Youth Leadership Coordinator

Job Description:

Be Part of a Great Team!

Independence Firstis looking for awesome people to join our team!

You are just the person to join our growing team if you are...

• * Looking for an Excellent Benefits Package
• * Passionate About Helping Others
• * Prefer Bilingual in English, Spanish, Hmong or Arabic (Not required)

Benefits include:

• * 12 sick days, 13 vacation days and an additional 10 paid holidays a year
• * Employer paid Dental, Life Insurance (twice annual salary), AD&D, Short and Long Term Disability
• * Health Insurance Benefits (partially employer paid, depending on coverage)
• * Low-cost Vision Insurance
• * Employer-matched 403(b) Retirement Account
• * Fitness Center On-site
• * Annual Health Risk Assessment
• * Annual Flu Shot
• * Comprehensive Wellness Program
• * Tuition Reimbursement Program

POSITION DESCRIPTION

I. Position: Youth Leadership Coordinator

II. Status: Full-Time, Hourly

III. Reports to: ILS Program Director

IV. Position Summary: Responsible for coordinating and facilitating Independence First programming for consumers up to 30 years of age. The Youth Leadership Coordinator will work in maintaining day-to-day operations of youth programs including co-facilitation of groups, maintaining waiting lists for programs, outreach, program implementation, evaluation and collaboration on projects and programs. The coordinator will work within the Independent Living Services Department, collaborating with IL Coordinators on student outreach efforts, and classes within the larger curriculum. The coordinator will conduct Disability Mentoring Day.

Youth workshops include: Sexuality Education, Girls First, My Brother’s Keeper, peer support groups; Safe Relationships Safe Places, Boundaries and Personal Space, Disability History and Awareness, and other workshops as assigned

Youth programs include: Youth Leadership Summits, Peer Support Groups, Classes and Workshops, and Disability Mentoring Day

V. Position Expected Hours of Work: This is a Full-Time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Occasional evenings and weekends. Position is housed and primarily operates out the Independence Firstmain office and provides services throughout our service area as needed.

VI. Essential Functions of the Position:

1. Organize and facilitate Youth Leadership Summit (YLS), collaborate with the Youth Leadership Coordinator and Wisconsin FACETS to coordinate, facilitate and measure results of Youth Leadership Summit. Will conduct outreach to Milwaukee Public Schools and outlying county high schools. Create and maintain high-quality relationships between Independence Firstand local school staff and students with disabilities.
2. Support Group Activities, conduct outreach and coordinate youth support groups multiple times throughout the school year both in the schools and onsite at Independence Firstduring the Summer.
3. Collaborate with community agencies to ensure IL classes and workshops are accessible to youth identifying in the LGBTQ population and that other community agencies serving LGBTQ youth are accessible to youth with disabilities.
4. Coordinate Sexuality and Relationship Education Program, secure training in the Making Proud Choices Curriculum and facilitate the curriculum with adaptations for students with disabilities. Teach other classes as assigned, including Safe Relationships Safe Places.
5. Coordinate Disability Mentoring Day, and facilitate Disability Mentoring Day by securing students with disabilities for a job shadow placement and secure mentor placements within the community.
6. Participate as a member of the Independent Living Services team by attending agency meetings and events.
7. Complete agency required documentation in the database.

Disability Policy Change Essential Functions:

1. Participate in individual and systems advocacy activities by voicing opinion at public hearings and educating public officials through letter writing or other appropriate means on issues relating to independent living.
2. Actively participant in agency advocacy team.
3. Present testimony on disability issues by writing, email, and fax, in person testimony to legislative bodies on the local, state and federal levels. This includes contacting congresspersons, senators and giving opinions on pending legislation.
4. Assist consumers with their advocacy needs.
5. Participate in Disability Policy Change Events.

I. Work Environment

1. Work is generally performed in an office setting with minimal to moderate noise level.
2. 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.

Disclaimer:

The above statements reflect the general details necessary to describe the principle functions of the occupation described and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the occupation.

Experience and Skills:

I. Professional Qualifications:

1. Must have a firm belief in consumer control, the independent living philosophy and our agency Vision Statement:

Independence First is for full inclusion of persons with disabilities in every aspect of our community and Independence First commits itself toward this end.

'Empowerment is part psychological, part social, and part political. It is the process by which individuals define their own problems, find their own voice, develop their own plans, act on their own behalf, and claim their own power.'

'Empowerment means more than having responsibility, but also having the authority and ability to make one's own choices.'

1. Bachelor's degree in related field or life experience may be substituted in lieu of, in full or part of academic requirements.

1. Previous experience working with people with disabilities required.

1. Excellent oral and written communication skills required.

1. Knowledge of federal, state and community services and funding resources.

1. Knowledge of disability rights legislation preferred.

1. Good computer skills, knowledge of MS Word products, specifically, Word, EXCEL, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

1. Demonstrated positive attitude, reliability, a self-starter who assumes responsibility when warranted, is conscientious, professional in manner and hard working.

1. Transportationally mobile or able to arrange own transportation.

1. Must be able to work occasional weekends and evening hours.