Support Specialist

Goodwill Industries of Hawaii, Inc.

Job Description

Job Title:              Support Specialist  

Department:         Mission Services

Department:         Intellectual Disabilities Services: Ho‘olana Program 

Reports To:          Service Coordinator / Program Coordinator / Director of IDS

FLSA Status:        Non-Exempt

Reviewed By:       Human Resources

SUMMARY 

Goodwill Hawaii believes that every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve their fullest potential. As a support specialist, you will be responsible for providing compassionate care and assistance to people with an intellectual / developmental disability. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Work with participants with an intellectual / developmental disability in a variety of settings. 

Empowers participants to make informed decisions by providing necessary information and support in everyday living and community skills.

Communicates effectively with participants by using active listening, verbal and non-verbal strategies and a respectful tone and approach.

Applies formal and informal assessments processes that will assist the participant to achieve desired goals and outcomes.

Assists participants to build a network of formal and informal supports by accessing community resources, public and private services. 

Demonstrates understanding of person-centered planning concepts by assisting in the development, implement, and review of individual plans to ensure progress toward goals and desired outcomes.

Provides support and assistance necessary to meet the physical and personal management needs of participants that encourages relationship building and independence.

Uses effective advocacy strategies to assist participants in exercising individual, legal, and administrative rights.

Implements positive preventions and interventions to manage and diffuse crisis situations.   

Maintains confidential and accurate records by collecting, compiling, evaluating data and completing reports in a timely fashion.

Engages in professional development activities including education, training, and shares knowledge with others.

Encourages participants to explore desired employment opportunities, identify barriers to employment, solutions to overcome barriers, and career planning resources. 

Supports and encourages participants to achieve their desired goals and outcomes. 

Implement individual plans for participants for participant success. 

Support and assist participant to meet the physical and personal needs to encourage independence. 

Provides transportation to the participants.  Must be able to keep accurate mileage and group ride records in the data management system.   

Assists participants to build a network of support in the community by finding resources tailored to their interests.

Motivated to participate in job performance enhancement activities for self-improvement. 

Conducts work in a safe and responsible manner, utilizing protective clothing and/or equipment when appropriate. Complies with all safety standards.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); or a written attestation provided by the employer that meets the qualifications of the position. No experience necessary.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and policy and procedure manuals.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  

REASONING ABILITY

Must have the ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.  Must also have the ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Must have a valid driver's license and a traffic abstract that meet company guideline.  Must have access to an insured vehicle with valid registration and safety check.  Must be CPR/First Aid certified.  Required to have TB clearance.  Must have clearance of Criminal History Record and Adult/Child Protective Services Central Registry checks that meet Goodwill's standards.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit.  The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and lift and/or move up to 50 pounds with assistance.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.