Drop-In Center Staff

Position Title: Drop-In Center Staff Location: NAMI McHenry County Reports To: Director of Recovery Support Services Status: Part-time, hourly role (2pm - 6pm, Saturday and Sunday) Pay: $18 - 22 / hour, depending on experience

NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. NAMI McHenry County is a local affiliate of NAMI. Our mission is to give our community a safe place to find hope and support on the journey to improve mental health.

Position Description:

The Drop-In Center Staff is an individual who identifies as a peer and uses their lived experience to foster a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for adults living with mental health conditions. The Drop-In Center provides opportunities for guests to build community, develop meaningful relationships, participate in recovery-oriented activities, and access resources in a supportive, non-clinical setting.

The Staff supports the day-to-day operations of the Drop-In Center during their assigned weekend shift. This includes welcoming and engaging guests, implementing scheduled activities, supporting volunteers and interns, and maintaining a comfortable and organized environment. The Assistant works closely with the Recovery Support team to ensure a consistent and positive guest experience.

The ideal candidate is a people-person who demonstrates warmth, reliability, sound judgment, and a passion for mental health recovery. They must be comfortable working independently and collaboratively, and willing to appropriately share their lived experience to model hope and recovery. Preference will be given to candidates trained or interested in becoming trained as NAMI Connection Support Group facilitators or Peer to Peer Class Facilitators.

This role is in-person at our Crystal Lake office. We are hiring two individuals for weekend hours: Saturday and Sunday from 2pm - 6pm.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Drop-In Center Operations & Guest Engagement

• Welcome guests, orient new visitors to the center, and foster a sense of belonging.
• Complete opening and closing procedures, guest check-ins, and routine shift responsibilities.
• Maintain a clean, organized, comfortable, and accessible environment.
• Promote guest safety through situational awareness, de-escalation techniques, and adherence to program policies. Follow established procedures for connecting guests with the Living Room or other appropriate crisis resources when needed.
• Encourage respectful interactions, inclusion, and participation while honoring each guest's individual preferences.

Program Implementation & Volunteer Support

• Implement scheduled activities and programs as directed by the Drop-In Center Coordinator or supervisor, including art, games, wellness activities, and skill-building opportunities.
• Prepare materials, set up activity spaces, encourage participation, and clean up following activities.
• Welcome volunteers, interns, and visiting facilitators; familiarize them with the space and scheduled activities and provide practical support during the shift.
• Communicate activity feedback, supply needs, and operational concerns to the appropriate team member.
• Assist with weekend support group logistics and, if trained, serve as a backup NAMI Connection Support Group facilitator as needed.

Peer Support & Lived Experience

• Provide informal, non-clinical peer support through active listening, encouragement, and appropriate sharing of lived experience.
• Model healthy coping strategies, self-care, respectful communication, and recovery-oriented practices.
• Support guests in identifying strengths, interests, social connections, and available resources while respecting self-directed recovery.
• Maintain confidentiality, professional boundaries, and respect for guest autonomy.

Administrative & Team Responsibilities

• Accurately document attendance, participation, and relevant shift information in the electronic health record (EHR) system as required by end of shift.
• Communicate guest concerns, incidents, and shift updates to the Recovery Support team according to established procedures.
• Participate in required training, supervision, and team communication.
• Work collaboratively with staff across the agency to support a consistent, safe, and welcoming environment.

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• High school diploma or G.E.D. required.
• Lived experience with a mental health condition or co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions, and willingness to appropriately self-disclose in a peer support role. Must be stable in recovery for at least one year.
• Experience in peer support, human services, community programs, or related volunteer or internship roles preferred.
• Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credential or willing to work toward certification preferred.
• NAMI Connection Support Group facilitator training, Peer to Peer Class Facilitator training or willingness to complete training, preferred
• Comfort with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and learning electronic health record systems.
• Bilingual in Spanish is preferred but not required.
• Applicants must pass a background check that meets applicable State of Illinois requirements.

Interpersonal

• Warm, approachable, and respectful, with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Demonstrates empathy, sound judgment, ethical conduct, and healthy boundaries.
• Dependable and able to consistently work the assigned weekend shift.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative within established procedures, and seek guidance when needed.
• Ability to work cooperatively with staff, volunteers, interns, and guests.

Physical Abilities

• Ability to read, write, and communicate in English.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds using proper body mechanics.
• Ability to use a computer, read documents, and respond to telephone calls.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Benefits for Part-Time Employees:

• Paid leave in accordance with applicable law and NAMI McHenry County policy.
• Cell phone reimbursement for scheduled part-time employees.
• Ongoing training opportunities sponsored by NAMI McHenry County.
• Relaxed dress code at the discretion of your supervisor.
• An amazing mission and culture!

NAMI McHenry County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.