PURPOSE OF POSITION:
Peer Navigators are young adults (ages 18-30) with lived experience of unaccompanied homelessness during their youth. They provide mentorship, advocacy, and connection to resources for youth and young adults currently navigating the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Runaway Homeless Youth (RHY) continuum. Peer Navigators help build trust, promote youth voice and choice, and walk alongside young people in their journeys. Peer Navigators promote long-term stability and act as a connector between youth, staff, community, and service systems.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
This work includes but is not limited to:
- Engage Youth and Young Adults (YYA) during Drop-In Center hours and through outreach activities support access to services and sustain youth participation in programs.
- Conduct one-on-one peer mentorship sessions that focus on goal setting, coping skills, housing readiness, and navigating services systems.
- Manage a caseload of 10 youth at any given time, serving a total of at least 100 per year.
- Provide transition support for a minimum of six months when requested by the youth or young adult
- Conduct at least one monthly workshop or youth event in response to youth needs.
- Facilitate and co-create peer-led programming, groups, and wellness activities that reflect youth voice and needs; including at least one peer group activity monthly that promotes connection or skill building of the youth.
- Support the facilitation and development of Advisory Boards to elevate youth leadership and decision-making.
- Assisting young people in accessing resources.
- Conduct field work where appropriate and accompany youth to appointments when requested.
- Participate in case conferences, service plan reviews, and discharge planning meetings.
- Assist youth in building self-advocacy skills, understanding their service plans and becoming active participants in their case plans.
- Participate in virtual and in-person DYCD peer meetings.
- Maintain documentation, including progress notes, attendance logs, and referral logs, in accordance with agency and city program guidelines.
- Help identify gaps in services and advocate for enhanced programming and resources that are based on youth feedback.
- Participate in staff training, team meetings, and regular supervision.
EXPERIENCE LEVEL:
- Commitment to supporting youth who are experiencing or exiting homelessness.
- Knowledge of NYC Runaway & Homeless Youth system and other youth serving programs
- Awareness of community resources, including but not limited to educational services housing resources, career opportunities.
- Familiarity with approaches such as harm reduction, trauma informed care, positive youth development and peer support models.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to young people from diverse backgrounds
- Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams while maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality
- Commitment to ongoing professional development, including continuing education and supervision
- Uphold Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) Code of Ethics standards
- Promote positive youth development, harm reduction, and wellness strategies in every interaction.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Lived experience of unaccompanied homelessness or housing instability as a youth (ages 16-24)
- High School Diploma or equivalent required
- Must be committed to obtaining the Youth Peer Advocate (YPA) Credential within six months of hire
- Must complete 600 hours of supervised peer support experience to maintain credentials.
