PEER GAMBLING AMBASSADOR

 LOCATION: Hope for Holyoke Peer Recovery Support Center

HOURS: Part-time position

The Peer Gambling Ambassador helps men in recovery from substance misuse to act as ambassadors for problem gambling prevention interventions in order to help prevent escalation of gambling and gambling-related harms among their friends and family members.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Responsible to engage men of color (members/peers) and families in guided and purposeful conversations about compulsive gambling and how it affects recovery.

• Responsible for organizing and co-facilitating small group discussions with men of color with a history of substance miss use.  The topic areas include preventing problem gambling, the connections between substance use disorders and gambling, gambling and harm reduction, healthy decision-making, and other related topics.

• Increase awareness of what gambling is, where it is present in everyday life and build capacity of men to support each other through informed conversations that promote preventive peer-to-peer supports.

• Participate in collecting and reporting data/survey results regarding Ambassador intervention using database provided by funding agency, TA and evaluation team.

• Facilitate discussions about gambling prevention, connections between gambling and other addictions, and recovery from addiction that incorporates recovery from problem gambling using MassTAPP guidance documents.

Required Skills Required Experience

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Embrace and work in a culturally and linguistically diverse recovery community
• Support all paths to recovery and have a minimum of 2 years of solid recovery or have lived experience as an individual affected by substance use in the family
• Have a comprehensive understanding of addictive behaviors, substance addiction and recovery
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Preference given to men in recovery and members of minority groups
• Lived experience or past participation in recovery-centered problem gambling prevention/education a plus
• Preference given to individuals who have completed Recovery Coach Academy.
• Possession of a valid Massachusetts Driver’s License and vehicle in good operating condition preferred (consideration to candidates working towards this). Must be willing to travel to sites across western MA.