The Recovery Youth Leader helps address the needs and goals of the Transitional Age Youth (TAY) population and will participate in TAY seminars, training, or events. The Recovery Youth Leader will facilitate events and programs of the SERLC that will foster a warm and welcoming environment. TAY will communicate, represent, and promote the Youth Peer movement within the SERLC and facilitate Peer run groups. 

• Shares personal experiences; provide support, education and advocacy to SERLC participants, especially as it pertains to Transitional Age Youth. 
• Facilitates groups and activities in the community.
• Helps prepare participants to engage in a recovery process and to communicate their strengths, hopes, dreams and goals effectively. 
• Provides assistance in the development of reports and collection of data, especially as it pertains to Transitional Age Youth.
• Attends and participates in social events, trainings, and workshops within the mental health and addiction system, especially as it pertains to Transitional Age Youth.
• Helps to facilitate events and training sessions within the SERLC, especially as it pertains to Transitional Age Youth.
• Actively publicizes logistics of group meeting times and locations.
• Engages participants in non-directive and supportive relationships that promote empowerment and self-learning. 
• Maintains knowledge of current available resources and information through department communications, published literature, and other available sources. Assists in maintaining resource library stocked and up to date. 
• Creates a welcoming and helpful RLC environment in which participants, family, friends, and others important in the lives of participants are welcomed, respected, and valued.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned.
 
 
Knowledge and Skills:
• Willing to use and share their personal, practical experience of recovery process, wellness management, and the personal effort and commitment required for persons served to have a full and satisfying life in the community.
• Ability to empathize with another person’s experience and practice compassionate listening. 
• Ability to comfortably share one’s experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms. 
• Ability to enforce an agenda and time guidelines. 
• Ability to direct and re-direct the flow of a group
• Respond in a timely manner via both phone and email to program director and RCC Coordinator
• Practice protocol for handling emergency or crisis situations.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Actively publicize logistics of groups meeting times and locations
• Strong commitment to the right and ability of people served by Vinfen to live, work, have meaningful relationships and receive the resources and supports needed in their community of choice.
• Knowledge of recovery-oriented, person-centered and strengths-based values and principles 
and modalities
• Knowledge of psychiatric rehabilitation values, principles and techniques
• Knowledge of the effects of prejudice (including internalized negative attitudes about oneself), discrimination, and oppression of people with psychiatric disorders, and the effects of poverty
• Knowledge of motivational interviewing, stage of change and harm reduction techniques 
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally competent services 
• Sensitivity to cultural, religious, ethnic, disability, and gender issues 
• Knowledge of human, legal, civil rights, community, and other resources
• Skills and competence to establish supportive trusting relationships with program clients.
• Knowledge of empowerment and self-advocacy techniques
• Knowledge of available community and mental health services, including equipment, 
therapies and service providers
• Knowledge of psychiatric advanced directives, self-management and crisis intervention 
techniques 
• Knowledge of evidence-based practices and commitment to maintaining program’s fidelity to 
EBP standards and practices
• Knowledge and use of different communication and learning styles and supervisory 
techniques. 
• Knowledge of organizational, strategic, participatory, collaborative skills
• Knowledge of formal and informal assessment practices
• Knowledge of data-driven decision-making processes and ability to encourage others to use 
data analysis as needed.
• Ability to balance competing priorities. 
• Ability to make independent judgments and decisions. 
• Ability to work in a professional and confidential capacity.

Established in 1977, Vinfen is a nonprofit, health and human services organization and a leading provider of community-based services to individuals with mental health conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and behavioral health challenges. Our services and advocacy promote the recovery, resiliency, habilitation, and self-determination of the people we serve. Vinfen's 3,500 dedicated employees are experienced, highly-trained professionals who provide a full range of supportive living, health, educational, and clinical services in over 550 sites throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. For more information about Vinfen, please visit www.vinfen.org/careers.

My Job. My Community. My Vinfen.

Vinfen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.