Peer Service Advocate

Job Description

Under the supervision of the Program Manager, Peer Service Advocates will provide crisis intervention and peer counseling to encourage community members to engage in services, reduce harm, and work improve their physical, emotional, and economic health. Peer Service Advocates will conduct outreach in the community; staff the drop-in area, especially focusing on reaching out to individuals who may have a difficult time engaging with services; and provide brief initial assessments to identify high-risk community members who need immediate attention. Peer Service Advocates will have a working knowledge of resources in San Francisco to connect community members to appropriate services, accompany them to appointments and provide advocacy, as needed. The Peer Service Advocate will prioritize compassionate engagement; prompt, effective service delivery; and strengthening community

Qualifications

• Minimum two years’ peer counseling experience, particularly working with diverse constituencies or a BA/BS degree combined with related experience.
• Previous personal and/or lived experience with poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and/or substance use issues.
• Ability and skill to develop rapport with community members who regularly visit the center and to motivate them to participate in services and activities by utilizing the principles of harm reduction.
• Demonstrated ability to actively engage people experiencing homelessness, active drug use, mental illness, and other barriers to stability and health utilizing harm reduction and self-help principles. Ability to work compassionately with those who may have difficulty engaging with more traditional services. 
• Ability to effectively resolve conflicts among community members and to de-escalate tense situations.
• Ability to work professionally and ethically in a team setting, and able to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Demonstrate aptitude for documentation, time management, and organizational ski ls.
• Excelent interpersonal communication and active listening ski ls
• Wilingness to attend staff meetings and trainings that are not during regular shift hours.
• Commitmentto personal & professional development.

Additional Information

Hospitality House is an equal opportunity employer. We enthusiastica ly accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition as defined under State law, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal, state, and/or local laws and ordinances. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we wi l consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records