Disability Inclusion Facilitator

Join us! Come to work with Purpose. We are a passionate team of social change-makers, diverse thinkers, and problem solvers. Our purpose is to provide the best possible services that ensure full access to quality living and spread the power of inclusivity. We serve over 7,000 people with disabilities, behavioral health challenges, and those who are Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. If you don’t want just any job—if you want to work where you can create truly transformational change—then Anixter is the place for you. Take a look at the job description to learn more!

SUMMARY:

The Employment Inclusion Facilitator is a disability expert, whose primary focus is to initiate and maintain ongoing contact with a variety of business and industry representatives with the goal to identify hiring needs and diversity, equity and inclusion training supports within those sectors. The Employment Inclusion Facilitator has a working knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and a proven track record in creating strategic partnerships that advances employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Employment Inclusion Facilitator is client focused and business-savvy, demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills, and has expert knowledge of workforce development models and best practices.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

· Required to engage with up to 30 customers on a diverse caseload and establishes trusting, collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community job settings with other workers who do not necessarily have disabilities.

· Support employment services to meet recruitment, hiring, training and retention goals for people with disabilities; advise on disability-hiring and retention best practices.

· Spends 65% or more of scheduled work hours in the community, for example, meet clients at their workplaces, homes, coffee shops, public libraries, One-Stop offices, state DRS office, group homes; helps clients follow up on job applications, hiring manager meetings; accompanies clients to visit local GED programs and college programs.

· Conducts face-to-face, in person job development, job coaching and job search activities in communities served, directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the principles and procedures of evidence-based supported employment.

· Conducts an average of six face-to-face employer contacts per week. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program, and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position.

· Provides individualized follow-along supports to assist clients in maintaining employment. Writes job support plans with clients and incorporates input from family members (with client permission) and client support team.

· Responsible for a minimum of 1.5 job start average per month.

· Cultivates and maintains collaborative relationships with partner, community, and industry related organizations; and identifies potential collaboration efforts to reach target customers/job seekers.

· Present, promote and market programs to individuals, groups, community organizations and service providers.

· Attend and assist with the planning of educational, outreach and other industry-related events.

· Attends high school meetings with CPS teachers, such as Individual Education Program (IEP), 504 Plan, and Transition Plan meetings, to discuss how students learn best and ways that Inclusion Facilitator can support the student’s education.

· Support Anixter Center stakeholders in matches job seekers with targeted positions on an ongoing basis.

· Train and present to Anixter Center partners on topics related to disability employment inclusion, DEI, etc.

· Develop strategies to identify and address larger cultural issues within organizations that create barriers to employment for people with disabilities and/or who are justice involved.

· Conduct worksite analysis to identify conditions and operations to anticipate and prevent barriers that may affect a person with IDDs ability to perform their jobs.

· Conduct task analysis of targeted positions to anticipate onsite coaching and retention supports.

· Provides timely interventions. Returns phone calls and reacts to situations in a timely manner. For example, returns client phone calls within 24 hours. Meets with client employer contact about potential job loss or job problems within 24 hours. Follows up on job leads within 48 hours. Meets with job seekers at least once weekly and meets within one week prior to job starts and within three days after job starts.

· Support the development of internal mentors to leverage natural workplace supports.

· Must be willing to familiarize self with outcomes of all supporting grants (i.e. DRS – Milestone, Internships and SEP, JTED, etc.) and be willing to adjust according to program needs.

· Provide consultation to employers on best practices on new hire onboarding, on-the-job support and supporting requests for accommodations.

· Provide technical assistance to external partner staff as needed.

· Use a variety of employment placement techniques, including Customized Employment, Supported Employment, Individual Placement and Support (IPS), etc., as needed.

· Actively participate in relevant Anixter and site meetings and committees.

· Comply with all agency and funder reporting and billing requirements by deadlines.

· Participate in client/funder staffing progress meetings.

· Communicate with coworkers, supervisors, clients, families, and other stakeholders when appropriate to relay information in a timely, cooperative manner.

· Identify and communicate with referral sources.

· Responsible for following all Anixter Center policies. · Provide client services in alignment and support of Employment First best practices

REQUIREMENTS:

· Bachelor’s Degree with a major in the field of special education, rehabilitation services, or developmental disabilities preferred or professional work equivalent. Related Master’s degree highly preferred.

· 2 years vocational rehabilitation experience or service delivery to people with disabilities

· Disability awareness background, including familiarity with the ADA, reasonable accommodation process, and vocational rehabilitation best practices.

· Maintain CPR, First Aid, NCI, mandated reporter, HIPPA, etc. trainings and participate in any other trainings deemed mandatory or relevant by the Agency.

· Submit to background and medical checks by hiring agency and hospital system as required for employment in healthcare setting.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.