Educational Coach

About Us: 

AbilityFirst provides a variety of programs designed to help people with disabilities achieve their personal best throughout their lives. We do this by: creating targeted programming to help an individual successfully transition from childhood to adult life.

AbilityFirst strengthens and cultivates skills that give our participants the tools to successfully navigate each transition in life, including building social connections and independence; employment preparation, training and experience; and, fun and engaging activities that offer families an opportunity to refresh and recharge.

AbilityFirst is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides programs and services to help children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. 

Our Mission: 

Looking beyond disabilities. Focusing on capabilities. Expanding possibilities.

Description of Role: 

Providing coaching, training, and guidance to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in skills needed for successful post-secondary education or other community integration experiences. Assisting individuals to complete college-level or vocational training with the goal of transitioning into community employment. Approximately 75% of time will be coaching and supporting college/vocational/post-secondary education activities, with the remaining 25% directed to community integration activities, including volunteerism. primary duties.

Responsible for: 

• Support volunteerism, access, inclusion, transportation skills, and relationship building. 
• Establish positive, supportive, respectful relationships/interactions with clients. 
• Become knowledgeable about the clients interests, unique abilities and support needs, and use the insights gained to help clients develop plans, set goals and create solutions. 
• Demonstrate motivation and enthusiasm in all interactions with clients. 
• Encourage active participation of clients in all activities with a strong emphasis on promoting independence (allow them to do as much for themselves as possible). 
• Interact with community members in a way that encourages respectful, age-appropriate treatment of clients, and the building of mutually respectful relationships. 
• Maintain a calm, supportive and professional presence when interacting with clients, co-workers, and community members. 
• Clearly communicate with supervisors/co-workers, and pro-actively address questions/concerns. 
• Develop positive/respectful relationships with families, and outside agency staff. This includes the ability to be empathetic and sensitive to issues, stressors and external factors, which may impede the parent and care provider’s ability to support clients in a way which matches AbilityFirst’s philosophy. This also includes the ability to be assertive, and strongly advocate for client needs/rights without being aggressive or unprofessional. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of the big picture and long-term outcomes for clients, with an understanding that an intensive intervention process may need to be implemented, rather than settling for a quick fix. 
• Demonstrate an ability to assess and problem-solve a situation in the moment, using good judgment, common sense and respect for individual rights and preferences, without having to rely on immediate guidance/advice. 
• Accept, and effectively process directions, constructive feedback, and training from any leadership/mentor staff, then demonstrate in action and by written product that this was internalized. 
• Assist in the development/implementation of an Individual Service Plan for each client based on information gathered through Person Centered Planning meetings. 
• Plan, implement, and support activities/routines with clients, which will assist them in achieving their Individual Service Plan objectives. 
• Document client progress through assessment/data collection instruments. 
• Maintain and turn in complete, accurate and timely data, progress notes, schedules, and client attendance. 
• Maintain conscientious, responsible level of supervision for clients to ensure their safety. 
• Respond appropriately and within AbilityFirst’s policies and procedures to medical, behavioral, and other client emergencies. 
• Respectfully assist clients with personal care/mobility/toileting/feeding needs as applicable. 
• Encourage age-appropriate dress, grooming, and hygiene, including coaching on how to meet community employment standards.
• Facilitate client self-advocacy and choice-making opportunities, including appropriate risk-taking. 
• Assist clients in safely accessing a variety of school, volunteer and community locations using public transportation, company, or personal vehicles.

Work Schedule: 

Full-Time

Benefits:

Eligible for Benefits 

AbilityFirst

Team Values = Heart

Teamwork

AbilityFirst’s team draws its strength from a shared enthusiasm for each other’s success. We live our mission at work and away. In pursuit of that commitment, we enthusiastically build connections between us to continuously learn from one-another and actively seek feedback to improve our approach to the work.

Kindness

We nurture a warm and engaging work environment with trust and respect for one another. Rooted in our mission, we approach each other with humility, humor, and a generosity of spirit. We value diversity and cultivate open and honest communication to understand each other.

We Get the Job Done

AbilityFirst’s team members are open-minded and innovative leaders, guided by a strong moral compass. We approach problems with creativity and follow-through, holding ourselves and each other accountable for staying focused on the goals we set together.