Regarding substance-use services, our program participants say that it feels good to be supported by someone who’s been through “it” before. It’s for that reason that we’re seeking to employ a Peer Substance-Use Professional to provide peer advocacy and supportive services to people who are currently using substances, or in recovery from substance-use. This is an embedded position for Project Connectionworks, a multi-organizational collaborative program based in the Groundworks Collaborative organization.

Project Connectionworks specializes in restorative practices and harm reduction services, and also offers creative services to help build meaningful connections within participant communities. We redefine what it means to be connected!

The Peer Substance-use Professional will make an impact by:

• Providing direct services in an individual and group setting
• Supporting program participants using harm reduction frameworks
• Connecting program participants to community resources and services
• Advocating with, or on the behalf of participants
• Contributing to team initiatives such as policy and procedure development, creating and enhancing harm reduction networks and coordinating peer-to-peer and participant-led services

Minimum requirements:

• Lived experience of marginalization and/or trauma that supports the ability to connect and relate to people in emotional and social crisis. This could include various kinds of trauma and marginalization, including substance-use, madness, neurodivergence, institutionalization, homelessness, incarceration, etc.
• Commitment to the values of mutual support, community, disability justice, anti-racism, and choice.
• Personal or professional experience supporting people with substance-use, homelessness, madness and/or other experiences that may cause hardship, distress and/or crisis

These are other helpful experiences: 

• Experience and training in Intentional Peer Support (IPS), restorative/transformative justice, de-escalation, group facilitation, harm reduction, or other related areas
• Experience in peer support, harm reduction, community organizing, or other related work
• Experience and familiarity with the psychiatric survivor, mad pride, neurodivergent, harm reduction, transformative justice, and/or disability justice movements

We will work with a highly motivated person to develop the necessary skills to be successful in this position. If you want to take on this challenge and if you believe every person deserves dignity and that their basic needs are met, we strongly encourage you to apply.

This is a full-time, HCRS position and includes a very comprehensive benefit package. It requires 37.5 weekly hours, on location in Brattleboro, VT. Starting wage is $22.00 per hour. HCRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This position is grant-funded and ends August 31, 2025.

To Apply: Please apply online at www.hcrs.org/about-us/careers. If you would like support with your application or if you have any questions, please contact Jedediah Popp at jpopp@hcrs.org.