Youth Peer Support Specialist Certification
Training Description
Virtual | Free to Attend | 40-hour Multi-Day Training
This training is required for certification as a Youth Peer Support Specialist and covers important topics such as professionalism, ethics, diversity, personal wellness, adolescent development, and mental health. Youth who participate will gain experience in how to use their own lived experience as a guide for others while maintaining personal boundaries and encouraging self-sufficiency and independence.
Interested attendees must apply to the Youth Peer Support Program and be pre-approved to attend the certification training.
Trainer: Spence Spencer, MPA, CWF, CFPSW | Center of Innovation for Behavioral Health and Wellbeing
Spence Spencer (they/them) has a master's degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Disability Health from the University of New Mexico. Spence has over 18 years of experience working in social services advocating for people with disabilities, children, and families. Their prior experience includes Youth Mental Health, classroom and special education support, High-Fidelity Wraparound, Adult Mental Health, and support for adults on the DD waiver. Spence began their career working in group home settings, then transitioned into working in training implementation. Spence then worked as a program director where they ensured engaging individualized therapeutic living environments. More recently, Spence worked as a Wraparound Facilitator where they worked directly with families providing support and navigation for families to access various resources that they might need. Currently, Spence is the Family and Youth Peer Program Manager at the Center of Innovation for Behavioral Health and Wellbeing. In this role, Spence oversees all program efforts for Family Peer Support, Youth Peer Support, Family Engagement, and Youth Engagement. Furthermore, Spence also trains supervisors and prospective Family and Youth Peer Support Workers, develops and implements trainings to advance Family and Youth Peer Support Workers and family and youth centered organizations across the state of New Mexico in efforts to expand Family and Youth Peer Supports. Additionally, Spence is a Certified Family Peer Support Worker.
Funding
This training is funded by the Children Youth and Families Department, Children's Behavioral Health Services.
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Application
Application to participate in Youth Peer Certification Training is temporarily unavailable. Please check back in early September. Email centerofinnovationnm@nmsu.edu for any concerns.