Peer Support Specialist

**PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST (PSS)**

**Mental Health Court Support and North York Mental Health & Justice Supportive Housing**

**One (1) Bargaining Unit, Temporary Full-Time Position (Contract until October 27, 2026)**

**Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm**

**Existing Vacancy**

**Compensation: $23.11/hour-** **$25.62/hour**

**About Cota**

Cota is presently seeking a dynamic and innovative individual to join our amazing team in the capacity of the role outlined within this posting. Followed by our mission to support individuals with mental health and cognitive challenges to live well within their communities, we strive toward a vision of a supportive, inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. If you feel you have the skills and qualifications to perform the duties of this role while consistently exemplifying Cota’s values Hope, Respect, Dedication, Equity, Accountability, Collaboration and Innovation, we would love to hear from you.

**Role Overview**

Peer Support Specialists offer their personal lived experience and unique health/social service consumer perspective to provide informal mentoring and group support to Cota service users facing similar experiences.

**About the Teams**

**Mental Health Court Support**

The Peer Support Specialist will work alongside four seasoned Mental Health Court Support Workers shared between the Ontario Court of Justice Toronto and the Toronto Regional Bail Centre. The program is part of a collective with two partner agencies consisting of some of the most experienced mental health professionals. The role of Peer Support Specialist is unique across all three agencies and believed to be vital, transformative and inspiring.

**North York Mental Health & Justice Supportive Housing**

The Mental Health & Justice Supportive Housing program provides rent-subsidized housing and support to people with mental illness who are homeless and are involved, or are at significant risk of involvement with the justice system. Tenants of this program occupy individual apartment units in locations throughout Scarborough and North York.

The team consists of 5 Supportive Housing Workers, a Housing Coordinator and a Peer Support Specialist.

**Primary Responsibilities**:
The Peer Support Specialist's responsibilities are primarily focused on providing instructional coaching, guidance, and mentoring support to individuals enrolled in a Cota program or service.

The Peer Support Specialist's duties may involve, but not necessarily be limited to:
Individual Mentoring and Advocacy Activities:

- Provide mentoring to Cota service users when required
- Promote independence through teaching, support and coaching
- Ensure that mentoring is conducted with the principles of recovery and psychosocial rehabilitation in mind
- Establish a service user directed partnership that fosters independence, competencies and hope
- Facilitate links to other community resources
- Accompaniment to medical appointments, where required

Group Mentoring Activities:

- Organize and facilitate various groups for Cota service users. These could include but are not limited to computer training, cooking, and WRAP

Administrative Tasks:

- Properly document all service user interactions and meet the Cota documentation requirements
- Participate in program activities: planning, evaluation in order to provide a consumer perspective

Training:

- Attend all training related to this position and actively participate in these sessions to the satisfaction of the instructors
- Attend all peer support meetings with other peer support specialists and contribute in a constructive and supportive manner

**Other Responsibilities**:

- All program participants must be comfortable with discussing their experience with mental illness and their recovery journey
- Observe Cota rules and regulations, policies, procedures, practices and current legislation, in particular, the Ontario Human Rights Code
- Comply with all Health and Safety policies and procedures to ensure every reasonable precaution is taken for the protection of workers and service users, and that health and safety concerns or incidents are responded to promptly
- Works cooperatively and constructively with all staff members
- Ensures confidentiality of service users, employees and Cota information is always maintained
- Undertakes other related and/or delegated duties

**Qualifications**:
**Education**:

- High school diploma
- Degree or diploma in health or social services (preferred)
- Completion of the WRAP training an asset

**Experience**:

- Personal experience of the mental health system resulting from mental health issues
- Experience in peer support gained from volunteer or paid work
- Experience working with groups

Knowledge & Skills:

- Knowledge of the issues affecting people in the target group (e.g. poverty, unemployment, stigma, isolation)
- Knowledge and abilities to effectively manage personal mental health issues
- Willingness to selectively