Peer Credible Messenger, L.Y.R.I.C. (54450)

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

RiseBoro Community Partnership is seeking to hire a Temporary Peer Co-Facilitator to serve as a Credible Messenger with The Brooklyn W.A.Y. Coalition for implementation of L.Y.R.I.C. (Legendary Youth Rising In Communities) ‘artivism’ community engagement program with 12-18 year olds in Central and North Brooklyn. The Brooklyn W.A.Y. (Wellness Advocacy with Youth) works within Brownsville, East New York, Bed Stuy, Bushwick and East Flatbush to center youth and young adults in media creation, policy advocacy and program development. Our coalition seeks to disrupt the institutional, structural, and systemic confinement pathways that place the youth and young adults we serve at disproportionate risk for incarceration and/ or substance use at the individual, community and systems level. L.Y.R.I.C. is a youth centered and co-created living curriculum that focuses on art as advocacy, critical thought, community engagement and storytelling and amplification of youth perspectives in development of direct calls to action.

This position is responsible for co-facilitating ‘artivism’ curricula, co-creating living curriculum with participants, positive alternative activities, and engaging in outreach for the program to reduce risk factors and strengthen protective factors for involvement in the criminal legal system. Co-facilitator will also network and build relationships with community leaders and participants to increase community civic involvement in program and policy development.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

• Supervising program participants at all times during program operation, in all locations where the program operates, including off-site trips;
• Submit sufficient documentation in a timely manner on a weekly basis;
• Refer participants for support services internally or externally for appropriate services;
• Participate in regular internal meetings.
• Collaborate and network with community leaders in innovative and strategic ways to enhance engagement of community youth and families in decision making;

• Co-develop and co-facilitate living ‘artivism’ curriculum that addresses community and systems level root causes of system involvement and co-develop calls to actions.

Community Outreach

• Conduct outreach activities to promote awareness of the program and calls to action;
• Develop partnerships with community members and stakeholders invested in supporting youth and young adults
• Participate in local and city-wide organizing meetings and new and established partnership meetings

Youth Development

• Utilizing principles of positive youth development through use of behavior management and discipline techniques that foster social, emotional, and cognitive growth, and build self-esteem and civic responsibility in all participants;
• Building healthy relationships with and among participants and acting as a role model

Professional Development

• Participating in meetings and workshops that enhance professional skills, as assigned by program coordinator or Clinical Director
• Applying skills and knowledge acquired in those trainings to improve program quality

COMPETENCIES

• Must have a commitment to working with youth and young adults (12-18), and must want to serve as a mentor
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, Canva, Wix Studio and social media preferred

• Organizational and analytical skills which are informed by the priorities of the program;

• Capability to communicate well verbally and in writing;
• Adaptability to meeting changing priorities and meeting deadlines;
• Successful experience providing services to the focus population
• Provide services in a manner sensitive to the characteristics and cultures of the population of the designated neighborhood
• Ability to understand the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities
• Demonstrated commitment to supporting communities who have experienced systemic oppression and bias (e.g., Black, Indigenous and people of color, LGBTQ people, immigrants, criminal legal system involved persons, etc.)
•  Maintain a flexible schedule, including occasional weekend and evening hours

• Collaborate with other Clinical Team programs as needed
• Other duties as assigned by program coordinator and Clinical Director

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• High school/HSE diploma required;
• Peer/Credible Messenger certification preferred (eg. Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA), New York State Peer Advocate (NYSPA), Youth Peer Advocate (YPA), Family Peer Advocate (FPA) etc);
• Two years’ experience working with youth and young adults;
• Preference given to those with lived experience of substance use, criminal legal systems and/or other systems

Salary : $23