Advocate/ Peer Counselor Stavros is seeking a candidate to fulfill a Full Time (35 Hours per Week) Benefits Eligible Independent Living Specialist - Advocate/Peer Counselor (IL Advocate) Position: A great fit for this position is an energetic personwith a passion for helping people with disabilities; one who is willing to work with persons with disabilities to identify needed resources and training to make a difference in people's lives by providing and/or coordinating independent living life skills training, peer counseling, and advocacy with and for individuals toward the achievement of their personal goals. If you are interested, we will provide on the job training. The IL Advocate is also involved in community education, outreach, and systems advocacy regarding disability rights and access in the community to best support the Stavros mission.*Training Provided*Stavros offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package which includes:
- Medical (Stavros pays 79%),
- Dental (Stavros pays 80%),
- Vision (Employee paid)
- LTD & Life insurance (Stavros pays 100%)
- 403B retirement options,
- FSA, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Holidays off, PTO
StavrosStavros is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodation is provided as needed for employees and other affiliates. Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE) checks are part of Stavros standard procedure.RequirementsRequirementsDuties and Responsibilities include:
- Meet with individuals with disabilities (consumers) to evaluate and understand their needs.
- Inform consumers about various available programs to assist in applying for and/or maintaining appropriate benefits and resources, such as vocational rehabilitation, social services, MassHealth, Medicare, etc.
- Coordinate and/or provide various independent living life skills training, peer counseling, and advocacy.
- Assist consumers in developing an Independent Living Plan (ILP); assisting with documentation of the development and achievement of IL goals selected by the consumers.
- Have a working knowledge of community resources/ local agencies.
- Work with consumers, the community and local agencies to broaden awareness of ILC services.
Qualifications:
- High School Diploma and Reliable Transportation: Valid driver's license - proof of auto insurance if applicable
- Personal experience with disability(ies) and/or knowledge of disability culture and/or etiquette.
- Being a self-starter and motivated to stay on task independently
- Comfort in reaching out to consumers directly and scheduling home [or elsewhere] visits within the service area of Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin County
- Must be well organized to maintain efficiency for duties including but not limited to scheduling visits with consumers and staying on top of documentation requirements
- Must have adequate computer skills for data entry
- Must possess proficient communication skills:
- Easily establish rapport and be able to work collaboratively with other individuals and Stavros team. - Maintain reliable and well managed calendars / scheduling when reporting and addressing communications with your supervisor and consumers