SSVF Peer Specialist – Jacksonville 139, 140-Changing Homelessness

Description

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Develop relationships with Veteran households that have expressed ambivalence or unwillingness to access SSVF and/or VA programs and resources • Apply lived experience and motivational interviewing during Veteran interactions to encourage client participation, also promoting the belief that recovery, housing, and stability are possible • Assist and supplement SSVF Program outreach efforts in the field, sometimes providing SSVF Program referral services, as needed • Attend Veteran By Name List meetings to case conference with outreach staff on Veteran households that may require Peer Specialist experience • Host Veteran group events, in collaboration with community partners, to encourage conversation, recovery, and ongoing participation in SSVF and VA programs and services • Assist Veteran and Veteran household members in identifying and achieving specific life and recovery goals, and offering appropriate resources and referrals • Provide crisis support and intervene to address urgent situations for Veteran households and facilitate pathways to professional help along with the Veteran’s assigned SSVF staff person • Observe and recognize signs/symptoms that Veterans might be having trouble adapting to their environments and share concerns with the appropriate SSVF staff person • Conduct wellness checks of Veteran household’s permanent housing to assess possible needs • Provide housing counseling elements to ensure the Veteran household remains stably housed beyond SSVF Program participation • Transport the Veteran household to VA and/or other critical appointments in the community • Attend scheduled team meetings and trainings • Maintain and submit time sheets, mileage logs, supportive service requests, and other required documentation accurately and in a timely fashion • Develop and maintain a spreadsheet to log existing caseload for data-sharing and reporting purposes • Peer Navigator should set clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries with all veterans served. • Builds a database of relevant Federal, State, and local programs and resources for referrals, as needed • Adheres to agency and program guidelines on documenting client interactions and any related services within Veteran HMIS record. • Performs related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Skill in demonstrating the five core competencies for Peer Navigation; Person Centered- Recovery Oriented- Relationship Focused- Trauma Informed- Intrinsically Motivated • Working knowledge of community resources as they relate to recovery and long-term success • Commitment to, and demonstrated ability to data input required for recording client interaction • Strong interpersonal and communication skills • Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities • Skilled at building trust and rapport with people from diverse backgrounds • Ability to work alone on own initiative as well as part of an overall larger team • Knowledge of federal, state, and/or community funding sources and mechanisms • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing • A strong public service orientation to work well with faculty, staff, and other stakeholders • Ability to foster a cooperative work environment • Knowledge/understanding of intervention skills used in motivational interviewing, harm reduction, relapse prevention, and trauma informed care • Skilled in the use of personal computers, including knowledge of Microsoft Office, and ability to learn and correctly enter data into the Homeless Management Information System • Ability to work with a diverse team in a fast-paced environment • Enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in an atmosphere of constant change • Ability to maintain confidentiality of identifying client information • Periods or walking, standing, or sitting in an office or field environment for service provision • Limited physical effort required; however, the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds • Ability to operate a motor vehicle, local travel is required

Education and Experience

• The applicant must have completed active service in the United States Armed Forces • Lived homelessness experience strongly preferred, but not required • Educational background can be diverse; however, a Peer Specialist Certification is preferred • Passionate about ending veteran homelessness and coordinating services • Successfully pass Level 2 background check and drug screening • Must have a valid driver’s license and clean 3-year driving history • Must have required vehicle insurance within 30 days of onboarding

Salary/Salary Range

$40,000 - $45,000

How to Apply

Send your cover letter and resume to jobs@changinghomelessness.org. Please include the job title in the subject line.