Youth Support Partner

Youth Support Partner

The Joint Planning Team (JPT)* Youth Support Partner (YSP) is a full-time peer support position t hat works as part of team, which includes a Facilitator and Family Support Partner (FSP).
As a peer support, you will use your own life experiences to help guide youth through a process to achieve their goals, pursue healthy life choices, handle adversity, navigate peer pressure, connect with resources, develop natural supports, build community involvement, use their voice, be accountable for their future, and help them to reach their family vision.
Your job will be to provide support to youth in the JPT program by engaging them, prepping for meetings, supporting them during meetings, and assisting with completing their action steps from their individualized plan.
As a JPT YSP, you will have the opportunity to learn skills and earn a credential, which will build your knowledge, resume, and grow as a professional in the social work field.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintain monthly contact with 15-25 youth
• Establish respectful relationships with youth and family
• Attend regular Team Planning Meetings
• Gather information from youth and their natural supports needed to complete program documents
• Write and submit case notes on time
• Participate in Professional Development Plans
• Support and encourage youth to increase healthy relationships with natural supports
• Work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers
• Identify and link youth to community resources
• Actively participate in at least 3 hours of group or individual coaching/supervision per week
• Adhere to HIPAA confidentiality standards
• Act as agency representative in activities involving youth voice and input
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to communicate effectively with others
• Set and meet personal and professional goals
• Ability to connect with youth between ages of 10-20
• Set and maintain healthy boundaries
• Good time management skills for attendance and deadlines
• Good organizational skills
• Ability to demonstrate cultural sensitivity and competence
• Capability to learn new skills
• Basic reading, writing, typing skills

Essential Requirements:

• Able to obtain Act 33, Act 34, and FBI clearances.
• Full-time position requiring 40 hours per week.
• Effectively share part of your own story to empower youth
• Have successfully navigated child-serving systems (mental health, child welfare, probation, special education, etc.)
• Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle to attend meetings and home visits. Local travel is required.
• Some evening availability required to meet the needs of youth
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Obtain YSP credential within 18 months of hire
• Ability to utilize computers and office equipment to complete daily work responsibilities

Education and Experience:
Required:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Minimum of 1 year of work experience
• Personal life experience utilizing behavioral/mental health services,
• Ability to positively and appropriately self-disclose regarding system experience,
• Concluded involvement with HSAO, child welfare, and/or juvenile justice at least 1 year before start date

Preferred:

• Some Completed College Credits
• Personal life experience with one or more of the child-serving systems: juvenile justice, child welfare, drug & alcohol, special education, etc.

Benefits:

• Medical / Dental / Vision Benefits
• 10 Paid Holidays
• 18 days of Paid Time Off to start with increase coinciding with years of service to agency
• Low-cost Short / Long Term Disability and Life Insurance Policy
• Retirement plan with company match and profit sharing
• Mileage and Expense Reimbursement

*HSAO’s Joint Planning Team (JPT) program is the High-Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) process implemented in Allegheny County. JPT follows an empirically based model incorporating the Theory of Change to empower the most high-risk youth and families in Allegheny County by building a cohesive team of professionals and natural supports. This team uses monthly meetings to design a personalized plan for families to reach their vision for a better future.