Support Specialist : AANE Individual and Family Services

Job Description

Job Description

Title : Support Specialist (25 Hours)

Salary : $20-22 / hour

Department : Individual and Family Services, AANE

Reports to : Assistant Director or Senior Manager

Job Description

Individual & Family Services (IFS) manages over 700 inquiries for help each month and 30+ groups per week. The IFS Support Specialist plays a crucial role within the Individual and Family Services (IFS) department at AANE. This position involves offering vital support to Autistic individuals, parents, caregivers, family members, and professionals working with Autistic individuals. The IFS Support Specialist is responsible for delivering coaching, consultations, support, information, and resources to meet the needs of AANE constituents.

Organization Description : Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE) helps Autistic and similarly Neurodivergent people build meaningful, connected lives. We provide individuals, families, and professionals with education, community and support, in an inclusive atmosphere of validation and respect.

Diversity Statement

AANE’s Commitment to Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Team :

As a global leader in promoting neurodiverse environments in all aspects of society, AANE is deeply committed to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the communities we serve and in our own workplace. We are dedicated to hiring and supporting a team that reflects a wide range of backgrounds and identities, including racial, neurodiverse, and gender-diverse professionals. We strongly encourage individuals of color, neurodivergent professionals, and people of all gender identities and expressions to apply for this and other job opportunities with our organization. Please consider joining us.

Responsibilities

Direct Client Service Responsibilities (70-90% of hours) :

The IFS Support Specialist will engage in various activities to provide direct client support, including but not limited to :

Group Facilitation : Lead and facilitate support groups and educational sessions.

Group types : LGBTQ+, Women’s, Autistic Adult

Information and Resource Support : Provide one-on-one coaching and support during Adult Connect Calls and offer information and resources to clients responding to contact us or other email inquiries.

Education Programs : Contribute to educational programs, which may involve training, workshops, and content creation.

Administrative Responsibilities : Manage administrative tasks related to group and one-on-one support, such as pre / post-session emails, client database entries, appointment management and session preparations.

Timely Communication : Ensure prompt and effective communication with group participants and individual clients, addressing questions and providing necessary resources and support.

Meeting Attendance (10-20% of hours) :

Support Specialists will participate in a variety of meetings, including :

One-on-One Meetings with Direct Manager : Regular meetings with the direct manager for feedback and performance evaluation.

IFS Team Meeting : Participate in departmental team meetings to coordinate efforts and discuss ongoing initiatives.

Clinical Meetings : Attend clinical meetings to stay informed about best practices.

Full Staff Meeting : Join organization-wide meetings to foster collaboration across departments.

Facilitator Training : Participate in training sessions to enhance facilitation skills.

Attending Organization-wide Conferences and Programs : Stay updated with industry developments by attending conferences and programs.

Attending Meetings specific to an initiative such as the Livestream, YouTube Team, and Workshop development.

Other responsibilities (10-20%) :

IFS related education programs : such as training, workshops, livestream, other content creation

Strategic Cross-Department Collaboration Initiatives within AANE

• Salary & benefits :

Competitive and commensurate with experience

Opportunities for professional development

Employer match for IRA contributions

Paid sick time / PTO as accrued

Access to health insurance, FSA and / or DCA accounts for qualifying employees

Potential student loan forgiveness through PSLF program for qualifying employees

AANE is committed to providing the highest level of support to its constituents and is dedicated to continuous improvement in service standards and program development. As such, the percentages provided for responsibilities are flexible and subject to adjustment based on service demand and community needs.