Community Builder

Intentional Communities of Washtenaw (ICW) County

PO Box 1525, Ann Arbor, MI 48106

www.intentcom.org

Job Description: COMMUNITY BUILDER

An ICW Community Builder (CB) is paid in housing in an ICW-owned condominium in Ann Arbor. The CB lives in their own private condo in community and as neighbors to our ICW resident members. In exchange for approximately 18-20 hours per week work with ICW, ICW pays for the housing and HOA fees for the CB.

SUMMARY

Intentional Communities of Washtenaw (ICW)’s mission is to promote stable and sustainable quality of life for adults with developmental disabilities, designed to reduce isolation and develop skills to live interdependently in a community setting. The Community Builder (CB) lives in his/her own condo in Ann Arbor which is provided by ICW and is the primary point of contact for ICW residents. Each Community Builder is responsible to build community among the residents both at the residence and in the community through weekly small group dinners, weekly social activities, and monthly all-ICW dinners and social events. CBs maintain communication between and among all residents and stakeholders. CBs work as a team with other CBs, the Program Manager, and the Board of Directors through monthly staff and team meetings, as well as regular communications with outside stakeholders. CBs attend a yearly training retreat. CBs serve as a nighttime emergency presence for ICW residents, maintaining a shared on-call schedule.

Intentional Communities of Washtenaw is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Intentional Communities of Washtenaw intends to help provide a safe and drug-free work environment for our clients and our employees. We are a drug free workplace.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts Degree in special education, social work, human services, or other related field

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of 2 years of experience with working with individuals with disabilities, or other special needs populations

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must provide proof of Auto Insurance
• Must have valid Michigan driver’s license
• Must have internet access/WIFI
• Must maintain cleaning and condo upkeep

SOFTWARE

• Experience working with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience working Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Forms)
• Experience working with internet-based videoconferencing

KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge of working in a community-based setting
• Knowledge of building a community among residents
• Knowledge of the unique needs of individuals who have special needs
• Knowledge of conflict management techniques
• Knowledge of HIPAA laws and confidentiality requirements
• Knowledge of the principles of supervision of individuals with special needs
• Knowledge of professional boundary setting
• Knowledge of food safety
• Knowledge of basic cleaning techniques

REQUIRED ABILITIES (Natural or innate human capacities that indicate the capability to do something)

• Act independently
• Analyze situations
• Attend to details
• Communicate verbally
• Communicate in writing
• Concentrate
• Empathize
• Identify problems
• Initiate
• Manage pressure
• Motivate self and others
• Multi-task
• Organize
• Problem-solve
• Think creatively
• Coordinate with others to work as a team member

REQUIRED SKILLS (Learned or acquired skills which indicate the capability to do something well)

• Actively listen to fully understand circumstances
• Collaborate with others to maximize innovation and effectiveness
• Communicate ideas, thoughts, knowledge, and information to foster clarity and engage others
• Consider multiple costs and benefits when problem solving to arrive at most effective decision
• Focus on details to reduce errors and increase efficiency
• Manage time effectively to ensure all work is completed timely and effectively
• Organize work to maximize productivity
• Plan work projects to ensure efficiency
• Resolve conflicts to facilitate goal achievement
• Use empathy to understand the point of view of others
• Respond effectively to sensitive inquiries or complaints
• Resolve issues using conflict management skills
• Manage multiple priorities and demands within established requirements
• Exercise tact, discretion, and diplomacy
• Utilize sound judgment and decision-making
• Exhibit patience and empathy skills to best address resident’s needs
• Problem-solve calmly and effectively to address challenges and emergent situations

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• No employee supervisory responsibilities
• Supervise residents during meetings and field trips and online as required

REPORTS TO

• PROGRAM MANAGER

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS [The fundamental job duties the individual must be able to perform, with or without accommodation; removal of these functions would fundamentally change the job]

