Direct Support Professional - Entry Level

PURPOSE OF DIRECT SERVICE PROFESSIONAL (DSP) INTERNSHIP   
This program is designed to highlight the career opportunities available to you in becoming a DSP, while providing you with the skills that you need to deliver high-quality services and supports that allow people to live their best lives and feel empowered.    
 
JOB DESCRIPTION AND FRAMEWORK FOR CARRYING OUT RESPONSIBILITIES    
As a DSP Intern, you will learn about the role of, and perform entry-level duties under, a qualified DSP for up to three months and up to thirty hours per week. The duties of a DSP are tailored around each individual served and may include support with: participant empowerment, communication, community and service(s) networking, facilitation of services, providing community living skills and supports, education, training and self-development, advocacy, vocational, educational and career support, organizational participation, documentation, building and maintaining healthy friendships and other relationships, keeping the participant at the center (person-centered), and supporting their health and wellness, which may include assisting with daily tasks.         
 
The role of a DSP is complex and requires a specific set of skills and values. The following represents what to expect in the DSP practice:    

• DSPs recognize the unique gifts, preferences and needs of each person supported.    

• DSPs recognize the personhood of people they support. They partner with them in making informed decisions and everyday choices about their finances, well-being, relationships, and employment.   

• DSPs will use knowledge, skills (competencies), and values such as the NADSP Code of Ethics to guide their work and provide quality services.    

• DSPs continue to learn and develop their professional abilities through ongoing in-service and self-directed education and training.   

• DSPs understand that quality services occur at the point of interaction with the people that they support.   

• DSPs realize that their role includes being a mentor and a facilitator.    

• DSPs inform the people they support regarding their responsibilities and advocate with them for their valued role in society.   

• DSPs create environments where the people they support feel empowered to have meaningful relationships with friends, their families, and promote integration and inclusion in all our nation’s communities.   

• DSPs respect the privacy of the people they support and commit to promote their physical and emotional well-being.   

PAY: $18.57-$23.00 per hour. Weekly pay incentives offered. 
 
SCHEDULE: Depends on client availability, must be open to weekends.
 
PROGRAM PERKS   

• Weekly pay   

• Employment retention payments at six and twelve months   

• FREE Interactive training    

• A variety of schedules available   

• Play an integral role in supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their community   

• May lead to a long-term career path   

QUALIFICATIONS   

• Must be 18 years or older   

• Must have a High School Diploma (or equivalent) or a Certificate of Completion   

• Must have a Driver’s License   

• Must pass a background check and other required health screenings    

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS   
A DSP Intern may work indoors or outdoors and may perform tasks which involve frequent sitting, standing, writing, or performing repetitive motions. On occasion a DSP may perform tasks that involve, but are not limited to bending, twisting, stooping, squatting, pushing, pulling, standing, reaching, walking, and lifting of 25 lbs.   

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