Peer Specialist at Progressive Life Center, Inc.

Progressive Life Center, Inc. (PLC) is an organization providing culturally-sensitivity human services to children, youth and families in the District of Columbia and surrounding Maryland, throughout Greater Philadelphia, and in most of Delaware. PLC’s array of community-based services includes foster care and adoption, independent living for youth aging out of foster care, family preservation, juvenile diversion, and parenting skills training. For more than two decades, PLC has earned accreditation from the prestigious Council on Accreditation (COA) for its demonstration of excellence in the delivery of services and achievement of outcomes. Learn more at plcCommunity.org.

 PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

The Adolescent Clubhouse provides recovery support for adolescents, age 12-17, who have either completed or are currently engaged in substance abuse treatment. The Adolescent Club House provides customized support for recovery in ways that traditional adolescent addiction treatment programs cannot. By combining a recovery-support model with evidence-based programs that are designed to attract young people, the Clubhouse will provide opportunities for socializing with others in recovery, while offering assistance with education, employment and other needed services. By strengthening youth engagement in both substance abuse treatment and other important systems, the clubhouse aims to enrich positive adolescent development through schools and families.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Guide and support program participants in completing the Seven Challenges harm reduction program.
• Maintain Clubhouse attendance records for all participants.
• Award Challenge Points to participants for exemplary behavior and maintain records of points earned to fully implement this incentive program.
• Provide recovery supports such as educational/vocational, family activities, life skills, and social/recreational activities in the Clubhouse and at other locations, as needed.
• Supervise participants on field trips and other activities outside of the Clubhouse.
• Assist with transporting clients, when necessary.
• Attend individual and team meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalency with commensurate experience in working with adolescents with substance use disorders.   Bachelor’s degree in behavioral or social sciences from an accredited college or university preferred.
• Peer Specialist certification or demonstrated success working with adolescents with substance use disorders and their families.
• Ability to communicate effectively with streetwise youth.
• Sensitivity to and competence in the cultural differences that are present among PLC’s service population.
• Ability to forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families in which they are helped to gain the skills and confidence to address any issues and problems they face.
• Conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.
• Ability to work in partnership with other team members.
• Ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of the practitioner and to intervene appropriately to meet the needs of the persons served or other family members.
• Driver’s license and the ability to travel within Baltimore City and surrounding areas.
• Certificate in NTU Service Delivery Model within one (1) year of hire.

BENEFITS:

We offer exceptional benefits package with an opportunity for personal and professional growth, which include the following:

• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off

PHYSICAL DEMAND:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery (i.e., a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer); Manual dexterity needed for using a calculator and computer keyboard.
• Must be able to position self to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must have ability to navigate stairwells.
• Must be able to drive a motor vehicle.
• Must be able to travel.
• The person in this position frequently communicates with employees/customers/clients; and must be able to exchange accurate information by perceiving the nature of sound, near and far vision, depth perception, providing oral and written information.
• Frequently move files weighing up to 20 pounds throughout the office space.
• Must be able to participate in fire drills or other drills during an emergency

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Normal indoors office environment. 
• Client, group or family homes.
• Community-based outpatient settings, community agencies. 
• Transport vehicles (company or personal).
• Work areas are often noisy, irregular and unpredictable and can be stressful at times due to clients demonstrating varying levels of recovery and symptoms.
  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer

PLC is an equal opportunity employer.  PLC does not discriminate in employment on account of race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military status, or other non-merit-based factors.