Join New Freedom – Where Second Chances Become Bright Futures
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Want to see if you're a great match for this position? Complete our Criteria Assessment today to find out! Use this link to complete your assessment: Criteria Assessment - Vocational Electives Specialist
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About Us
At New Freedom, we don’t just believe in second chances—we help people thrive because of them. We are a mission-driven, high-performance organization committed to strengthening communities and empowering justice-involved and formerly incarcerated individuals to successfully rebuild their lives.
We move fast, expect a lot from each other, and show up every day to do meaningful, impactful work. If you’re driven, collaborative, and energized by making a real difference—this is where you belong.
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Why You’ll Love Working Here
We take care of the people who take care of others. At New Freedom, you’ll enjoy:
- Competitive pay and strong benefits package
- $0 medical plan option + employer-supported coverage
- 401(k) with match
- Generous paid time off
- Free meals, snacks, drinks, gym access
- A mission that matters—and a team that works hard to deliver on it
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About the Role
The Vocational Electives Specialist - Peer Support prepares members for careers in the behavioral health field by teaching peer support principles, recovery-oriented services, advocacy, ethics, professional boundaries, and workforce readiness for Peer Support roles.
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What You’ll Be Responsible For
- Developing members' peer support skills, workplace readiness, professionalism, and overall accountability
- Monitoring participation, skill development, and vocational progress while maintaining required documentation
- Collaborating with treatment teams, workforce development staff, and employer partners to support successful employment outcomes
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What Success Looks Like
- Members actively participate and engage in vocational programming
- Workforce readiness, life skills, and vocational competencies improve
- Members develop confidence, accountability, and employability
- Documentation and program participation records are maintained accurately
- Members successfully transition toward employment, education, apprenticeship, certification, or career advancement opportunities
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What We’re Looking For
- High school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) (Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Health, Criminal Justice, Workforce Development, Business, or related field preferred)
- Professional painting, maintenance, facilities, or construction experience
- Knowledge of painting equipment, materials, and safety procedures
- Experience facilitating groups or training others
- Lived recovery experience and a strong commitment to recovery-oriented services
- Peer and Recovery Support Specialist (PRSS) certification
- Behavioral Health Paraprofessional (BHPP) designation required, including applicable experience and/or education requirements (Behavioral Health Technician (BHT) designation required, including applicable experience and/or education requirements preferred)
- Minimum two (2) years of experience in workforce development, employment services, behavioral health, case management, vocational rehabilitation, human services, or a related field
- Experience working with justice-involved, recovery, reentry, or behavioral health populations preferred
- Experience in job development, staffing, recruiting, workforce services, or employment placement preferred
- Knowledge of local labor markets, workforce resources, and employment services preferred
- Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP), PRSS, or related certification preferred
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Environment + Physical Demands
This position operates in a combination of classroom, vocational training, behavioral health, office, and community-based environments. Depending on the vocational specialty, instruction may occur in traditional classroom settings, workshop environments, training areas, kitchens, trade-focused workspaces, or community-based locations.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
- Frequent interaction with members, staff, vocational instructors, employers, community partners, and workforce development organizations
- Regular facilitation of classroom instruction, vocational training activities, workforce readiness workshops, and hands-on learning opportunities
- Frequent use of computers, training materials, audiovisual equipment, electronic documentation systems, and workforce development resources
- May require standing, walking, demonstrating skills, presenting information, and actively engaging participants throughout the workday
- Occasional travel to employer locations, workforce development events, job fairs, training sites, community partner organizations, and other program-related activities
- Ability to lift, carry, move, or transport training materials, classroom supplies, tools, equipment, or instructional resources weighing up to 20 pounds
- Ability to support individuals experiencing vocational, employment, behavioral health, recovery, or reentry-related challenges while maintaining professionalism, appropriate boundaries, and a recovery-oriented approach
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Our Standard
We’re building something meaningful—and that requires people who show up, contribute, collaborate, and take ownership.
If you're looking for a role where you can make a real impact, be part of a driven team, and help shape the future of an organization—we want to hear from you.
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Equal Opportunity
New Freedom is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, a drug and alcohol-free workplace, and compliant with Veteran and ADA regulations.
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"We’re not here to do small work—we’re here to change lives, rewrite stories, and rebuild communities. At New Freedom, you won’t just have a job. You’ll have a mission—to turn second chances into powerful comebacks."