Progressive Life Center, Inc. (PLC) is a Black-led 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 ProgressiveLifeCenter.org.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

Since 2013, PLC has provided dynamic after school support to Baltimore City youth. Adolescent Clubhouse enriches the lives of and empowers youth ages 12 to 17 years at no charge to the youth. By incorporating lessons throughout an array of activities, youth learn important practical and emotional strategies and skills. Our programming is designed to motivate youth to evaluate their lives, consider changes, and succeed in implementation thus taking power over their own lives.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Peer Specialist is responsible for:

• Maintaining 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
• Other duties assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalency with commensurate experience in working with adolescents with substance use disorders Associate/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.
• Orientation in NTU Service Delivery Model.

BENEFITS:

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

• Fringe Benefits – health, dental, vision, retirement fund, and more
• Clinical Training with Continuing Education Units
• Flexible Work Schedule

PHYSICAL DEMAND:

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

• Ability to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Ability to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc
• Ability to constantly operate 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.
• Ability to position self to stoop kneels, crouch, or crawl
• Ability to drive a motor vehicle and travel.
• Ability to frequently communicate 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.
• Ability to frequently move files weighing up to 20 pounds throughout the office space.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Normal office environment or residential facility, but also may travel locally to visit clients within their homes, meet with service providers, and/or attend meetings:
• Schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, private practices, prisons, corporations, and numerous public and private agencies.