Part-Time Peer Support Specialist (Reentry Services)

Pay: Up to $26/hour
Schedule: Part-time, approximately 29 hours per week
Location: Hybrid – Remote with some in-office work in North Charleston, SC
Hours: Primarily evenings (after 5:00 PM)

Position Overview

The Peer Support Specialist provides guidance, advocacy, and connection to services for individuals who have been incarcerated and are working to rebuild their lives in the North Charleston area. This role is grounded in lived experience and focuses on helping participants navigate treatment options, employment pathways, and community-based support systems.

The ideal candidate has firsthand understanding of the challenges involved in reentry, has successfully overcome those challenges, and is deeply familiar with local resources available to justice-involved individuals in the North Charleston area.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one peer support to individuals transitioning back into the community
• Assist participants with enrolling in treatment, workforce, and support services
• Maintain regular contact with participants until they are actively engaged in services
• Serve as a liaison between participants and community-based service providers
• Connect individuals to substance use treatment, recovery resources, and reentry services
• Help build and maintain recovery-oriented and goal-focused relationships
• Advocate for participant needs while ensuring confidentiality and dignity are maintained
• Maintain accurate documentation of interactions and complete required reports
• Participate in required training and ongoing professional development
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Schedule & Work Environment

• Flexible, non-traditional schedule with most work occurring after 5:00 PM
• Combination of remote work and in-office work in North Charleston
• Some travel within the local area may be required to connect individuals with services

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidates will:

• Be a native or long-term resident of the North Charleston area
• Have strong familiarity with local reentry, workforce, substance use, and social service resources
• Have lived experience with incarceration or justice involvement and have successfully rebuilt their life
• Possess genuine empathy, credibility, and the ability to build trust with participants
• Understand the barriers faced by individuals returning to society and know how to navigate them

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent (human services or related experience preferred)
• Minimum of three years since any criminal justice involvement (arrest, incarceration, or supervision)
• Experience working with justice-involved or forensic populations preferred
• Ability to become credentialed as a Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) within required timeframes
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and documentation skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries

Why This Role Matters

This position plays a critical role in breaking cycles of incarceration by meeting people where they are, offering real-life insight, and connecting them to practical resources that support long-term success.