Program: Youth Services and DYCS

Location: 400 West Avenue

Position: Senior Peer Health Advocate

Hours: 24/ hrs. 52/ wks.

Salary Range: $19,556 – $25,659

Salary Grade: 12

Summary of Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Client Services Manager, the Senior Peer Health Advocate is responsible for assisting in implementing scientifically evaluated and proven interventions and prevention strategies, to individuals living with and or at risk of HIV and HCV or sexually transmitted infections (STI’s HIV, Hepatitis, etc.); and those communities most greatly impacted.

The Senior Peer Health Advocate assist in coordinating and providing strategic consumer and client navigation, outreach, peer support, and peer delivered education and intervention services, to targeted individuals and groups and communities. Primary duties for this position include outreach, recruitment, screening assessments, marketing, program promotion; group training and workshop facilitation; conducting special events, community forums, presentations, fairs, etc.; initiating consumer linkages & partnerships navigation, information & referral, service planning and coordination, data collection and reporting.

This position also supports and provides additional leadership in planning and implementing efforts conducted by 12-17 Peer Educators. The Senior Peer Health Advocate assists the Prevention and Peer Program Manager and other Senior Peer Health Advocate, in recruiting and managing both stipend and volunteer Peer Education Team members; conducting formal peer educator training; and implementing related activities and special events. The Senior Peer Health Advocate also maintains and secures consumer and program data for use in reporting program and participant progress. This position as assigned, also completes and submits required reports, log sheets and other statistical information, which confirms outcomes and adherence to contractual obligations and policies.

The Senior Peer Health Advocate plays a major role in advocacy efforts, increasing public awareness, creating systemic changes, and increasing resources for individuals and communities impacted by HIV and HCV or sexually transmitted infections. This position contributes to bringing greater insight on the perspectives of people living with HIV and or at risk to the public, organizations, policy makers, community leaders, etc. and to varied community sectors.

Qualifications and Education and Experience:

• Education: High School diploma and equivalent is required; and successful completion of ABC/AFC Peer Educator Training core curriculum, or possession of NYS Peer Education Certification credentials.

• An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered, upon willingness to complete required coursework and training to meet position qualifications, in a specified time frame.

• Experience: Requires a minimum of one (1) year direct experience in healthcare and community education, public health, human, service field, or comparable setting, preferably in a not for profit and community-based organization. Requires direct experience working in HIV education, outreach, and or peer support services. Requires the ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality; and an understanding of HIPAA, NYS - HIV confidentiality laws, policies, and procedures.

• Must possess good organizational, planning, analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills. Must be attentive to details and must have the ability to implement appropriate changes as directed. Requires good time-management skills, and the ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities, with fixed deadlines. Requires flexibility and ability to work in a fast-paced environment. and availability for possible evenings and weekend assignments. Requires good leadership skills, tact, and diplomacy ability to work independently, as well as a team member.

• Requires knowledge of HIV, HCV, STI, and related issues; consumer and community needs; care engagement; treatment adherence barriers, and related data trends in care. Must be familiar with the needs of those individuals, groups, and communities most impacted by HIV, focusing on vulnerable populations (i.e., low-income, people of color, etc.). Requires some knowledge of local community demographics; statistical data, and advancements; and barriers and obstacles in accessing care. Must possess sensitivity to the needs, norms, values, and cultural beliefs, associated with HIV status and treatment.

• Some experience and familiarity working with related successful evidence-based curriculums, interventions, and prevention service strategies, including motivational interviewing, and adult learning styles, is strongly preferred. Experience working with training, mentoring, and supervising adult and youth peer educators and work groups, is required. Must be able to engage people and groups living with and or at risk of HIV, HCV, and STI and deliver accurate information; and requires the ability to work with these groups navigate to services, including escorting consumers to appointments and other supportive services, as needed.

• Requires good communication skills, oral & written, and some experience in public speaking. Experience preparing and disseminating educational and informational announcements, and related communications, is strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience facilitating informational sessions and trainings, presentations, meetings, and related special events, to diverse audiences, is required.

• Must have strong interpersonal and customer service skills: must possess enthusiasm, sensitivity and must maintain a high level of confidentiality for all items of a sensitive nature; experience working work with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds, organizational levels, in a variety of settings is required.

• Experience conducting and interpreting screening assessments, developing service plans & goal setting; and monitoring & evaluating consumer progress, is preferred. Knowledge of risk-assessment, screening methods, and instruments, is a plus.

• Requires the ability to engage people living with HIV and to deliver accurate HIV, HCV and STI information to individuals and groups; ability to work with people living with and at high risk for HIV and HCV, and help them navigate to services, including escorting to appointments and other supportive services as needed.

• Requires proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications: Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook; familiarity with data systems and data entry; experience in maintaining electronic & paper records and file systems; experience preparing reports, forms, spreadsheets and related communications.

• Knowledge of the Greater Rochester area, community resources, organizations, and support service programs, is required Experience conducting consumer & staff info and referral and navigation services to increase access and options for referrals, is preferred. Familiarity with local health organizations, health-care benefits, and delivery systems, both public and private, is a plus. Requires the ability to identify and develop effective working relationships and partnerships at various organizational levels and multiple sectors and segments of the community; and assist in maintaining service linkage agreements and partnerships.

• Bi-lingual skills are a plus: ability to speak, read, and write in the Spanish language is a plus.

• Requires a valid NYS Driver’s License, and access to reliable transportation daily.

• Requires the health and physical capability to work in an office and in a variety of community settings.

• Bi-lingual capabilities - English and Spanish preferred.

• Requires a valid NYS Driver’s License, and access to reliable transportation.

• All employees of ABC Youth Services Dept. must receive, and maintain, full clearance from the Office of Children and Family Services, NYS Central Registry (SCR), and the Justice Center of New York prior to hire and periodically after hire. Any prospective or current employee who has an indication of child abuse maltreatment or neglect, will not be hired, or retained.

  Please Forward Resumes and Applications to:

  Human Resources Department

  Action for a Better Community, Inc.

  400 West Ave

  Rochester, New York 14611

  (585) 325-5116

  HRDept@abcinfo.org

  Deadline for Resumes and Applications: Open Until Filled

  X Internal Posting X External Posting