Resource Advocate - Part Time

Mission Statement:Baltic Street Wellness Solutions is committed to providing peer recovery, person-centered, trauma-informed, and compassionate services to those with mental health lived experiences.

Vision:Our vision is to drive a cultural transformation within the mental health community by advocating for the underserved, educating for change, and inspiring wellness. We approach our role with cultural humility and mindfulness of oppressive systems.

Our Core Values:

• We value a mentoring philosophy delivered by staff with peer-lived experiences.
• We value the recovery journey of every individual with a mental health diagnosis.
• We value the personal and professional experiences of our staff and board members.
• We value community action to change societal views to break the stigma of mental health through advocacy within all systems.
• We value everyone's desire to have opportunities to obtain their visions of wellness.
• We value education and training to enhance an individual's opportunities for growth in one's journey to self-discovery.

The mission of Baltic Street Wellness Solutions' Community Resource and Wellness Center is to provide a safe haven for adults who experience mental health lived experience. We promote ongoing recovery through peer support, advocacy, empowerment, and social skills development. We believe in a holistic approach consisting of art, music, writing, and gardening as viable tools for recovery and self-expression in a culturally competent environment. We offer an atmosphere that is relaxed and friendly where people can gather, get assistance with basic needs, socialize, and help one another move towards an enhanced quality of life. Peer staff will assist participants as they set personal goals, identify strategies to meet those goals and develop networks of natural supports to enable them to integrate into the greater community.

Essential Functions:

• Creative artistic abilities in one or more areas. Particularly musically inclined.
• Interact regularly and establish trusting relationships with participants while providing needed support. 
• Provide individual advocacy, self-help, and empowerment tools (such as the Wellness Recovery Action Plan) to participants.
• Provide support to participants with various aspects of the Resource Center’s environment, assist in finding and using in-house resources such as art supplies, computers, musical instruments, library, etc.
• Support participants in researching and locating resources within their community such as gym memberships, case management and other services.  
• Facilitate or co-facilitate self-help and mutual support groups.
• Participation and assistance in planning special events.
• Answer phone, take messages and greet participants.
• Inputting participant data on Foothold (AWARDS) data base system.
• Other tasks as required and assigned by management.

Qualifications:

• A strong interest in music with musical talent and abilities with varying instruments.
• Experience as a peer specialist, or other related experience.
• Skill and experience in recovery-oriented practices, Understanding of the 8 Dimensions of Wellness and Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP). 
• Basic knowledge of mental health and community resources.
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Computer skills: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Internet research skills. 
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Bilingual a plus.
• High School Diploma or GED required. 
• New York State APS certification preferred.

Baltic Street Wellness Solutions will require selected candidates to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 and having received a booster shot. If a candidate has a qualifying medical condition or religious exemption that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, an exemption form should be requested from Human Resources.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENTThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or listen. The employee frequently is required to use hands or finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit; reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.