Veteran Peer Support Specialist

Veteran Peer Support Specialist

Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox)

Location: New Visions Homeless Services – Council Bluffs Campus
Status: Full-Time, Four-Day Workweek
Schedule: Four days per week, including regular weekend hours

Position Overview

The Veteran Peer Support Specialist serves as a frontline member of New Visions Homeless Services’ Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. This position is based at our Council Bluffs Campus and will work directly within our men’s emergency homeless shelter, providing peer support, encouragement, connection, and navigation to Veterans experiencing homelessness, housing instability, social isolation, behavioral health challenges, or increased suicide risk.

This position must be filled by a Veteran or an individual with a close military family connection who understands military culture and can use shared experience to build authentic, trusting relationships with Veterans.

The Peer Support Specialist is not a therapist or traditional case manager. Instead, this position walks alongside Veterans, helps reduce isolation, provides hope and encouragement, assists Veterans in navigating systems and services, and serves as a bridge to VA and community resources.

Because Veterans may experience increased isolation or crisis outside traditional business hours, this is a full-time, four-day-per-week position that includes regular weekend hours.

Key Responsibilities

• Build trusting, supportive relationships with men staying at the New Visions Council Bluffs men’s emergency shelter and Veterans engaged in other New Visions programs.
• Provide one-on-one peer support using shared military or military-family experience, appropriate self-disclosure, active listening, encouragement, and strengths-based engagement.
• Help guests identify personal strengths, goals, natural supports, and protective factors that promote stability, recovery, hope, and connection.
• Support suicide prevention activities and initiatives funded through the SSG Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program.
• Recognize signs that a Veteran may be experiencing increased emotional distress or suicide risk and follow established NVHS protocols to connect the Veteran with the Veteran Mental Health Therapist, VA Suicide Prevention team, Veterans Crisis Line/988, emergency services, or other appropriate resources.
• Conduct regular check-ins and follow-up with those who may be socially isolated, disconnected from services, or identified as vulnerable or at increased risk.
• Encourage Veterans who may be hesitant to engage with traditional systems and help reduce barriers to accessing services.
• Promote healthy social connection by helping guests reconnect with family, Veteran organizations, recovery communities, faith communities, recreational opportunities, and other positive natural supports when desired by the Veteran.
• Maintain a visible and approachable presence within the men’s emergency shelter, particularly during weekend hours when fewer traditional community resources may be available.
• Collaborate closely with the Veteran Mental Health Therapist, Street Outreach Specialist, Veteran program staff, shelter staff, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinators, healthcare providers, and community partners.
• Participate in SSG Fox training, suicide prevention education, trauma-informed care, de-escalation training, and other required professional development.
• Complete documentation of Veteran contacts, peer support activities, referrals, follow-up, and outcomes in accordance with grant requirements and NVHS policies.
• Maintain confidentiality, healthy professional boundaries, and appropriate peer-support practices.
• Perform other duties related to engagement and suicide prevention as assigned,

Qualifications

• Must be a Veteran or have a close military family connection and demonstrate a strong understanding of military culture and the Veteran experience.
• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Lived experience navigating challenges such as military-to-civilian transition, housing instability, behavioral health, recovery, social isolation, or accessing Veteran services is valued but not required.
• Peer Support, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist or similar certification preferred but not required. New Visions may support appropriate training and certification.
• Knowledge of Veteran resources, VA healthcare and benefits systems, and community-based Veteran services preferred.
• Strong communication, listening, relationship-building, and engagement skills.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries while appropriately using lived and shared experience
• Ability to recognize concerning behaviors or signs of distress and follow established suicide prevention and emergency response protocols.
• Ability to work effectively within a low-barrier homeless shelter environment and engage individuals experiencing complex behavioral health, substance use, housing, or life challenges.
• Must demonstrate patience, flexibility, sound judgment, professionalism, and strong de-escalation skills.
• Ability to work independently while functioning as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel locally when needed.
• Must be willing and able to work regular weekend hours.

Working Conditions

This position is based primarily at New Visions Homeless Services’ Council Bluffs Campus within the men’s emergency homeless shelter. The Peer Support Specialist will regularly interact with individuals experiencing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, substance use disorders, trauma, social isolation, and other complex needs.

The position is full-time and scheduled across four workdays per week, including weekend hours. Some evening, holiday, community-based, or special-event hours may occasionally be required.

The Peer Support Specialist must be comfortable working in a low-barrier shelter environment and responding calmly and professionally to challenging situations while following established safety and crisis-response procedures.

New Visions Homeless Services Values and Culture

• Treat every shelter guest, visitor, volunteer, and employee with caring, kindness, respect, and dignity.
• Embrace and implement trauma-informed, person-centered, low-barrier, and strengths-based approaches.
• Meet guests where they are without judgment while helping them identify where they want to go.
• Recognize that meaningful peer support is built through trust, consistency, authenticity, and relationship.
• Promote hope, resilience, purpose, recovery, and community connection.
• Honor the service and sacrifices of our nation’s Veterans while recognizing that asking for help is a sign of strength.
• Believe that noone should have to navigate homelessness, crisis, or isolation alone.

New Visions Homeless Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value lived experience and strongly encourage Veterans, military families, and individuals with experience serving the Veteran community to apply.

Pay: $24.40 - $27.00 per hour

Expected hours: 36.0 per week

Benefits:

• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $24 - $27