Peer Counselor

The Peer Counselor is not a licensed mental-health provider and does not diagnose, treat, or independently manage clinical concerns. Matters involving safety, abuse, self-harm, threats, medical needs, or concerns beyond the role must be referred immediately to the Director or another designated professional in accordance with program protocols.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Peer Support and Participant Engagement

• Provide respectful, strengths-based peer support to participants experiencing academic, personal, interpersonal, or social challenges.
• Listen actively, help participants identify concerns and goals, share appropriate practical strategies, and encourage responsible decision-making and self-advocacy.
• Build positive, professional relationships with participants while maintaining clear role boundaries and avoiding dual relationships or conflicts of interest.
• Encourage participation in tutoring, supplemental instruction, workshops, advising, college-readiness activities, and other Upward Bound services.
• Support an inclusive environment that promotes belonging, resilience, academic progress, and preparation for college.

Resource Referral and Escalation

• Provide accurate information about available academic, counseling, crisis, health, financial, disability, social-service, and community resources.
• Refer participants to the Director, school personnel, licensed counselors, emergency resources, or other qualified professionals when needs exceed the Peer Counselor role.
• Follow all mandatory-reporting, emergency-response, youth-protection, and program notification procedures.
• Do not provide clinical counseling, legal advice, medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or services outside assigned training and authority.

Workshops and Peer Education

• Assist with or facilitate approved workshops and peer-education activities on academic skills, study habits, stress management, conflict resolution, communication, leadership, college readiness, and related topics.
• Help prepare workshop materials, participant activities, resource information, and program communications.
• Support group discussions and activities in a manner that promotes safety, respect, confidentiality, and constructive participation.

Confidentiality, Ethics, and Documentation

• Maintain participant privacy and confidentiality consistent with FERPA, University policy, program procedures, and the limits of confidentiality explained during training.
• Maintain objective, timely, and accurate records of assigned contacts, attendance, referrals, activities, and concerns using approved forms and systems.
• Promptly report safety concerns, suspected abuse or neglect, threats, policy violations, and other required matters to the appropriate program official.
• Protect records and refrain from discussing participant information with unauthorized individuals or through personal communication channels or social media.

Training, Collaboration, and Program Support

• Complete required orientation, peer-counseling, confidentiality, youth-protection, emergency-response, Title IX, safety, and other assigned training.
• Participate in supervision, staff meetings, professional development, debriefings, and program evaluation activities.
• Collaborate with the Director, program staff, instructors, tutors, school personnel, and approved partners to support participant success.
• Assist with in-house filing, workshops, student activities, recruitment, field trips, and other program duties within the scope of the appointment.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the grant and position as assigned by the Director.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience as a peer counselor, mentor, tutor, student leader, volunteer, or support provider in education, youth development, mental-health support, social services, or a related setting.
• Ability to connect appropriately with participants through relevant experience while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Basic familiarity with academic challenges, stress management, conflict resolution, resource referral, and student-support practices.
• Demonstrated reliability, sound judgment, communication skills, confidentiality, and ability to follow supervision and established protocols.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree or college coursework in education, counseling, psychology, social work, student affairs, or a related field.
• One to three years of experience supporting high-school students through mentoring, leadership, tutoring, college-access, or youth-development activities.
• Experience with Upward Bound or another TRIO program.
• Professional or personal background that supports effective engagement with the educational needs of low-income, first-generation, and other program-eligible students.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to establish rapport, listen actively, communicate with empathy, and maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Knowledge of basic peer-support, mentoring, academic-success, stress-management, conflict-resolution, and referral practices.
• Sound judgment and ability to recognize situations requiring immediate referral or escalation.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, written, organizational, teamwork, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, follow instructions and protocols, document activities accurately, and meet deadlines.
• Commitment to educational opportunity and respectful engagement with low-income, first-generation, and other program-eligible students.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work is performed in classrooms, offices, schools, college and community settings, and program activity locations with frequent interaction with high-school participants and program staff. The position may involve sensitive conversations, group activities, extensive communication, computer use, and occasional evening or weekend assignments.

Ability to sit, stand, walk, communicate, and use standard office equipment for extended periods.

Ability to travel throughout campus and to target schools, colleges, program sites, and activity locations.

Ability to lift or carry program materials and supplies weighing up to 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Ability to participate in student activities, workshops, and travel that may require extended hours.

Travel of up to 30 percent may be required for target-school visits, participant activities, field trips, college tours, meetings, training, and other approved program activities.

WORK SCHEDULE TIMEKEEPING AND OVERTIME

The Peer Counselor is paid $10.00 per hour and is normally scheduled to work 10-12 hours per week during the appointment period from September 1 through May 31. The Director establishes the specific weekly schedule based on program needs. The employee must accurately record all hours worked and may not work beyond the approved schedule without advance authorization. As a non-exempt employee, the Peer Counselor is eligible for overtime compensation when required by law. All overtime must be authorized in advance and will be paid in accordance with applicable law and University policy.

ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

This is a part-time, grant-funded appointment scheduled from September 1 through May 31. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of University-required screenings and continued compliance with applicable grant, youth-protection, travel, timekeeping, scheduling, and training requirements. The appointment ends May 31 and creates no entitlement to continued employment or reappointment. Continuation or reappointment is subject to satisfactory performance, institutional need, program continuation, and continued grant funding.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should submit all required application materials through the Southern University at New Orleans employment application process. Applications must clearly demonstrate that the applicant meets the required qualifications.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND NON DISCRIMINATION

Southern University at New Orleans is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment based on any status protected by applicable law in employment and University-administered programs and activities.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STATEMENT

SUNO provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable disability laws. Applicants and employees needing an accommodation should contact the Office of Human Resources.

STATE AS A MODEL EMPLOYER

Louisiana is a State as a Model Employer that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.