Job Status: Full Time, Short Term Grant Funded Position

Reporting: To Executive Director

Primary Function:

The Youth Peer Navigator ( YPN) is a young adult who was personally involved in the youth behavioral health system as a child, adolescent, or young adult, allowing them to have a unique understanding of the youth they serve. The YPN supports assigned youth in identifying and prioritizing goals for a smooth transition and upholding the youth’s voice and choice during transition planning. The YPN will provide targeted peer transition sessions, including 1) preparation for discharge planning, 2) support during the discharge planning meeting, and 3) brief follow up sessions post-discharge.

In preparation and planning, the YPN will encourage assigned youth to speak up about their own strengths, culture and needs, as well as the natural supports and relationships that can help the youth to transition successfully. The YPN will support youth and their transition team members in understanding one another and cultivating authentic agreements during discharge and transition planning. As the youth work towards their goals, the YPN follows up with them to address any barriers that arise during transition and updates the care management team as appropriate.

Expectations:

• Perform essential responsibilities as detailed in above job description in, dependable, and positive manner.
• Serve as a role model and NAMI Ambasador by having professional behavior, language, skills, and attire in order to promptly and accurately serve the needs of stakeholders, members and their families.
• Promote and exemplify diversity and acceptance within NAMI Philadelphia and with all members and stakeholders by honoring and respecting their individuality, dignity and rights.
• Assure adherence to NAMI Philadelphia policies and procedures so that all work is of the highest quality and delivered in the most culturally competent and cost effective manner.
• Understand and practice self care and boundaries to ensure a healthy and safe work experience.

Essential Functions:

• Provide targeted transition support for a caseload of up to 15 youth at a time
• Adhere to NAMI values and principle
• Lead the Young Professional Leaders Initiatives and all its parts
• Act as the NAMI on Campus Liaison
• Assist youth in identifying and utilizing their natural supports
• Identify and link youth to community resourcesEnsure youth understand and agree with their individualized transition/treatment planAssist youth in addressing barriers during the transition period
• Facilitate NAMI youth and young adult support groups
• Assist with NAMI Philly’s Youth & Youth Adult podcast (YANA)
• Act as a NAMI Philadelphia ambassador at youth events and in the community NAMI
• Participate in Philadelphia County partnership meetings related to youth and young adult engagement (e.g., Phila System of Care)
• Co-facilitate peer-to peer education class (2x/year)
• Attend individual supervision weekly and group staff meetings
• Attend all mandatory county and state trainings
• Other non-essential duties as specified by the immediate supervisor

Minimum Requirements, Education, Experiences, Licenses and Certifications:

• Minimum Education: Associates Degree in behavioral health, case management or any of the like
• License/Certification:
  • Valid PA Driver’s License
  • Valid Clearances including Criminal Background, Child Abuse and FBI must be received prior to start date
• Individual with lived experience ( personal experience) with mental illness and the behavioral health system.
• General understanding of resources within the Philadelphia recovery system

Skills:

• Ability to develop, manage and maintain relationships with others
• Ability to engage others through continued collaboration
• Strong communication skills
• Excellent documentation skills
• Able to organize and manage time independently
• Ability to identify strengths and culture of each youth and share with their team
• Ability to work in the evening or on the weekend as needed to meet the needs of the youth
• Can accommodate frequent travel within Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs
• Knowledge of community and natural supports which provide adolescents and families with opportunities to succeed
• Fluency in English required; Spanish or other threshold language preferred.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Prolonged periods of standing and walking.
• Must be familiar with public transportation or have their own transportation to meet with youth in the community.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds at times.