First Responder Peer Ambassador

Full Time First Responder Peer Ambassador (Hybrid WFH / Broward County travel required)

Industry : Essential community services

Location : Travel required within Broward County, FL

Schedule : Day shift with some nights and evenings required for events

Compensation : $25.48 hourly wage, plus generous benefits package (see below for details) including over 30 paid days off annually and 100% employer-sponsored individual health insurance

Summary of Qualifications :

• Must be a Florida resident living within Broward County area
• MANDATORY Four (4)+ years of experience as a state / local government first responder : law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, 911 dispatch, or corrections (this is non-negotiable)
• Ability to pass a level two (2) DCF background screening and a drug test

Full Job Description

About us : 211 Broward is a free, anonymous, 24-hour helpline offering listening support, information, referral, and crisis services.

We provide every caller with a place to turn to when they need answers to life’s challenges big or small by connecting them with nearly 3,800 programs and services that are available in their area.

This fast-paced crisis, information, and referral virtual call center fills a critical need in the communities we serve.

About this position : We are seeking motivated, compassionate, goal-oriented, and technologically savvy individuals to join our team as First Responder Peer Ambassadors.

You will be responsible for conducting outreach to the first responder community, providing vital information, referrals, and peer support services.

The role also serves as backup for Peer Support Specialists, offering telephone reassurance, listening, and crisis intervention through Helpline services.

The focus is on supporting first responders and their families by applying personal recovery experiences, building trust and mutuality, and aiding in the recovery process from mental health or substance use challenges.

This responsibility includes coordinating outreach activities, social media efforts, developing strategic outreach plans, report preparation, other 211 community awareness events, and continuous quality improvement activities.

We think the ideal candidate is someone who :

• Is willing and able to learn our approach to crisis counseling through training and experience
• Has demonstrated the ability to conduct self-care
• Shows compassion, empathy, and respect to people from different cultures and backgrounds
• Prefers to work autonomously once adequately trained
• Is comfortable with travel in and around Broward County on a regular basis
• Is motivated to grow and learn in the position through training and coaching
• Is passionate about assisting others and has a background in service
• Is technologically savvy and able to take notes while talking or listening
• Has a personal understanding of first responder culture and concerns

If this describes you, please read on!

Essential Tasks of the First Responder Peer Ambassador

• Represents 211 in the community (becomes the face of 211 Hero4Hero services), particularly among the first responder provider network
• Schedules and conducts regular outreach activities (presentations, fairs, social media, and distributions) with the community, providers, and key stakeholders that result in increased awareness about 211 Hero4Hero services that meet contractual requirements, including at a variety of locations, non-traditional times, and target audiences
• Assist in developing social media outreach to educate the public on services offered by 211 Hero4Hero services
• Establishes and maintains a collaborative relationship with community providers serving first responders, such as the Behavioral Health Assistance Programs (BHAP) and others
• Creates an annual outreach plan in collaboration with the supervisor
• Demonstrates commitment to understanding and embracing culture as central to effective services and the workplace
• Establishes a plan for community outreach that focuses on informing the community about the importance of connecting first responders with the services they need
• Attends and actively participates in relevant community meetings (e.g., Suicide Prevention Coalition committees)
• Assist with the development of marketing materials that help drive awareness and growth of 211 services
• Follows and helps create a consistent 211 presentation that aligns with our brand, philosophy, and services
• Conducts satisfaction surveys for presentations to demonstrate the effectiveness of presentations
• Assists in coordinating 211 special events, including partner and donor activities
• Provides 211 Helplines telephone, email, chat, and text coverage as needed
• Responds to Helpline participants' requests for peer support, empathic listening, problem-solving, crisis support, and suicide intervention following 211 Broward principles, policies, and procedures
• Actively implements the values, philosophy, and standards of the Recovery Peer Specialist
• Models relationship-building based on the tenets of peer support, with participants demonstrating competency in the field of peer recovery
• Actively participates in first responder debriefings with the team and supervisor to improve participants, individuals, and team outcomes
• Demonstrates commitment to understanding and embracing culture as central to effective services and the workplace
• Utilizes the Helpline community resource database according to agency policies and procedures
• Supports peers in training by assisting with call shadowing and mentoring
• Attends and participates in a minimum of 7 annual in-service training sessions; attends seminars / workshops related to program and professional development as requested

Requirements

To be considered for this position, you must :

• Be a Florida resident residing within the Broward County area
• Have earned a high school degree or GED, bachelor's degree in a relevant field is a plus
• Have four (4)+ years of experience as a state or local government first responder : law enforcement officer, firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, 911 dispatch, or corrections ( this is non-negotiable )
• Have a secure, quiet, and confidential work space with reliable internet
• Be free from caregiver responsibilities during work hours
• Be able to travel in and around Broward County on a regular basis
• Be able to pass a level two (2) DCF background check and drug test prior to employment
• Be able to work 40 hours per week
• Have flexibility regarding evening / weekend events you may be asked to attend.
• Have a minimum typing speed of 30 WPM
• Be comfortable with a phone and virtual chat-based work environment
• Complete fluency in Spanish or Creole is a plus

Benefits

We know satisfied employees are key to a thriving business. That is why we are pleased to offer :

• Competitive hourly wage of $25.48 per hour
• 100% employer-paid individual health, vision, dental, life, and short term disability insurances (coverage begins after 60 days of employment)
• Access to virtual mental health and therapy services through MyStrength with no co-pay
• Dependent health, vision, and dental plans available for purchase
• 403(b) retirement plan with potential for variable annual employer contribution
• Paid Time Off (PTO) available after three (3) FT working months (accrues at a rate of 8.00 hours per pay period, up to 16 days per year)
• Sick Leave available with the first pay period (accrues at a rate of 1.85 hours per pay period, up to 6 days per year)
• Nine (9) paid holidays throughout the year
• 100% paid eight (8) week upfront training, plus future opportunities for employer-sponsored certifications
• Student loan forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program
• Work supplies such as company laptop, mouse, headset, paper, and pens

We welcome and encourage diversity in our workplace.

211 Broward is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law.

Build a challenging and rewarding career with us! We look forward to your application.