Community Connections Specialist

Department: The Partnership for People with Disabilities (PPD)

Duties & Responsibilities:

The Partnership for People with Disabilities (PPD) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) celebrates over 40 years as Virginia’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Research, Training and Dissemination (www.partnership.vcu.edu).
 
The Partnership believes that families are best served by other families and people with disabilities, especially those with similar experiences and challenges. People with Disabilities and families are the experts in their own lives and their children, and can pass this expertise to others. To this end, The Partnership’s Center for Family Involvement (CFI) www.centerforfamilyinvolvement.org) works with families 1:1 to build their skills as advocates for their child/family, mentors to other families, and leaders in changing the system for those that follow.

The Community Connections Specialist is a part-time grant-funded position, reporting to the Director of the Center for Family Involvement (CFI) at the PPD at VCU. Community Connection Specialists are specific to special populations and work with other CFI staff and volunteer Family Navigators to help family members of children and adults with disabilities identify and access information, services, and community supports that meet their needs.

Community Connection Specialists also outreach to organizations and groups in Virginia (and the country) with whom the CFI and Partnership should partner to meet the needs of all families with children and young adults with disabilities. 

Community Partnerships and Outreach:
●    Develops and maintains collaborative relationships with community organizations, family-led organizations, healthcare providers, disability organizations, schools, and other partners to improve access to information, supports, and services for families of children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs.
●    Conducts community asset mapping to identify organizations, resources, and informal support networks serving families across Virginia, particularly Tribal communities.
●    Builds and sustains partnerships with Virginia Tribal Nations and Indigenous-serving organizations to strengthen disability awareness and access to family support and navigation services.
●    Represents the Center for Family Involvement (CFI) and the Partnership for People with Disabilities (PPD) in community meetings, trainings, and outreach activities to increase awareness of disability resources, family leadership opportunities, and available services.

Family Navigation and Peer Support:
●    Provides individualized information, resource navigation, and peer support to families of children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs, helping families understand available services, navigate complex systems, and access needed supports.
●    Uses family-centered engagement strategies to reach families who experience barriers to accessing services, especially families from Tribal communities.
●    Recruits, supports, and mentors volunteer Family Navigators and family leaders, including outreach to underrepresented communities, to expand peer-to-peer support and strengthen family engagement.
●    Maintains accurate documentation of family contacts, community partnerships, referrals, and outcomes using the CFI Salesforce data system.

Organization Support:
●    Attends and participates as a team member in regular CFI and PPD staff meetings/trainings, including any regional meetings with other CFI staff;
●    Serves as a resource to the CFI and PPD by bringing Tribal/Indigenous perspectives, training, and technical assistance to ensure the delivery of appropriate services to organizational clients; and
●    Assists, develops, and participates in programs or projects assigned by the supervisor.
 
Professional Development:
●    Attends mandatory PPD, CFI, and/or VCU employee orientation and on-going staff development opportunities;
●    Participates in at least two face to face or virtual training, seminars, courses and/or a state conference every year to improve service knowledge and skills;
●    Actively participates in discussions by sharing experiences, training information, resources, etc. with other team members and identifying gaps in services and possible solutions; and
●    Meets at least one time per month with the CFI director.

General Position Information: 

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

●        Have a minimum of 2 years of experience supporting people with disabilities or special health care needs and their families.  
●        Demonstrated experience building partnerships with American Indian/Indigenous communities, Tribal Nations, or Indigenous-serving organizations to support families.
●        Knowledge of tribal health systems, community resources, and barriers that may affect families' access to health care, developmental services, and other supports.
●        Possess working knowledge of disability service delivery system, particularly with local Tribal associations, groups and organizations, and other disability service providers;
●        Practice effective collaboration, emotional intelligence, and teaming skills;
●        Be self-directed, self-motivated, organized, and able to multitask; and
●        Have good computer skills (experienced in using current technology to communicate and prepare materials, including website navigation and data entry).

Preferred Qualifications:

●        Personal or familial experience with disabilities  

Salary Range: Up to $24 per hour

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Hours per Week: 16 hours a week

Restricted Position: Yes

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

University Job Title: Coordinator

Contact Information: (804) 301-6844
Contact Name: Dana Yarbrough
Contact Email: dvyarbrough@vcu.edu