HIV+ Peer Advocate
Job Code: 18-07009
Reports to: Program Manager
Position Status: Regular Part Time
Home Site: Seneca
Location: 1118 5th Ave Seattle, WA 98101
   

Summary:
BABES Network-YWCA is a peer leadership program for women and families affected by HIV, a sisterhood of women facing HIV together. BABES promotes self-empowerment, reduces isolation, enhances quality of life and serves the needs of women living with HIV and their families through peer support, advocacy, education and outreach.

Operating on the concept that HIV positive women are uniquely qualified to understand and support one another, BABES Network’s HIVPositive Peer Advocates support our mission by helping other HIV positive women move into positions of leadership.  They provide peer mentorship and education to other HIV positive women, and recruit women for events and retreats.  Peer Advocates may also perform community outreach and prevention education at schools, treatment centers, shelters, prisons, churches, businesses, and other groups. 

This position has a social justice component that requires critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principals of antiracism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values. As an equal opportunity employer, we highly encourage people of color to apply.

Responsibilities:
• Engage HIV+ members in conversations about treatment adherence, medical care, and support
• Support healthy behaviors and attitudes among BABES’ multi-cultural membership with active listening, strength-based counsel, education, and modeling
• Respond to provider referrals and self-referred women to provide welcoming service entry point for newly diagnosed or those re-entering the care system
• Facilitate support groups, events, and retreats
• Visit members in the hospital or at home as prearranged with supervisor
• Work with co-workers to develop an effective team to fulfill BABES Network mission
• Provide resources and referrals to women living with HIV/AIDS including food, housing and transportation assistance, medical care, and case management
• Stay up-to-date on medical developments related to HIV and changes to AIDS services
• Assist other staff members with community outreach, volunteer management, newsletter production, and fund-raising activities
• Attend trainings to maintain proficiency in active listening, peer advocacy, medical treatment, de-escalation, other community services, etc.
• Perform community outreach and prevention education at schools, treatment centers, shelters, prisons, churches, businesses and other groups as requested by supervisor
• Keep accurate records of services provided by entering all communications and updated information in CareWare database
• Achieve contact goals for one-on-one peer counseling via phone and in person
• Correspondence, staff meetings, data entry, trainings and other administrative functions 
• Meet regularly with Program Manager to assess performance and adjust workload
• Provide a welcoming, calm and courteous presence in the office and on the phones
• Help keep the kitchen and other common spaces clean and orderly
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Actively engages in agency-wide Race & Social Justice Initiative (RSJI) and strives for racially equitable outcomes; takes responsibility for creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming community by making room for people of color, trans and gender-non-conforming folks and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppressions
• Adhere to all Volunteer Services protocol relative to volunteer usage, recognition and monitoring
• Assure that clients, staff, volunteers and community partners are treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background

Qualifications & Core Competencies:
• One year or more experience living with HIV/AIDS
• One year or more experience with motivational interviewing and/or health education preferred
• Ability to discuss medical information including sexual history and sexual practices and other information that may be graphic in nature
• One or more years’ experience assisting with trainings, leadership development and/or public speaking
• One year or more experience providing referrals to medical and support services for HIV positive people in Washington State
• Two years or more experience working with staff and clients from a variety of racial, cultural and economic backgrounds including people experiencing homelessness, living with HIV/AIDS or mental illness
• Two years or more experience using computer skills, including but not limited to, Microsoft Word and Outlook
• One year or more experience with data entry preferred
• Knowledge of and sensitivity towards issues affecting women living with HIV/AIDS
• Experience working with the African American and African communities, understanding of their culture
• Motivational Interviewing preferred
• Must be an HIV+ woman
• English fluency required, Spanish or other language proficiency a plus
• Willingness to speak publicly about experience as an HIV positive woman to a variety of audiences including youth, incarcerated women, church groups and shelters
• Ability to understand and maintain strict confidentiality
• Ability to represent the program to health care providers, multicultural community groups, media outlets and women who are at-risk for HIV infection, newly diagnosed and/or previously underserved
• Ability to set healthy boundaries
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Flexibility and ability to multi-task
• Willingness to learn new skills
• Women of color strongly encouraged to apply
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racist principles 
• Experience working with communities of color and people from different cultures than your own
• Demonstrated understanding of the intersection of racism and poverty
• Core competencies expected: Achievement, Continuous learning, Customer service, Flexibility, Fostering Diversity, Interpersonal Skills, Leading and Developing others, Professionalism, Reliability, Social justice advocacy, Specialized knowledge and Stress management

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  In performing this position, the employee:
• Must be able to bend and stretch and be able to lift items up to 20 pounds
• Continuously uses hands and wrists, fingering, handling, grasping and reaching in using telephones, computers, fax machines and other office equipment and supplies
• Frequently uses speech, hearing, and sight abilities in exchanging information with clients, agency staff, employers, representatives of community organizations and other individuals in the community
• Occasionally sits for extended periods while performing desktop activities                       
• Occasionally stands and walks in performing duties in the office and in traveling to off-site meetings
• Indoor office environment
• Occasional local travel to multiple locations for off-site meetings

 *Continuously = Over 80% of the time * Frequently = 20-80% * Occasionally = Under 20%


Hours, Rate & Benefits:
• Hourly rate: $15.38 DOE
• Hours per week: 24-30
• FLSA Classification: Non-Exempt
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday and sick leave plans
• At the time of hire, employees may choose to voluntarily enroll in the Fidelity 403b Plan. Typically after two years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund