Peer Counselor

Peer Counselor
Date September 14, 2026

• Employment Category:
  Part-time, grant-funded appointment
• FLSA Classification:
  Non-exempt (overtime eligible)
• Hourly Rate: $10.00 per hour
• Work Schedule:
  
  Normally 10-12 hours per week
• Appointment Period:
  September 1 through May 31
• Reports To:
  
  Director, Upward Bound
• Travel:
  Up to 30 percent

The Peer Counselor provides part-time peer support, guidance, and educational programming for Upward Bound participants experiencing academic, personal, or social challenges. Drawing on relevant lived, educational, or mentoring experience, the Peer Counselor helps participants identify goals, strengthen self-advocacy and resilience, navigate challenges, and connect with appropriate program, school, University, and community resources. The Peer Counselor is not a licensed mental-health provider and does not diagnose, treat, or independently manage clinical concerns.

Matters involving safety, abuse, self-harm, threats, medical needs, or concerns beyond the role must be referred immediately to the Director or another designated professional in accordance with program protocols.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Provide respectful, strengths-based peer support to participants experiencing academic, personal, interpersonal, or social challenges.
• Listen actively, help participants identify concerns and goals, share appropriate practical strategies, and encourage responsible decision-making and self-advocacy.
• Build positive, professional relationships with participants while maintaining clear role boundaries and avoiding dual relationships or conflicts of interest.
• Encourage participation in tutoring, supplemental instruction, workshops, advising, college-readiness activities, and other Upward Bound services.
• Support an inclusive environment that promotes belonging, resilience, academic progress, and preparation for college.

• Provide accurate information about available academic, counseling, crisis, health, financial, disability, social-service, and community resources.
• Refer participants to the Director, school personnel, licensed counselors, emergency resources, or other qualified professionals when needs exceed the Peer Counselor role.
• Follow all mandatory-reporting, emergency-response, youth-protection, and program notification procedures.
• Do not provide clinical counseling, legal advice, medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or services outside assigned training and authority.

• Assist with or facilitate approved workshops and peer-education activities on academic skills, study habits, stress management, conflict resolution, communication, leadership, college readiness, and related topics.
• Help prepare workshop materials, participant activities, resource information, and program communications.
• Support group discussions and activities in a manner that promotes safety, respect, confidentiality, and constructive participation.

• Maintain participant privacy and confidentiality consistent with FERPA, University policy, program procedures, and the limits of confidentiality explained during training.
• Maintain objective, timely, and accurate records of assigned contacts, attendance, referrals, activities, and concerns using approved forms and systems.
• Promptly report safety concerns, suspected abuse or neglect, threats, policy violations, and other required matters to the appropriate program official.
• Protect records and refrain from discussing participant information with unauthorized individuals or through personal communication channels or social media.

• Complete required orientation, peer-counseling, confidentiality, youth-protection, emergency-response, Title IX, safety, and other assigned training.
• Participate in supervision, staff meetings, professional development, debriefings, and program evaluation activities.
• Collaborate with the Director, program staff, instructors, tutors, school personnel, and approved partners to support participant success.
• Assist with in-house filing, workshops, student activities, recruitment, field trips, and other program duties within the scope of the appointment.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the grant and position as assigned by the Director.