Part Time Autism Outreach

**Part Time Autism Outreach & Employment Support Coordinator
**UNDERSTANDING - ACCEPTANCE - INCLUSION**

**About Autism Nova Scotia **

Autism Nova Scotia is a national leader in providing social, educational, and employment supports for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their families, caregivers, and professionals. Our vision is a society where people with ASD can live their lives to the fullest. This vision informs our day-to-day operations and provides a philosophy that revolves around person-focused supports, strength-based approaches, and community-oriented learning opportunities.

Autism Nova Scotia delivers programming in Halifax and in nine communities across Nova Scotia through our Regional Autism Centres. Our three program divisions are: Social & Community Inclusion; Employment Support; and Family and Caregiver Support.

**Position: Part Time Autism Outreach & Employment Support Coordinator**

**Department**:Employment & Community Transitions Department

**Location**:Annapolis Valley, NS

**Job Type**:Part Time; 10-month contract; 3-days per week; 8:30 am - 4:30 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

**Travel (frequency)**:Local - Frequent

**Accountability**:The AOESC is accountable to the AOESC Truro

**What you will be doing **

Autism Nova Scotia is seeking a passionate, committed professional to join its Employment & Community Transitions Department out of the Annapolis Valley Chapter to support the delivery of a labour market initiative called Ready, Willing and Able (RWA) and expand its availability to rural parts of Nova Scotia.

Ready, Willing & Able

RWA is a national partnership of the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL), the Autism Alliance of Canada (formerly Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA)), and their member organizations. Funded by the Government of Canada and active in 20 communities across the country, RWA is designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability and people on the Autism Spectrum.

General Employment Support

The AOESC is one of four staff within Nova Scotia that make up the General Employment Support team; you will find them in Annapolis Valley, Cape Breton Region, Halifax, and Truro. The AOESC will be primarily responsible for connecting job seekers to employment supports and inclusive job opportunities in their community. This will involve outreach efforts to find autistic job seekers, service navigation and referrals, consolidating them on an existing job seekers database, and providing pre-employment coaching support with agency partners.

**General Duties**:

- Engage in outreach efforts (e.g., presentations, fairs, meetings, etc.) to connect with job seekers on the autism spectrum for the purpose of connecting them to inclusive employment opportunities;
- Build and maintain relationships with community organizations / support services;
- Facilitate intakes with new job seekers and provide navigation support by connecting them to relevant employment supports and services in their community with the aim of assisting individuals in obtaining paid employment;
- Deliver one-to-one pre-employment coaching (e.g., mock and direct interviews, resume and cover letter support, etc.) to autistic job seekers, as necessary;
- Provide general Autism education to community organization partners, as requested;
- Ensure accurate collection of data relating to the project and individual outcomes is recorded, analyzed, and reported, curating the job seekers database, and being able to report on results and efforts in a timely way;
- Attend department and rounds meetings biweekly and provide program updates;
- Other duties as required

**Education and Experience**:

- Demonstrated knowledge of Neurodiversity is required;
- Previous experience working with Autistic people / people on the autism spectrum in community, residential or school settings is recommended, but not required;
- Post-Secondary education or equivalent experience in a related field;
- Must have a valid Nova Scotia Driver’s License and use of a reliable vehicle;
- Must be comfortable driving on all types of roads, distances, and weather;
- A valid criminal record check and child abuse registry check are required for this position;
- Able to meet the physical nature of the job; must be able to life up to 50lbs, occasionally;
- Current First Aid Certification (considered an asset);
- Current Non Violent Crisis Intervention Certification (considered an asset);
- Current ASIST Certification (considered an asset)

**Skills**:

- Demonstrated knowledge of some of the issues and barriers faced by autistic people in accessing meaningful employment and community opportunities;
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team;
- Excellent presentation and public speaking skills;
- Superior written communication skills, excellent time management skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced envi