Parent Mentor - African American/Black Fathers

Peer Support portland, Oregon


Description

TITLE: Parent Mentor – Culturally Specific African American/Black Fathers
POSITION: Full-Time/ In-Person 
LOCATION: Multnomah County
Typical Hours: Monday – Friday 8am – 4.30pm
SALARY: $21.64/hr. - $23.02/hr. (Bilingual $23.59/hr. - $25.10/hr.)
 
Morrison Child and Family Services: We are a Joint Commission and 
Sanctuary accredited non-profit organization that provides a comprehensive array of services to children, adolescents, and their families. As an agency, Morrison, its team members, and clients commit to the following values of trauma-informed care:  
  • Nonviolence - being safe and doing the right thing 
  • Emotional Intelligence - managing our feelings so we don’t hurt ourselves or others 
  • Social Learning - respecting and sharing ideas of our teams 
  • Democracy - shared decision making whenever possible 
  • Open Communication - saying what we mean and not being mean when we say it 
  • Social Responsibility - everyone makes a contribution to the organizational culture 
  •  Growth and Change - creating hope for our clients and ourselves 
  • Equity - Assuring all can survive and thrive 
Parents Mentors of Oregon is seeking a male identifying Parent Mentor to support predominantly African American / Black fathers that are currently entering the Child Welfare system in Multnomah County. If you are a parent who personally understands the struggles of drug addiction, believes in second chances, and has the tools and resources to mentor other parents facing similar struggles, then this job is for you!
 
This position requires a unique life experience, including personal experience and knowledge of addiction issues and a minimum 2 years in active program of recovery.
 
The Parent Mentor Program offers a supportive & inspiring workplace for people in recovery, including an employee resource group for staff of color. Our motto is: RECOVERY FIRST-FAMILY SECOND-WORK THIRD!  

Job Summary:

The Parent Mentor program matches Parent Mentors who have lived experience of involvement with ODHS child welfare and are currently living a recovery lifestyle with parents currently entering the Child Welfare system. Parent Mentors are role models demonstrating the possibility of change and a healthy life as a parent in recovery.

This position requires knowledge of and lived experience parenting or working with African American / Black communities. This would be demonstrated by the ability to share experiences working directly with individuals who identify with the African American / Black community or a shared understanding of parenting norms and the ability to give specific examples of understanding community traditions, customs, beliefs, history, and culture.

Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Empower and coach parents through their case with ODHS, support them at family meetings and court hearings, drive parents to appointments in Multnomah County, connect parents to culturally specific resources and provide support for other mentors on the team are all important aspects of this work
  • Develop a trusting relationship with child welfare-involved parents by providing regular contact and support, building trust and rapport, including attending court and/or meetings with ODHS 
  • Build relationships with ODHS Child Welfare, treatment services and dependency court systems and represent the Parent Mentor Program positively with all County partners 
  • Communicate positively and professionally with ODHS staff and work collaboratively with caseworkers to support parents in achieving their goals

Experience/Education Requirements 

  • Personal experience and knowledge of addiction issues 
  • Minimum 2 years in active recovery from using alcohol and other drugs 
  • Personal experience of a ODHS Child Welfare case, closed for a minimum 1 year required 
  • High School Diploma or GED or high school level writing and reading skills.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to developing a thorough knowledge and application of the Sanctuary model and other organizational policies & practices. 
  • Participate in staff development, in-services, and training related to equity and inclusion in the workplace; model appropriate behaviors; develop, recommend, and implement improvements to business practices with awareness and understanding of the impact in a trauma-informed and culturally diverse organization.  
 Preferred Qualifications not required  
  • Bilingual in Spanish 
Other Requirements:
  • Position requires personal transportation allowing for regular travel within Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties for meetings and trainings in a timely manner. Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and personal auto liability insurance  
  • Must pass a criminal history check 
We are an Affirmative Action Plan Employer. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. In compliance with our Affirmative Action Plan, Morrison uses E-Verify to determine employment eligibility after an offer is accepted. 
Applications will be reviewed as received.  Morrison reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the posting period.  
Morrison employees are offered a variety of benefits including Medical, Vision, Dental, Flexible Spending Accounts, Employer-Paid Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Long-Term Disability, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).   
If your personal values align with our agency's vision and dedication to serving youth and families, please submit your résumé, application, and cover letter to www.morrisonkids.org/careers.