Community Employment Specialist

$19.00 /hr 

24 hrs/week Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8a-4p

This position is located in Plymouth, MA 

Community Employment Specialists at BAMSI's Brockton Employment Services provide neccesary support to enable individuals with developmental disabilities to acquire and maintain community based employment in business and industry. Support provided includes job development, providing one-to-one training to clients as well as ongoing supervision to ensure acquisition of job related skills and responsibilities and facilitating and developing positive relations between the consumer, the consumers coworkers and employer

Brockton Employment Services assists individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities to secure community-based employment designed to meet their interests, skills, and abilities

Must have a high school diploma or GED with at least 2 years of work or life experience providing services to individuals with disabilities. A valid driver's license in state of residence and own means of transportation is required.

BAMSI is a private, non-profit culturally diverse human services organization providing services to adults and children with developmental disabilities, mental illness, behavioral health, and public health needs. We at BAMSI believe that those we serve are capable of amazing things and deserve our best.  We support them in their journeys and celebrate their accomplishments along the way.

Responsibilities:

1. Job Development:

• Identify job sites and negotiate with companies for Supported Employment placements.
• In consultation with the Program Manager, match individuals served with appropriate job opportunities.
• Attend trainings related to supporting persons with developmental disabilities and/or acquired brain injuries.

1. Skills Training:

• Assess and enhance current curriculum; design, and develop new curriculum focusing on developing vocational skills, drivers’ and career preparation
• Incorporate teaching methodologies which address kinesthetic and hands on learning styles.
• Create a safe learning environment and utilize positive reinforcement to motivate clients to learn.
• Track attendance, competencies acquired by clients and effectiveness of courses using Brockton Employment Services database and evaluation tools.

1.  Job Coach:

Provide one-to-one supports to individuals to meet any challenges, including emergency procedures as required.

Provide ongoing consumer training and supervision as required to ensure all needed skills are acquired in order to successfully maintain employment.

Participate in developmental task analyses.

Develop and implement work components of behavior management programs and ISP’s.

Provide vocational training when employer assigns new tasks to a consumer and info9rm supervision of these changes as they occur.

Assist individuals in maintaining quality job performance, consistent with employer expectations.

Maintain quality standards of employers by modeling appropriate adherence to policies and procedures of companies.

Work closely and cooperatively with company managers and/or supervisors.

Follow policies and procedures of specific companies.

Participate in individual evaluations and monthly progress updates as assigned.

Facilitate opportunities for individuals’ integration and use of natural supports.

Provide appropriate assistance to ensure the safety and mobility of individuals at their jobs.

Intervene in crisis situations as needed or assigned.

Promptly identify the need for resources to address behavior modification techniques and implementation strategies in conjunction with the community business to ensure needed supports are in place

1. Data Collection:

• Maintain complete and current records according to BAMSI, funder and employer policies.
• Collect new data as assigned.

1. Coordination of efforts within Employment Services:

• Participate in scheduled meetings and trainings.
• Attend staff meetings as required.
• Attend Individual Support Plan meetings as assigned.
• Share client information in a timely fashion with the BES team so that services can be coordinated and effective.

1. Execute duties to reflect reasonable safety standards. Universal/standard precautions must be utilized and training obtained in areas that constitute risk.
2. Perform duties consistent with agency/program policies and procedures.
3. Perform other related work duties as needed or as assigned by supervisor or designee.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalency.
• At least two years of life or work experience providing services to individuals with disabilities.
• Basic computer literacy, including the ability to record data, use electronic time and attendance software and receive and send electronic mail, as needed and required.
• A valid driver's license in state of residence and own means of transportation (appropriately registered and insured) is required to travel and transport training materials to occasional off site training locations.
• A demonstrated ability to make appropriate, accurate judgments including handling of emergency situations, and the mental and physical ability to successfully perform job duties and responsibilities.
• The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing with persons served, families, service providers and case managers
• Demonstrated ability to set limits, to solve problems independently, and to appropriately protect confidential information.
• Demonstrated ability to monitor and report on a participant’s progress, challenges and status verbally or in writing as required.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret vocational rehabilitation evaluations and individual service plans and to conduct situational assessments
• Demonstrated understanding of the employment rights of individuals with disabilities
• Demonstrated ability to market and outreach to employers.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Assistive Technology regarding Job Accommodations
• Demonstrated ability to conduct On the Job Task Analysis and provide positive reinforcement and On the Job employment supports.
• Ability to stand and/or sit for extended periods and to move equipment and supplies (up to 30 pounds) from floor level to approximately four feet above floor level.
• Must have manual dexterity and visual acuity to promptly and effective complete keyboarding tasks on a personal computer and to effectively use the telephone system and other office equipment.
• Ability to ascend and descend stairs while transporting supplies

BAMSI conducts as needed, job-r