POSITION DESCRIPTION: Advocacy Unlimited offers holistic, peer-led, education, advocacy, and support in the areas of mental health, addiction, and trauma recovery. We walk with people as they recognize their innate capacity to create a life of self-defined purpose beyond a psychiatric diagnosis and addiction histories. All members of the team champion recovery resources as part of the continuum of care and model recovery with collective care, accountability, and ethics. To learn more, please go to www.advocacyunlimited.org
The position of Youth Peer Bridger Program Manager is based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. The Youth Peer Bridger Program Manager is a member of the AU team and will lead the Youth Peer Bridger Program as a member of Cross Organizational Leadership. Youth Peer Bridgers are mobile and work with youth participants across CT. This is not a crisis intervention service or case management.
Important attributes expected of applicants include cultural humility, trauma responsive, gender affirming, recovery oriented, person centered, situationally aware, high degree of integrity and ethical standards, excellent communication skills, a sense of humor, flexible, consistent, reliable, growth oriented, solution focused, and patience.
FULL-TIME EXEMPT EMPLOYMENT: The position is 37.5 regularly scheduled hours per week, and $72,000 annual salary. 180-day introductory period with Performance Evaluation at the conclusion of this period. Opportunity for an additional longevity payment, and standard benefits outlined in the Advocacy Unlimited Personnel Handbook. This includes health insurance, paid time off, professional development. This is a CT Department of Children & Families grant funded project that will extend from 1/1/2026-6/30/2027. REPORTS TO: Executive Director
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
- Manage the operations of the Youth Peer Bridger Program
- Create flyers, emails, and other external communications and champion the program in the community.
- Supervise up to 6 employees, including group and individual coaching and training support.
- Carry out point of contact responsibilities with project funder, partners, and contract monitors
- Develop evaluation strategies, collect data and evaluate service quality of the Youth Bridger Program
- Establish and maintain relationships with schools, local hospitals, community behavioral health organizations, DCF Area Offices, and the Judicial Branch.
- Regularly complete community outreach, advocacy, referrals, and education on peer recovery resources.
- Provide 1:1 peer support to at least 8 participants living in Connecticut, annually, and no more than 3, concurrently.
- Meet with participants who may be living at home, attending school, incarcerated, hospitalized, or unhoused.
- Assist participants with developing recovery plans and move toward achieving goals.
- Connect participants with community resources.
- Educate and support family members and natural supporters
- Practice and adhere to ethical standards for peer support and the role.
- Maintain up to date and accurate records of all work-related activities.
- Meet all contractual obligations and reporting requirements.
- Successfully complete the youth peer support training, and participate in ongoing professional development
- Attend team meetings and participate in staff trainings.
- Onsite in Rocky Hill 3 days per week, and at most 2 days in community.
- Some nights and weekends, as scheduled.
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Recovery Support Specialist Professional or eligible for training
- Required Master’s degree in Counseling or a related field, and valid state licensure, preferred with compensation
- 3+ years delivering direct support in human services or related field
- 3+ years in a management position with supervisory responsibility
- Experience with program development and evaluation
- Must have a reliable vehicle, clean driving record, up to date Motor Vehicle Insurance and Driver’s License
- Background checks are required
SKILLS:
- Collaborative Decision Making
- Personal Accountability
- Strategic Thinking
- Self-led
- Creative Problem Solving
- Understanding and ability to exercise good judgement and maintain appropriate boundaries
- Communication, both written and verbal
- Canva, Constant Contact, and Social Media
- Microsoft Office 365
TO APPLY: Email resume and cover letter to [email protected]