Peer Advocate

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc. 

Job Description Form 

Position Title: Peer Advocate (Ful time)

Location: Various locations 

Reports To: Director of Peer Services 

General Purpose: The Peer Advocacy Leadership (PAL) program is a consumer-lead mental health program. 

The PAL program provided Peer supports to individuals diagnosed with a mental illness to become as independent and connected to the community as possible. 

Peer staff teaches self

advocacy and how to access community-based resources. Peer Advocates provide a range of direct services, including, active hands-on skills training and peer counseling targeted to help participants reach wellness and community integration. Services are office and community based, as well as provided in community partner settings. Essential Functions: Describe the intrinsic job duties that define the core responsibilities of the job. 

 Provides advocacy, support, and bridging services with a focus on wellness and resiliency to participants with mental illness to help improve their quality of life. 

 Inspire individuals to become more hopeful about their recovery. 

 Provide advocacy on behalf of the program participants in line with the choices of the individual being served. 

 Explains the types of services and programs available to participants as it relates to their stated goals or interests. 

 Peer Advocates serve as facilitators of self-help groups and wellness services to assist participants address their whole health needs, develop coping strategies and connect with critical resources such as housing, education and employment. 

 Record/document services provided as required by program and regulatory agencies 

 Peer Advocate functions as a model, sharing his or her own stories to therapeutically support program participants and their families. 

 The Peer Advocate strengthen the individual by creating an atmosphere of understanding, assisting in skill development, broadening their awareness, opening up new opportunities, and increasing their sense of hope, personal power and self-responsibility. 

 Help remove stigma and barriers associated with moving on to more independent roles 

 An important function of peer support is to reduce the possible stigma and personal effects of having a diagnosis of mental illness by sharing their own experience. 

 The Peer Advocate will role model competency in recovery and on-going coping skills. 

 The Peer Advocate serves as a bridge to connect to the community by helping individuals begin to move beyond strictly professional support to that of peer and community through The position may require the performance of other essential and non-essential job duties in addition to those enumerated above which will be determined at the discretion of management. February 2019 sharing their own transitioning experience; the Peer Advocate acts as a positive role model in this regard. 

 Educate participants about self-help techniques and self-help group processes 

 Peer Advocate will be required to comply with all departmental policies, procedures and parameters 

Qualifications/Basic Job Requirements: Describe the skills, knowledge and abilities required. Include minimum educational and experience requirements and preferences. 

 Minimum HS diploma or GED 

 Lived experience with mental illness and/or co-occurring disorders 

 NYS Peer Certification/Certified with the Academy of Peer Services 

 Familiarity with Microsoft software and documenting in an electronic health record required 

 Excellent communication and written skills 

 Preferred: Bilingual (Spanish) 

 Preferred: One+ year of experience working in the human services field Scope of Responsibility & Positions 

Supervised: Where applicable describes level of authority, decision making discretion, consequences of actions, supervisory and fiscal responsibility. Provide metrics where possible. Level of supervision received. N/A Special Working Conditions: Describe unusual working conditions or environmental factors. 

 Some field visits are and work out in the community is required 

 Requires ability to travel via public transportation.