Community Building

• Develop rapport with each resident so that they have a comfort level and a sense of trust with the CB
• Conduct one-on-one check-ins with each resident of the small group twice per month
• Set personal boundaries with residents so that they respect CB’s time and don’t become dependent
• Build a community between and among residents, and engage in conflict resolution and/or group discussions as necessary
• Facilitate and coordinate Monday night dinners, including preparing a healthy meal as part of the group rotation
• Organize, facilitate and develop a weekly resident after-dinner chat in a way that supports residents acting as stakeholders (i.e. take pride in residence, opportunity for group decision making, establish a system of accountability for the residents to the greater community, etc.)
• Facilitate and coordinate one weekly activity for all ICW residents
• Facilitate and coordinate with other CBs the monthly Potluck dinners and accompanying activities
• Facilitate and coordinate with Program Manager and other CBs the monthly all-ICW social gathering activities
• Communicate weekly with your small group residents’ parents/guardians in order to facilitate participation and share information on past and future activities
• Communicate promptly to all ICW stakeholders, residents, and parents/guardians
• Understand the primary standards of working with people with disabilities in order to keep safety at utmost importance
• Regular and routine onsite attendance

Reporting and Supervision

• Identify and communicate local community events and volunteer opportunities for residents to the Program Manager, Board and other CBs.
• Communicate with the Program Manager, Family Support Coordinator, Board and other CBs information that will facilitate more effective support of the residents.
• Attend and actively participate in monthly staff meetings: one business, and one team meeting.
• Attend and actively participate in a yearly day-long training retreat.
• Maintain supervision of residents at all times when leading a group (in-person and/or on-line) for safety
• Appropriately access, use, and safeguard client and/or agency Confidential or Protected Health Information.

Emergency Services

• CBs will all take on-call shifts in rotations of one week at a time. A week on-call will consist of obtaining the on-call phone and responding to emergency calls during the hours indicated in the following schedule: Each evening at 9pm through the next morning at 7am
• When on call, CBs are free to use the time for their own purposes, either at, or away from their Residence, but they must be able to respond to an emergency call at an ICW resident’s residence in ten (10) minutes, if the matter cannot be addressed by telephone
• CBs on call adhere to the ICW policies for managing emergencies, documenting them completely and immediately

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNCTIONS [These are job duties the individual must be able to perform, with or without accommodation; removal of these functions would NOT fundamentally change the job]

• All other duties as assigned

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND DEMANDS

• Ascend/Descend – Ability to move on an incline or decline
• Ascend/Descend stairs
• Push/Pull
• Lift/Carry at least 40 lbs.

EQUIPMENT

• Phones
• Computer/Laptops/Tablets
• Monitors/Televisions
• Printers/Copiers/Scanners/Projectors
• Hand Tools
• Recreational activity equipment
• Tables and Chairs
• Sandwich-board sign

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Indoor environments (CB condo, community locations, churches, local restaurants, etc.)
• Outdoor environments (parks – weather permitting)

WORK HOURS

Approximately 20/hours per week. CBs must be available for weekly small group Monday dinners, small group weekly activities, weekly group chats, weekly all-ICW on-line programs, twice monthly one-on-one check ins with small-group members, monthly all-ICW activities, and monthly all-ICW potluck dinners. CBs must be available for an annual outdoor education trip. Additionally, CBs must be available for monthly staff meetings: one business meeting and one team meeting and a yearly day-long training retreat. Required communication and administrative tasks have weekly deadlines but flexible times for completion.

SALARY

In-kind payment of housing in his/her own apartment/condo in an ICW residence in lieu of salary. The details of this in-kind arrangement are outlined in the Intentional Communities of Washtenaw Offer of Employment.

Disclaimer

• This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities performed by persons assigned to this classification. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor or manager to assign, direct and control the work of employees under his/her supervision. All principal duties and responsibilities of this position are essential functions of the position. Job descriptions are reviewed on a regular basis and may be revised at any time. Revisions will be communicated to employees within the classification. This job description does not constitute a contract of employment; therefore, the company may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.