Covid-19 Program Advocate

Location: Ellensburg Office (Service areas are Kittitas, Yakima, Grant, Chelan, and Douglas Counties) Title: COVID-19 Program Advocate Department: Independent Living Reports to: Executive Director FLSA Status: Hourly Full time 40 hours Monday to Friday Non Exempt Central Washington Disability Resources (CWDR) is an Independent Living Center; a non-residential, private, non-profit, consumer-controlled, community-based organization providing services and advocacy by and for persons with all types of disabilities.
Established in 1981 and serving residents in Kittitas, Yakima, Grant, Chelan, and Douglas Counties.
CWDR provides empowerment and assistance to individuals with disabilities to achieve their maximum potential within their families and communities.
Also, serving as a strong advocacy voice on a wide range of national, state, and local issues CWDR works to assure physical and programmatic access to housing, employment, transportation, communities, recreational facilities, health, and social services.
Position Purpose This position is grant-funded and therefore expected to conclude in 9/29/2024.
The most the perfect person for the position will have exceptional organizational skills and be expected to be a strategic thinker with attention to detail works well under pressure and meets deadlines.
You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to multitask and adapt to many communication styles.
You should be innovative in the approach to communicate COVID-19 information to marginalized communities.
Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply, as over 51% of our team have a range of disabilities, and experience with all types of disabilities is essential to our advocacy mission.
CWDR services include Emergency/Disaster Preparedness, Advocacy, Information & Referral, Peer Support, Assistive Technology, Benefits Assistance, Independent Living Skills Training and Evaluation, Transition, and Youth specific programming.
CWDR believes in equality, inclusion, and choice; any person with a Disability, Older Adult, or Veteran who may benefit from CWDR services or programs is eligible regardless of the type of disability, race, creed, nationality, or age.
In the performance of their respective tasks and duties, all employees of CWDR are expected to conform to the following: * Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
* Interact professionally with other employees, consumers, and community members.
* Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
* Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
*Responsibilities* Essential Functions: * Regular COVID19 advocacy communications to the disabled community * Creating weekly content for our Connections social media regarding COVID vaccinations and information, specific to the disabled community.
* Manage stakeholders in a 5-county catchment area with content regarding people with disabilities, and ensure a voice at the table for people with disabilities at community meetings regarding COVID19.
* Assist those with long-haul COVID symptoms in navigating the Independent Living system’s core services, including but not limited to SSDI benefits counseling awareness.
* Coordinating the final phase of our current COVID grant-funded program (continued process) * Creating a new CWDR Peer Support Group for consumers to talk about and discuss COVID vaccines, isolation, services, and long-haul symptoms.
This group might meet twice monthly by Zoom to start, later adding in-person participation as health conditions allow.
* Working with the Deaf/HH team to create new COVID-related ASL videos for sharing through our website (hosted on our YouTube channel), as well as a Facebook session that is specifically providing information for the Deaf/HH community (perhaps working with our partners).
This session can be recorded and then available through our Facebook site, as well as promoted through social media.
(continued process) * Develop and manage a public outreach program specific to rural communities.
This might include attending Chamber of Commerce meetings and providing presentations, talking at city and town council meetings, etc.
The goal is to help inform and raise awareness of the dangers of COVID for members of the disabled community.
* Write regular content for our digital media sources regarding COVID safety practices specific to our audience, based upon content from state and federal authorities.
(continued process) * Determine and manage public-safety protocols for our office for the times when we again are open for appointments and staff hours.
(continued process) * Coordinate and assist with systems advocacy efforts for those with disabilities affected by COVID-19 and COVID-19 Long-haul symptoms * Assist with individual advocacy efforts for those with disabilities affected by COVID and COVID-19 Long-haul symptoms and effects (continued) * Monitor COVID-19 numbers in the service area (continued) * Keep staff informed of the most recent COVID-19 information and best practices * Assist leadership with evolving workplace practices regarding COVID-19 * Fulfill duties as assigned by the director *Qualifications* Education and/or Experience: * High School and/or post-secondary education level * Excellent written and verbal skills * Able to meet deadlines * Highly computer and digital media literate * Autonomous in scheduling projects and meeting work package deadlines Key Competencies: * *Time Management: *Thinks strategically, prioritizes competing demands and plans ahead.
Completes work within deadlines, and completes consumer goals in a timely fashion including follow-up to assure the goals undertaken are accomplished quickly.
Able to be flexible and stay focused in hectic environments with many competing priorities.
* *Team Player: *Awareness and commitment to accomplishing department and agency goals.
Respectful and works cooperatively with others.
Sensitivity to the needs of other staff and consumers and behaves in a manner to improve the overall functioning of the agency.
Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
* *Communication: *Ability to provide information in accessible formats – culturally, linguistically, adaptively, in groups, and individually, as needed so others will understand.
Effectively communicates with people from diverse backgrounds, including, consumers, media, community members, staff, and management both in written and oral form.
Listens carefully and asks questions appropriately to delineate issue(s) and empower consumers regarding options.
Possess excellent public speaking skills with the ability to present information in a clear and articulate, logical, and organized manner.
Ability to read and comprehend information written in English; such as instructions, correspondence, memos, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals * *Clerical & Technical: *Working knowledge of MS Office applications including basic spreadsheets and databases.
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
* *Mathematical Skills: *Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret graphs.
* *Computer Skills: *To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of, and possess intermediate skills, to utilize Microsoft Office software including basic spreadsheets and databases.
Internet knowledge required.
* *Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: *N/A * *Other Qualifications: *Knowledge of Federal, State, and local agencies serving people with disabilities.
Understanding of service delivery systems, especially those that provide critical support for independent living.
Commitment to the policies of consumer participation in the decision-making process and consumer involvement in program development and implementation.
Able to independently navigate and move through the community to attend meetings and appointments, responsible for own transportation.
* Bi-lingual preferred but not required * Other duties as assigned Executive Director *Working Conditions* *Work Environment: *This position is primarily performed in an environmentally controlled indoor office environment.
However, the employee may occasionally be exposed to various weather conditions or extreme cold and heat due to travel.
On occasion, this position may be required to perform work in a variety of settings such as consumer homes or other community locations that may or may not be accessible.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, occasionally loud.
*Work Context: *This position is constantly dealing with the public, either by phone or in person.
It requires self-control, maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations and stress tolerance, accepting criticism, and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Due to the nature of the work and the small office environment, the position requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
This position requires attention to detail and thoroughly completing tasks.
Frequent changes and interruptions require adaptability/flexibility to be open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
This position requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
*Physical Requirements: *While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
The employee is frequently required to sit.
The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close range, distance, color, peripheral, and depth perception.
*Supervisory Responsibilities* None Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation.
CWDR gladly considers requests for reasonable accommodation(s) and will make every effort to make such reasonable accommodation(s) as will enable an otherwise qualified person with a disability to perform the essential functions of this position.
Non-Discrimination: CWDR provides equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, religious creed, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, military & veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
All applicants must pass Criminal History Background Investigation.
Job Types: Full-time, Contract Pay: $17.
50 per hour Benefits: * Dental insurance * Flexible schedule * Health insurance * Paid time off * Vision insurance Schedule: * 8 hour shift Language: * Bilingual (Preferred) License/Certification: * Driver's License (Required) Ability to Relocate: * Kittitas, WA: Relocate before starting work (Required) Willingness to travel: * 75% (Required) Work Location: On the road