Peer Youth Counselor

Sasha Bruce Youthwork is one of the largest and most experienced providers of services to youth in the Washington, DC area. Our mission is to improve the lives of runaway, homeless, abused, neglected, and/or at-risk youth and their families in the Washington, DC area. We achieve this by providing shelter, counseling, life skills training, and positive youth development activities to approximately 1,500 youth and 5,000 family members each year.

With more than 45 years of experience meeting the growing needs of youth and families with innovative programs, Sasha Bruce Youthwork is always willing to listen and ready to help.

Sasha Bruce Youthwork is one of the largest and most experienced providers of services to youth in the Washington, DC area. Our mission is to improve the lives of runaway, homeless, abused, neglected, and/or at-risk youth and their families in the Washington, DC area. We achieve this by providing shelter, counseling, life skills training, and positive youth development activities to approximately 1,500 youth and 5,000 family members each year.

With more than 45 years of experience meeting the growing needs of youth and families with innovative programs, Sasha Bruce Youthwork is always willing to listen and ready to help.

The PGC Drop in Center Peer Youth Counselor provides services to adolescents and young adults impacted by homelessness and involved in street activities (gangs, violence, drug use/sale and survival sex). Services provided by the Youth Peer Counselor includes assistance in case management, referrals, outreach, crisis transportation, daily living services (food, shower and respite for example), triage counseling, recreational activities, support groups and life skills education classes and activities.

The Youth Counselor coordinates with the PGC Drop-In Center Director, Case Manager and other supporting programs and local agencies to provide short and long-term care necessary to meet the wide range of needs related to homeless and disconnected youth.

• Works in collaboration with other team members at the Drop-In Center to coordinate supportive services for clients and provides concretes support to clients, including preparation and/or service of food, access to shower and laundry facilities, support with mail, respite, hygiene supplies, vital documents, computer lab and other related supports;
• Supports orientation and intake for individuals seeking assistance;
• Participates in crisis intervention and individual counseling; supports reparative interventions as part of a harm reduction approach; and mediates client conflicts when appropriate;
• Engagement of youth into program structure, using a trauma-informed, harm reduction philosophy and the principles of positive youth development;
• Supports various events at the site including holiday activities, speakers, etc.;
• Facilities or co-facilitates wellness, recreational engagement activities, educational presentations on related topics, life skills education activities and groups, as assigned;
• Provides information to homeless youth in accessing resources and advocates for their access;
• Escorts youth to appropriate services and provides transportation as part of case plan, as assigned
• Conducts street outreach to homeless and street involved young people, as assigned
• Maintains routine administrative responsibilities to include the preparation of correspondence, maintaining files, writing case notes, mail, email, and answering the telephone;
• Performs all tasks and responsibilities with attention to detail and in a complete and timely manner, complying with agency policies and standards and conforming to…