Community Activities Specialist F/T

Description

Hourly Pay Range: $19.85- $28.15

Why Work for Goodwill Southern New England?!

• Referral bonuses
• Retirement plan contributions
• Tuition and gym reimbursement
• Emergency assistance funds
• Paid time off
• And more depending on position!

SUMMARY

Perform diversified job duties to support assigned adult individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities in their pursuit of retirement options and community inclusion. Duties will include provision of transportation services in Agency owned/leased vehicles as well as personal vehicle including transportation of individuals at beginning/end of service day to/from their residence which may extend the work day.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Work as part of the interdisciplinary team to assist individuals making choices about their social and recreational goals and identifying medical needs. Maximize participation of individuals in all phases of program development and implementation. Within specified timeframes provide the necessary training and support to assist individuals in planning and achieving these goals.

Act as the day-to-day facilitator with the individual to encourage participation and integration into the community.

Establish and maintain a liaison with senior services and recreation personnel in the region to foster inclusion of individuals. Develop and maintain professional, ongoing relationships with residential, CCH, nursing home providers and families.

Assist individuals in accessing services available in the community.

Assess physical environment of all service locations, to include but not be limited to, 432 Washington Ave, senior centers, recreational facilities and other community settings, vehicles used for transport of individuals, and sidewalks, walkways, corridors, parking lots and other pathways used while escorting individuals to/from various locations, to avoid potential hazards, including those that may occur in crowded conditions. Report safety hazards to immediate supervisor or to appropriate personnel.

Attend and provide support and supervision at recreation and community-based program activities, including provision of transportation for individuals. Use of personal vehicle may be required.

Adhere to Agency and departmental policies and procedures regarding situations that may require collection and receipt of individual funds, protection of individual funds, disbursement of individual funds, and documentation required for every expense. Submit original receipts to the accounting department following each disbursement, in a timely manner.

Provide transportation services to individuals on a daily basis, not limited to individuals in Community Services programs, including transportation to/from home as more fully described below.

Utilize approved behavioral management techniques to improve an individual's ability to be included in community settings.

Provide required communication and documentation to meet agency, state, federal, and interdisciplinary standards and guidelines, including documentation of individual’s progress, goal attainment and/or barriers to goal attainment.

Use of computer to complete service documentation in program data management system, including but not limited to goal tracking, completion of activity records, incident reporting, as well behavior tracking and health related monitoring, if applicable.

Provide disability awareness information, where needed, as a means to advocate for safe and accessible community resources.

Assist individuals with personal care needs as more fully described in the Physical Demands section of the job description.

PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL TRANSPORTATION AS REQUIRED, INCLUDING USE OF PERSONAL VEHICLE

Drive personal vehicle, minibus or van to transport individuals receiving services by performing the following duties:

Conduct Pre- and Post-Trip Inspections on Agency owned/leased vehicles in strict accordance with Agency policy. Document inspections and mileage (for each trip) and other reporting as required by the Agency and other regulatory requirements. Submit completed documentation to Transportation Coordinator and communicate any maintenance or safety concerns immediately.

Drive vehicle from individual or central loading area to social/recreational activity, senior center, or other destination according to assigned schedule.

Assist passengers into and out of vehicle as more fully described in the Physical Demands section of the job description. Assess physical environment of all service locations, to include but not be limited to, 432 Washington Avenue, North Haven, senior centers, recreational facilities and other community settings, vehicles used for transport of individuals, and sidewalks, walkways, corridors, parking lots and other pathways used while escorting individuals to/from Agency vehicles, to avoid potential hazards, including those that may occur in crowded conditions. Report safety hazards to immediate supervisor or to appropriate personnel.

Secure passengers' wheelchairs to restraining devices to stabilize wheelchairs during trip. Insure proper use of seat belts and other approved safety equipment for passengers.

Operate radio or similar device to communicate with base station or other vehicles to report disruption of service.

Service vehicle with fuel, as required.

Keep records of trips and document behavior of passengers via Program Incident Report.

Perform other related essential duties as required or directed.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High School Diploma or G.E.D. plus one to three years related experience OR bachelor’s degree in related field.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as individual files, evaluation reports, job descriptions, personnel procedures and safety rules. Ability to write professional reports that are grammatically correct and easily understood for referral sources or others outside of the agency. Ability to clearly communicate, in verbal and written form, status of individual being served, problems or needs.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. Ability to observe individual behavior, relate it to task being performed and make recommendations for change or modification if necessary. Ability to assist individuals with appropriate social behavior to facilitate integration and inclusion. Ability to act as an advocate for individuals.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Valid Connecticut driver's license in good standing. Ability to secure a Public Service License within ninety (90) days of hire. Job responsibilities may require use of personal vehicle. Current registration and automobile insurance must be maintained.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Ability to obtain approved certification in physical/psychological management training (i.e. PMT), CPR and First Aid.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or balance. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Additional lifting requirements are more fully detailed below. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The employee is required to address the personal care needs of individuals by performing the following duties to include, but not be limited to, assisting with transition from a wheelchair to a toilet or chair; pushing an individual in a non-motorized wheelchair frequently, as well as for prolonged periods of time; escorting individuals who may walk with or without the use of an assistive device with the ability to quickly impede movement by pushing, pulling, blocking or any other motion, in an effort to prevent injury to the individual himself/herself or to another person(s), and ability to operate a Hoyer lift only upon completion of training. Any of the above activities may require bearing the full or partial weight of an individual for a period of time, particularly in an emergency situation.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may work near moving mechanical parts. The employee may work in outside weather conditions. The employee may be occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, cold, and heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Opportunity Employer