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Volunteer Peer Counselor  A Volunteer Position at Independence, Inc.

General Job Description

Volunteer Peer Counselors are people who have personal experience living with a disability. They serve as role models, companions, educators and advocates to our consumers.  Although not professional counselors, Volunteer Peer Counselors are well-trained in basic counseling skills and are committed to on-going education and personal growth. Volunteer Peer Counselors are people who understand living with a disability, having "been there."

Volunteer Peer Counselors help consumers explore there options given their available resources and formulate problem-solving plans. They also serve as informal counselors, offering consumers the opportunity to discuss issues surrounding relationships, feelings, attitudes, personal goals and individual rights.  Sometimes Peer Counselors help people learn independent living skills such as money management or various household skills. The goal of the Volunteer Peer Counselor is to help consumers cultivate independence, competence, self-confidence and self-esteem.

Required Qualifications:

- A Volunteer Peer Counselor is a person with a disability helping other people with disabilities.  Disabilities include orthopedic or neurological disabilities, chronic or terminal illnesses, psychiatric disabilities, cognitive or learning disabilities, recovery from substance abuse, deafness, hard of hearing, and blindness or visual impairments.

- Potential Volunteer Peer Counselors will be asked to describe, in an interview, how they have incorporated their own disability into their life in a positive way.

- A demonstrated ability to listen, empathize, and accept others.

- Participation in a six-week volunteer peer counseling training.

- A demonstrated openess to receiving feedback and supervision as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Volunteer or work experience in counseling, peer counseling, education, advocacy, or related fields.

- Volunteer or work experience serving people with disabilities.

- Out of respect for the peer counseling relationships you will establish, we ask that you make a six to twelve month commitment to the program.  We also ask that you provide a two-week notice prior to termination, to allow time for graceful closure within these relationships.

Duties -  The Volunteer Peer Counselor will be responsible for:

• Meeting regularly with consumers.

• Advocating on behalf of consumers, and promoting self-advocacy.

• Modeling and training consumers in independent living skills.

• Providing emotional support for consumers.

• Providing feedback in the form of log sheets describing interactions with consumers.  

• Communicating with the coordinator of the program about problems or concerns.  

• Participating in in-service trainings.  

• Participating in an on-going support network with other Volunteer Peer Counselors.

Duties may also include:

• Making public presentations or otherwise marketing the Volunteer Peer Counseling program.

• Assisting in training other Volunteer Peer Counselors in future trainings.

Further Information

Volunteer Peer Counselors are supervised by the Counselor/Community Coordinator at Independence, Inc.  They are required to keep the supervisor apprised of issues and concerns as they arise.

The Independent Living Skills Trainers at Independence, Inc. often refer consumers to the Volunteer Peer Counseling Program.  Counselors often work closely with the ILS Trainers to help consumers achieve their goals.

Counselors draw up a contract with the supervisor at the beginning of their volunteer expe­rience.  Guidelines are defined for time commitments, confidentiality, procedures, and so forth.  The contract may be renegotiated as needed.  Failure to honor this contract may mean dis­missal from the program.

Counselors are not paid.  This is a volunteer position.  

Procedure for Becoming a Volunteer Peer Counselor

• Candidates fill out an application and pick up a job description.  They provide the names of two references.  

• Candidates are interviewed.

• Reference check.  

• Post interview feedback  

• Participation in training.

Candidates must demonstrate competency in areas of listening skills, independent living philosophy, and ethics before being matched with consumers.  Candidates must complete the training before serving as a Volunteer Peer Counselor.

Maintaining a Position as a Volunteer Peer Counselor

• Post-training interview and contract negotiation.  

• On-going communication with supervisor, in the form of log sheets, phone calls, etc.

• Networking with other Volunteer Peer Counselors. 

• In-service training.