obtaining services that suit clients' recovery needs and work through bureaucracies.
- Assist clients in developing empowerment skills and combating stigma through self-advocacy.
- Keep progress notes and develop Individual Service Plans for each client.
- Hold Case conferences as needed.
- Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Minimum Requirements
- Certified NYCPS or NYCPS-P by the New York Peer Specialist Certification Board/OMH/OASAS.
- Excellent intrapersonal skills
- Great Organizational Skills
- Knowledge and skill to teach and engage in basic problem-solving strategies to support individual clients in self-directed recovery.
- Knowledge of the Harm Reduction Model and Stages of Change.