Peer Support Specialist/Case Manager

ABOUT US:

United Way is advancing the common good in Ventura County by providing help today in ways that strengthen tomorrow. United Way has the scope, expertise and influences to bring together human services agencies, government, businesses, private foundations and dedicated volunteers around a common vision of creating maximum impact and achieving long-lasting results. Why United Way? We all want to have the greatest possible impact on our community and the issues that we care about. Join the movement. At United Way, you unite your hopes and strengths with others to accomplish more than any of us can alone.

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW:

The mission of the United Way of Ventura County is: “To Mobilize and Inspire the Caring Power and Resources of our Community.” In keeping with this charge and in response to the shelter crisis in Ventura County, United Way of Ventura County launched a Homelessness Initiative to include a Landlord Engagement Program (LEP) to increase housing stock and utilize existing housing vouchers and housing subsidies provided by local jurisdictions and community partners in preventing and ending homelessness. Everyone needs a safe place to call home, yet that basic need is increasingly out of reach for many people in Ventura County. Limited affordable housing supply, extremely low vacancy rates, and prohibitive and rising rents, make home access for those with housing barriers exceedingly challenging. Advocating for these individuals and families includes recruiting, cultivating, retaining, and growing the number of landlords willing to help prevent and end homelessness.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Peer Support Specialist / Case Manager provides recovery-oriented support services to individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, housing, or life challenges. Using lived experience, advocacy, and case management skills, this position helps clients build stability, access community resources, develop goals, and maintain overall wellness. The ideal candidate demonstrates empathy, professionalism, strong communication skills, and the ability to support individuals in a trauma-informed and culturally responsive manner.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Peer Support Duties:

• Provide emotional support, encouragement, and mentorship based on lived experience.
• Assist clients in developing recovery, wellness, and self-sufficiency goals.
• Facilitate peer support groups, recovery activities, and wellness education.
• Promote hope, empowerment, self-advocacy, and independent living skills.
• Build trusting relationships with clients through compassionate and respectful communication.
• Support clients in navigating behavioral health, medical, housing, employment, and social service systems.

Case Management Duties:

• Assist case managers with light caseload support such as scheduling appointments, follow-up calls, and providing reminders to clients.
• Provide clients with referrals to community resources such as food banks, shelters, employment services, and healthcare providers.
• Support clients with applications for benefits or services under supervision of a case manager.
• Document client progress notes and updates in case files.
• Monitor and track client participation and program compliance.
• Assist with crisis intervention and problem-solving when appropriate, escalating to case managers when necessary.

Housing Navigation & Outreach:

• Landlord outreach and engagement. Build and maintain relationships with property owners, managers, and housing partners.
• Assist with outreach to community organizations (e.g. Neighborhood Councils, Faith Based Organizations, Apartment Owners Associations, Non-profit Housing) to engage and educate the community and housing partners.
• Assist with lease-up process, as needed.
• Assist with follow-up to property owners after housing placement and continue communication with clients to ensure housing retention. Communicate with supervisor if the client has needs that you need assistance with including mental health emergency.
• Attend agency and community meetings, as directed.
• Coordinate housing and homelessness-related activities and communications with the County of Ventura, local organizations, and other homeless service providers.
• Additional tasks, projects, and responsibilities, as assigned.
• Due to the leadership role United Way is called upon to play in the community, particularly during times of crisis, it is the expectation that all United Way staff will be fully engaged in the organization's crisis plans and response efforts.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:

High school diploma or equivalent (associate or bachelor's degree in social work, Human Services, or related field preferred).

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• General knowledge and experience in Ventura County, the VA, and the local network of community-based health and human services organizations serving low-income homeless populations, or veteran families at risk of homelessness, is preferred.
• Proficiency required in MS Word, Excel and other related computer programs required, and research related software preferred.
• Commits to the organization-has the responsibility for aligning one’s own behavior, leadership and commitment with needs, priorities, goals, and culture of the UWVC.
• Embraces diversity and inclusion-creates an atmosphere that respects and embraces engagement of all people, ideas and backgrounds and aligns with United Way’s values.
• Seizes learning-able and willing to learn new skills and knowledge and accept new challenges to further United Way mission.
• Personifies teamwork-demonstrates good collaboration and communication to be effective in any team setting.
• Experience in behavioral health, social services, recovery support, or case management preferred
• Lived experience with recovery, mental health, or substance use challenges strongly valued

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms, climb stairs, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, talk or hear, taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perceptions, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Send Cover Letter, Resume, and list of three (3) references to:

United Way of Ventura County

702 County Square Drive, Suite 100

Ventura, CA 93003

Yvonne.Estrada@vcunitedway.org