Life Skills Specialist - Thunder Bay, Canada - Lutheran Community Care

Description

Summary

To provide direct hands-on life skill training to persons with a developmental disability and teach them to develop skills for independent living.

Provide life skills training through one-to-one interaction or in a group setting. Life skills training and support aims to promote, independence, self-management, and self-reliance.

Life skills training and support covers three broad categories:
1) Core or basic skills (i.e., personal hygiene, health & wellness, numeracy, literacy);
2) Independent living skills (i.e., managing a household, budgeting, booking and attending appointments, dealing with correspondence); and,

3) Social skills (i.e., interpersonal skills, managing disagreements or disputes, developing self-confidence, and build social networks).

The position provides flexible, mobile and responsive support and engages with people whenever the need arises, whatever their situation, wherever they are in community, and wherever they are within the continuum of service.

Conditions of Employment:

Possession of a valid driver's license, use of a vehicle and appropriate insurance coverage is a condition of employment. The Life Skills Specialist must be available to work every second Saturday for approximately 4 hours. Equal time away will be given between Monday and Friday, between 8:30am and 4:30 pm, within the same week.

Successful completion of a Criminal Records Check, Conflict of Interest declaration and Oath of Confidentiality is a condition of employment.

Responsibilities:

A. General Support

• Provided direct outreach and engagement in home and community.
• Assist people with navigating community resources and services.
• Help people make formal and informal connections and referrals.
• Attend all team meetings and individual meetings with the Program Supervisor.
• Assist with creating a work schedule based on client and program needs.

B. Life Skills Training

• Using a flexible and proactive approach, provide direct handson assistance to teach people the skills necessary for them to achieve their personal goals.
• Plan and implement activities to meet the physical, emotional, intellectual and social needs of people. Activities may include healthy peer interactions, onetoone support or group facilitation.
• Help people to explore a broad range of experience that meet their personal goals and needs.
• Identify needs and trends for life skills training opportunities.
• Promote interdependence which leads to selfreliance and sustainability.
• Encourage adaptability and resourcefulness to assist people with accessing community services relevant to their situation.
• Create resources and tools that could assist people with learning.
• Create opportunities for learning that are inclusive, involve people supported and other service sectors.
• Help people identify their life skills training goal. Ensure goals are specific, measurable, attainable, and relevant to the person. Track and record progress to achieving goals.

C. Community Capacity Development & Networking

• Develop community partnerships with the goal of improving independence and inclusion, increasing community capacity, decreasing barriers, and providing more opportunities for people.
• Develop and facilitate opportunities for people to enhance their skills and build connections within their community.
• Encourage and support individuals to develop relationships and natural networks or enhance existing positive networks of support.

D. Communication

• Communicate securely and confidentially with people receiving service, including their networks of support.
• Communication with people receiving service will be clear, appropriate, respectful considering the goals, limitations, and boundaries of the helping relationship.
• Maintain excellent daily communication with team members and Supervisor.

E. Data Collection

• Collect and track data that will be used to develop material for presentations and general education.
• Maintain uptodate client document outlining daily interaction with individuals in service using a client information database.

F. Team Work

• Cultivate a team environment that is flexible and responsive.
• Develop and maintain a supportive working relationship with other LCC program staff and the community.
• Contribute to the vision, goals and objectives of LCC programs and services.
• Identify trends, improvements and best practices in an effort to better meet the needs of adults with a developmental disability.

Expectations:

The expectations of the responsibilities for this position are contained in the LSS's personal tactical plan.

The LSS is also expected to adhere to the following standards:

• Maintain current and concise records of all interactions with clients.
• Participate in the statistical collection of data or the completion of forms as it pertains to the services being provided.
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the Program Supervisor.
• In cooperation with other s