Careers

About The Agency

NAMI Fox Valley is the Fox Valley based affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The agency works to support and empower everyone touched by mental illness, to eliminate stigma, and to nurture recovery through a wide variety of support, education, and outreach programs. We envision a community free of stigma that supports and promotes mental health and recovery.

Primary Responsibility

The Parent Peer Advocate (PPA) will be responsible for offering one-on-one peer support and resource referral to parents of students who are experiencing mental health challenges in the Menasha Joint School District.

The PPA will have personal experience as the parent of a child with mental health needs. They will use their experience and training to connect and engage with parents to provide information, support, and assistance in understanding mental health concerns and connecting with appropriate resources. By sharing their experience and knowledge, the PPA will help parents to feel hopeful and less overwhelmed.

Schedule & Location

This is a part-time position with an expected workload of approximately 12.5 hours per week, September through May. Hours will typically be worked on weekdays during business hours or early evening hours. There will be flexibility as to the exact days and hours worked. A limited number of hours may also be possible during June through August if the individual in the position wishes to work during those months.

Although the position will be based out of NAMI Fox Valley’s office in downtown Appleton, most work will be remote, including frequent meetings with parents that may take place at the parent’s home or elsewhere in the community. Time spent working from the office will be infrequent.

Essential Position Duties

The essential position duties include the following, though other duties may be assigned:

• Support the efforts of families in caring for and strengthening their child’s mental health
• Provide emotional support for families on their parenting journey to reduce isolation, feelings of stigma, blame, and hopelessness
• Empower families to make informed decisions regarding appropriate resources and supports
• Encourage families to express their fears, expectations, and anxieties to promote positive, effective communication
• Help families navigate the mental health system of care
• Assist families to gather, organize, and prepare documents needed for specific services
• Strategically share their own story, as appropriate, for the benefit of the family served, providing hope and strengthening resiliency
• Assist families in identifying their strengths, natural supports, goals, and community connections
• Discuss boundaries with families on an ongoing basis

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential position duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed here are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential position duties.

•  Understanding of and belief in the mission of NAMI Fox Valley
• Identification with lived experience parenting a child with mental health concerns and experience successfully navigating systems of care for that child
• Positive philosophy toward wellness and recovery
• Ability to approach and support families through intentional listening, compassion, and understanding/knowledge of the mental health system and community resources
• Ability to work effectively while handling multiple concurrent tasks and projects with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of partners and diverse populations
• Ethical behavior, cultural awareness, and the ability to build trust and rapport in all activities involving individuals of diverse backgrounds
• A positive attitude and a high level of emotional maturity
• Excellent customer service skills, written and oral communication skills, and organizational skills
• Professional behavior and presentation of self in internal and external communication and activities
• Sound judgment and the ability to make reasonable decisions in the absence of direction
• Self-motivated with a high ability to work independently
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, email, and Internet skills

Preferred Experience

• Work or volunteer experience providing support to parents who have a minor child with mental health needs
  
• Familiarity with the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process within the schools

Other Requirements

• Valid driver’s license, car, and adequate insurance required (mileage is reimbursed)
  

TO APPLY: Please email a cover letter and resume to Maren Peterson, NAMI Fox Valley Executive Director, at maren@namifoxvalley.org by Thursday, August 31, 2023.

NAMI Fox Valley is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions at NAMI Fox Valley are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, family or parental status. NAMI Fox Valley values diversity and encourages applications from all qualified individuals.