Peer Support Specialist

Are you passionate about providing holistic care for those in substance use recovery? Do you have past experience in working with individuals experiencing homelessness and navigating services? How about experience in your own journey of recovery? Have you been looking to combine those details into your dream role?

Well, you’re in the right place! Forest Grove Foundation is hiring a Peer Support Specialist (Adult Addictions) to join our team in Forest Grove, OR!

Key Details:

• Pay: $26.40/hour
• Benefits: Employer-subsidized Medical, Dental, and Vision; PTO, Sick Time, and Paid Holidays
• Location: Forest Grove, OR
• Schedule: Full-time, M – F, with evenings and weekend hours as needed

Who We Are: Forest Grove Foundation (FGF) is an emerging non-profit organization focused on poverty related issues serving Western Washington County. We serve individuals experiencing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, and provide supportive services for those in substance use recovery.

This next year looks to be an exciting time of new and expanding programming for the organization, including transitional housing, food, and recovery programs, and we’re looking for individuals who want to be a part of the growth!

To learn more, check out our website: https://forestgrovefoundation.org/

Forest Grove Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an inclusive atmosphere for all employees.

Who You Are:  You are a compassionate individual with a deep commitment to supporting others on their recovery journey, including those experiencing homelessness or living with mental health or substance use in their daily lives. You provide care in alignment with trauma informed, housing first principles and harm reduction practices, especially for those belonging to historically marginalized or excluded communities such as members of the BIPOC and LGBTQIA communities. You thrive in community-based work, bringing empathy, patience, and strong interpersonal skills to every interaction. Adaptable and resourceful, you navigate complex situations with professionalism and integrity, always honoring each person’s right to make their own choices. You believe in the power of lived experience and foster trust through authentic connection and advocacy. Collaboration energizes you, and you value diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to meaningful recovery.

Other qualifications include:

• Has 2 years’ experience working as a CRM or Peer Support Specialist
• Identify as having at least 2 years of lived experience in recovery from addiction (experience with mental health recovery is desirable and highly valued)
• Actively working and maintaining a program of recovery for the duration of employment
• Completion and certification of a Certified Recovery Mentor (CRM), and/or Adult Addictions Peer Support Specialist, OR Peer Wellness Specialist (PWS) training approved by MHACBO & Oregon Health Authority
• Valid Drivers’ License and clean driving record, to transport clients in company vehicles to necessary engagements
• Intermediate computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft, Apple, and Google products
• Ability to pass a pre-employment background check and professional references check

What You’ll Do: As a Peer Support Specialist, you will walk alongside participants on their recovery journey, offering encouragement, advocacy, and practical support. You’ll engage in outreach to connect with individuals in the community, accompany participants to appointments and recovery activities, and help them navigate systems and resources. You’ll collaborate with partner organizations, contribute to Recovery Café programming, and assist with harm reduction efforts. Using trauma-informed practices and motivational interviewing, you’ll help participants set goals, develop recovery plans, and celebrate milestones. Your lived experience will serve as a source of hope and inspiration, modeling that recovery is possible while fostering trust and empowerment every step of the way.

A typical day may include:

• Connecting with participants through outreach in the community and at the Recovery Café, building trust and offering peer support
• Helping participants navigate resources, such as housing, healthcare, treatment, and recovery activities; and accompanying them to appointments when needed
• Supporting individuals with forms, applications, safety planning, and creating personalized recovery plans that reflect their goals
• Collaborating with partner organizations and other FGF programs to ensure participants have access to comprehensive services
• Leading or participating in Recovery Café activities, including recovery circles, harm reduction supply distribution, and community events
• Maintaining accurate records of interactions and progress while practicing confidentiality and adhering to ethical standards