Youth Services Peer Navigator Harm Reduction - Manhattan Lower East Side

Summary

Streetwork Project is an innovative outreach-counseling program for homeless youth in Harlem, which utilizes a harm reduction approach providing comprehensive services to adolescents and young adults impacted by homelessness and involved in street activities (gangs, violence, drug use/sale and survival sex).

The Youth Services Navigator will promote access to harm reduction supplies and services at Streetwork’s Drop-In Center, with a focus on LGBTQ youth and youth of color at risk of SUDs Youth Services Navigators (YSN) will facilitate and conduct one-on-one harm reduction goal setting intervention for drug using clients. Youth Services Navigators will provide overdose prevention and response trainings for drug users.

The YSN will provide youth seeking harm reduction services with information, counseling and supplies (safer syringe services, sniff kits, safer sex supplies, Naloxone kits and sharps disposal kits), The Youth Services Navigators will also be needed to provide general program services such client monitoring in the milieu, intake and assessment, supportive counseling, referrals, syringe exchange, escorts and the provision of concrete services (meal preparation client, laundry, provision of supplies), and groups.

• Learn and integrate a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, using an anti-oppressive lens, into your work with clients.
• Engagement of adolescents into program structure (harm reduction philosophy, rules, mutual respect)
• Milieu counseling;
  Mediation for internal conflicts
• Facilitate access to daily living needs (food, clothes, hygiene supplies, space to rest)
• Conduct intake and assessment and screen for substance use risk
• Facilitate and conduct educational presentations on drug user health and well-being issues and engage clients in practicing harm reduction techniques to reduce risk.
• Co-facilitate trainings / educational presentations to staff around emerging trends amongst target population
• Provide syringe exchange, opioid overdose reversal medication and overdose prevention education and distribution of materials related to drug use in promotion of health and well-being
• Convene and facilitate a quarterly peer advisory group
• Oversee and manage social media post and messaging around available harm reduction services
• Conduct audits of the Streetwork Drop-In Centers to identify opportunities to increase harm reduction accessibility through signage, posters, and a welcoming display of harm reduction supplies.
• Connect clients to supportive resources with both internal and external partners to increase client’s access to benefits and resources; provide accompaniment as necessary and requested by clients
• Participate in weekly case conferencing meetings
• Maintain routine administrative responsibilities to include the preparation of correspondence, maintaining files, mail, email, and telephone.
• Participation in staff trainings, staff meetings, and staff group process workshops
• Participate in weekly supervision

• Identification of new resources appropriate for population
• Provide wellness and recreational (engagement) activities
• Provide support in organizing events in the Drop-In Center, monitor entrance to the program, oversee concrete support to clients.
• Support Peer Street Outreach at Both the LES and Uptown Site

• All Streetwork program sites and staff
• All internal Safe Horizon programs and departments that can comprehensively support the client and case plan
• All external agencies and organizations that can provide appropriate services to the client

• Compassionate approach to others and openness to new ideas
• Dynamic energy, able to multi-task and negotiate multiple demands on attention
• Non-judgmental…