JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
The Center for People With Disabilities announces the following job opening in its Boulder office:
Independent Living and Life Skills Trainer
Please see the below job description for specific job functions and requirements.
CPWD is an equal opportunity employer and provides resources, information and advocacy to empower persons with disabilities to overcome barriers to independence. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the above position.
If interested, persons should e-mail their cover letter and resume to Carol Thieszen-Culp, M.Ed. carol@cpwd.org by May 31, 2012.
Independent Living and Life Skills Trainer
Reporting Relationships:
Reports to the North Metro Office Manager
Position Status:
Full-time. Wage. Non-exempt.
Basic Function:
Create, Implement and Provide independent living and life skills training to consumers throughout Adams County through individual and small group computer and organization instruction.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Knowledge of CIL Philosophy
- Communicate the definition of a “Center for Independent Living” to consumers, community contacts and referral sources.
- Implement and model “Center for Independent Living” philosophy.
Systems Advocacy and Community Outreach and Network
- Advocate for affordable and accessible housing, for employment opportunities, and for adequate and accessible public transportation for people with disabilities.
- Attend and Participate on community and public boards and committees, representing the disabled community-at-large, informing others of CPWD’s services, and learning of other’s services.
- Reach out through fairs, expo’s and events to create awareness and knowledge of CPWD services to people with disabilities, friends, family and community-at-large.
Program Building
- Foster collaboration between organizations, building bridges of mutual respect and understanding.
- Create liaisons with existing service providers to provide independent living and life skills classes, workshops and trainings to mutual consumers at locations through Adams County, including rural and economically depressed areas.
- Develop, Plan, Implement and Evaluate Life Skills Program in Adams County with timetable and outcomes to meet grant goals.
Ability to Set Goals and Facilitate Learning
- Assess consumer’s stated and implied needs and goals.
- Provide information & referral, advocacy, support and training to assist consumers in achieving those goals.
- Provide decision-making tools and problem-solving strategies and engage the consumers in making their own decisions and solutions.
- Establish measures of progress based on individual capacity and competency so that success is both identifiable and real, yet also experienced.
- Encourage empowerment, providing positive reinforcement and feedback (Celebrate Achievement)
Ability to Teach, Educate and Train
- Assist consumer in formulating an independent living plan.
- Breakdown independent living plans into a step-by-step action plan with who does what by when.
- Train consumers in independent living and life skills in conjunction with consumer’s goal(s).
- Provide basic computer training for everything from job search to e-mail to Facebook to information (and referral) to on-line banking and more.
- Teach budgeting and finance workshops – on the computer.
- Teach recipe searching, menu planning and shopping lists – on the computer.
- Teach consumers how to connect with on-line support groups.
- Train consumers how to access, apply, appeal, and track Colorado PEAK (Program Eligibility and Application Kit), Social Security, and other benefits - on the computer.
- Teach how to apply for jobs on-line.
- Provide organizational skills training
- Teach consumers tools and strategies to organize annual recertification paperwork and other required paperwork for this and other benefits.
- Teach strategies for managing appointments and meetings to consumers, particularly those with traumatic brain injury and other conditions which affect memory.
- Provide home modification, assistive technology, and other adaptive equipment recommendations in conjunction with consumer’s goal(s).
- Provide individual peer support (if staff is a person with a disability) and provide information and referral on various peer support groups and activities provided by CPWD as well as by other agencies and organizations.
- Encourage consumers to participate in community activities and to build personal informal support network.
- Encourage consumers to achieve maximum self sufficiency possible.
Knowledge of Resources
- Become familiar with all aspects of CPWD’s programs and services in order to assist consumers in understanding their level of independence on a continuum as well as their service needs.
- Become familiar with cross-disability, government and non-profit agency information, resources and referrals in Adams County as necessary and appropriate.
- Work effectively with the aforementioned organizations, programs and agencies to assure the consumers receive the most complete array of service options available to them.
- Provide options and choices to consumers so that they can make informed decisions.
- Attend trainings, workshops, resource fairs, networking groups, etc. to gain a clearer understanding of the resources and networks that are available.
- Link with various e-newsletters and other materials to become and remain abreast of issues that relate to consumers and assigned service area.
Documentation.
- Submit all required CPWD and grant records and reports in an accurate, legible and timely manner.
- Complete an “intake” on all consumers which includes required as well as pertinent demographic data.
Education and Experience:
- Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification is required.
- Related experience working with individuals who are disabled is required.
- Personal experience with a disability highly desired.
Essential Skills:
- Demonstrated competence in Microsoft Office Package, Active Directory, Windows Operating systems, Windows Accessibility Options or Ease of Access Center.
- Demonstrated experience with Internet access and navigation, email account management, and social networking sites.
- Demonstrated competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities, assisting in the selection of appropriate assistive technology for the consumer’s needs, and providing training in the use of the selected device(s).
- Demonstrated experience in managing and prioritizing daily work tasks.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills are required for the successful management of this function.
- Ability to prioritize work, manages time, and demonstrates excellent organizational skills and initiative to improve processes.
- Demonstrate ability to work independently, making solid decisions and exercising sound judgment in consumer and community contacts.
- Demonstrate willingness to be an active and supportive team member.
- Change agent demeanor who is a flexible thinker with an ability to quickly adapt to a changing environment.
- Fluent in Spanish; translate from English to Spanish and Spanish to English in both written and oral format.
- Reliable transportation; extensive travel throughout Adams County.
Salary:
Commensurate with education and experience
Definition of a Center for Independent Living
Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are consumer-controlled, community-based, cross-disability, nonresidential, private, nonprofit agencies; designed and operated within local communities by individuals with disabilities. Centers require 51% of staff be persons with disabilities as well as 51% of Board of Directors be persons with disabilities. CILs provide an array of independent living services, including the core services of information and referral, independent living skills training, peer counseling, and individual and systems advocacy. (http://www.ed.gov/programs/cil/index.html).
