What is a Youth Peer Support Specialist? This position provides guidance and encouragement as youth navigate challenges related to education, employment, healthcare, housing, and daily living. The Youth Peer Support Specialist is a young adult with lived experience navigating mental health challenges and/or youth-serving systems who provides peer-based support to youth through shared experiences, mutual respect, and recovery-oriented practices. This position can be based out of the Rumford or South Paris Office, with a service area of Oxford County, is per diem and up to 15 hours per week, and schedule must meet the needs of individuals and/or families, and may include some evenings, occasional weekend coverage.

Starting Rate of Pay: $16.00

Essential Duties:

• Ability to obtain Maine Youth Peer Support (YPS) Certification within 6 months of hire
• Build supportive, recovery-oriented relationships with youth by utilizing lived experience to foster hope, resilience, and empowerment.
• Provides ongoing peer support, encouragement, mentoring, and advocating to youth and, when appropriate, their families.
• Assist youth in identifying personal goals and developing skills to increase independence and self-advocacy.
• Participate in planning and problem-solving with youth and treatment team members to support goals identified in the treatment plan.

Benefits:

• Earned Time Off
• Flexible Schedule
• Mileage Reimbursement
• Paid Training Opportunities Provided
• Community Concepts is a qualified employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

Desired Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or Equivalent
• Lived experience navigating mental health challenges and/or youth-servicing systems (such a children’s behavioral health, foster care/child welfare, or juvenile justice)
• One year or paid or unpaid peer support experience preferred
• Valid Driver’s License

Other Requirements: Pre-employment background checks: Maine Background Check Center (SBI, Direct Care Worker Registry, Maine and National Sex Offender Registry, fraud, and federal debarment), DHHS- Child and Adult Protective, and DMV must be completed upon offer of hire and as a condition of continued employment; valid driver’s license and travel within the service area is required.

Community Concepts, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider, committed to fair employment practices in full compliance with applicable laws. Qualified applicants shall receive consideration for employment without regard to religion, national origin, age, disability, ancestry, physical or mental condition, or any other legally protected characteristic. Please request any necessary accommodations to participate in the application process.