Community Facilitator and Independent Living Support for Individuals with Disabilities

HOPE NC works in collaboration with community partners to create IDEAL

(Inclusive, Diverse, Engaging, Affordable and Lifelong) Communities that

include adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and older

adults.

Community Facilitators are fundamental to HOPE NC’s mission

to provide support to adults with disabilities and older adults living in and

around our communities. They work closely with others on the HOPE NC team to foster

formal and natural supports tailored to meet the independent living needs of adults with

disabilities and promote inclusion across the greater community.  

Responsibilities:

1. Foster Inclusion

• Interact with IDEAL community members and their neighbors in a way that welcomes diversity and facilitates neighbor-to-neighbor connections, attending especially to making spaces welcoming to those who struggle with social engagement
• Create and promote principles for conflict resolution for any interpersonal conflicts between community members
• Help identify positive opportunities for IDEAL community members to volunteer and bring value to the building/neighborhood and greater community

2.Support Adults

• Welcome and orient all new IDEAL community members into the community
• Assess IDEAL community members needs for support and connect them with appropriate services as required
• Foster relationships with partner organizations, including the property or building management, to provide the best experience for all IDEAL community members
• Engage adults with disabilities to co-lead IDEAL activities
• Promote opportunities for improved health outcomes
• Develop and maintain safety contact list and protocols
• Educate adults with disabilities, their families, and caregivers on community safety and well-being
• Curate local amenities/resources list and track any discounts to neighborhood businesses where possible
• Oversee transportation needs (i.e. helping residents apply for paratransit or map out their route on public transit; maintain a list of neighbors willing to help with transportation)
• Empower residents to leverage strengths and resources to address any issues related to daily living (i.e., troubleshooting technology, interpersonal conflict)

3.Deliver Programming

• Housing-focused programming:
• Assist with programming related to living in an IDEAL community
• Host on-site tours of IDEAL properties for interested residents
• Engage with prospective residents at in-person events
• Distribute and orient IDEAL welcome kits to new IDEAL residents
• Community-building programming:
• Facilitate circles of support and neighborhood connections for IDEAL community members 
• Educate IDEAL residents about the surrounding community and amenities
• Seek creative ways to integrate IDEAL members into the larger community
• Develop and implement programming that can benefit entire building/neighborhood (e.g. weekly free food distribution, tutoring programs, neighborhood clean-ups)

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Embrace a flexible, 20-hour weekly schedule that may include some evenings/weekends
• Prioritize attendance of IDEAL events, including virtual and in-person
• Send out weekly information to residents with opportunities for engagement
• Identify and coordinate volunteer network to co-lead IDEAL events
• Track participation at all IDEAL events using current methodology
• Maintain secure database of prospective and current IDEAL residents
• Support IDEAL research efforts
• Assist in responding to queries received by IDEAL via email
• Document photos, videos, and interviews for digital marketing content

Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to connect with adults with disabilities, older adults, their families and caregivers, IDEAL staff and partners
• Commitment to promote inclusivity and self-determined living
• Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences (ie. psychology, social work, sociology, human services, public health, etc.) preferred
• Previous volunteer or employment experience in community organizing and/or with marginalized/at-risk populations including but not limited to people with disabilities and older adults
• Case management experience preferred
• Flexibility to travel to IDEAL sites (You will need to have access to a car.)
• Self-motivated individual who is comfortable with a variable schedule
• Empathetic, compassionate individual who cares deeply about the well-being of others
• Committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) as an action
• People with lived experience of disability, or who identify with other marginalized groups, are highly encouraged to apply