Recovery Support Peer Specialist

Mission of Austin Street Center: Founded in 1983, Austin Street Center provides emergency shelter and meets the basic needs of the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in Dallas.

Core Values: Kindness, Trustworthiness, Empowerment, Determination

Position Purpose

People experiencing homelessness often have difficulty navigating services available in the homeless response system.  In Austin Street Center’s Deflection Program, people will need to navigate services to rapidly connect to housing, shelter, and treatment options in the community while also stabilizing various mental and physical health conditions.

The Recovery Support Peer Specialist (RSPS) will be expected to effectively communicate their strength, experience, and hope to successfully assist program participants stabilize their health conditions and connect quickly to additional service options in the community.  They will accomplish this through various services:

• Building therapeutic rapport with each program participant
• Teaching classes and leading activities with Deflection Program participants as well as other shelter residents when available
• Accompanying program participants to various appointments and services inside of Austin Street as well as throughout the community, including experientially teaching how to utilize the public transit system
• Coordinating with the Assistant Director to identify an exit pathway for each participant and providing logistical support to ensure the participant is connected

We are looking for a curious, energetic people person intimately familiar with recovery who can immediately connect with and gain the trust of justice-involved people.  Are you kind, trustworthy, and dedicated person who wants to make a difference with some of our most vulnerable neighbors?  This position may be for you!

Primary Responsibilities

• Engagement: meeting program participants and developing a therapeutic rapport with them
• Training and Teaching: identify participants’ needs and facilitate activities and classes using curriculum provided
• Exit Facilitation: work with teammates to identify exit pathways for each participant and rapidly facilitate their transfer to that pathway of service

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• High school diploma or GED
• Lived experience in homelessness, recovery, or deep poverty
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in social work, management, or human services field
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in written communication
• Demonstrates experience with and sensitivity to varying cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, values, and attitudes
• Basic to intermediate familiarity with digital communication, including cloud-based software, e-mail, and Microsoft Office applications
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds on a regular basis
• Able to work outside in adverse weather conditions when needed
• Able to work in a noisy environment with a large group of people

Additional Experience a Plus:

• Recovery Peer Support Specialist Certification
• Previous professional experience in crisis intervention, case management, justice system, and/or homeless services highly desired
• Bilingual in Spanish
• Training in Housing First, Motivational Interviewing, the Transtheoretical Model of Change, Harm Reduction, and/or Trauma-Informed Care
• U.S. Military service

Qualified individuals, please apply here or submit resume to resume@austinstreet.org.

Strong applications will include a cover letter which details how the applicant demonstrates the character qualities required for excellent performance in this position.