Work at VK

Job Announcement

Position Title: Program Lead
Reports To: Program Director
Created: July 18, 2023
Open until: Filled

Location: Bainbridge Island, WA and offsite in Kitsap County
Start date: Immediately

Send Applications to: leighp@vitalizekitsap.org

​

Vitalize Kitsap has full-time and part-time Program Lead positions open immediately. We're looking for enthusiastic, active, athletic, sociable, and compassionate people to join our team. We provide engaging and dynamic daily programming for Kitsap County adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

​

Our programming varies to meet our members' interests and needs, so being part of our team is never boring and always rewarding.

​

We provide on-the-job training for qualified applicants who have the energy and kindness our members deserve and need. We're open between 9 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday, and currently have various shifts available on these days.

​

Major Program Lead responsibilities include:

• Support our members during daily programming based at Vitalize Kitsap and during community access and inclusion adventures and activities

• Provide active and enthusiastic leadership of our daily athletic activities, participating fully side-by-side with our members during hikes on mixed terrain, swimming, sports and other physical activities such as stretching and dancing

• Vary your support to meet each individual member's abilities and needs, providing appropriate motor skill assistance as well as social and emotional support

• Collaborate with Program Director and Program Coordinator to ensure Community Engagement guidelines, goals, and objectives are met

• Assist with personal care as needed by individuals, including toileting, food preparation and consumption, hand washing, mask reminders, etc

• Regular lifting and moving of program materials and supplies that weigh up to 50 pounds, and assisting with the safe transfer and physical assistance of members as needed for toileting, transportation, and mobility

• Ensure program spaces and materials are safe and sanitized (kitchen, tables, games/art materials, bathrooms, outdoor walkways, etc).

• Take initiative and think creatively to enhance daily programming and members' experiences in line with our mission

• Implement program activities, to the highest level of independence and safety for each member

• Drive our Kitsap Transit Access van as part of community access/inclusion adventures, to provide transportation of staff and members (pending approval by Kitsap Transit; we assist with this process)

• Provide direct support in community-based activities during outings, assist with meal preparation, distribution, and clean up

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned

Skills:

• Ability to assess and match the strengths and needs of members to facilitate best performance and member growth

• Certified Kitsap Transit Vanlink driver, or ability and willingness to become one (VK assists with this process)

• Knowledge of basic concepts of human growth and development and developmental behavior characteristics, desired

• Patient and receptive attitude toward people of varied ages and with a range of intellectual, developmental, and behavioral disabilities.

• Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form. 

• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written directions

• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative, respectful working relationships with our members

Education/Qualifications:

• Some college preferred

• Basic training in fundamentals of caregiving desired

• CPR/ First Aid, or ability and willingness to obtain

• 5-year clean driving record

Experience:

• Prior experience working with people who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities is wonderful; an inclusive, open-minded, accepting and flexible character is a must

• Experience teaching and managing groups in a fast paced, social learning environment

Physical Demands:

• Persons performing service in this position will exert 10 to 30 pounds of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Occasionally, facilitated lifts of up to 75 pounds will be required to assist with activities of daily living for students with disabilities

• This position will involve working with people with behavioral challenges that may necessitate physical intervention

• This type of work involves frequent sitting, standing, walking, stooping, bending, and occasional running

• Perceiving the nature of sound, near and far vision, depth perception, providing oral information, the manual dexterity to operate business related equipment, and handle and work with various materials and objects are important aspects of this job

​​

Compensation:$20/hr to start

Part-time and Full-time positions available, 25-40 hrs/week

Paid Vacation as accrued

Paid sick leave as accrued

6 paid annual holidays

Partial paid medical for full-time employees

​

If you are fully Covid-vaccinated, compassionate, hard-working, reliable, communicative, collaborative, and interested in being an important part of an organization that helps others of all cognitive and physical abilities, and have a ton of fun  while doing this, we'd love to hear from you!

​

Please send your RESUME and A COVER LETTER that addresses the following questions to leighp@vitalizekitsap.org :

• Do you have experience working with people who have I/DD (intellectual and developmental disabilities)?

• Do you have experience with work that requires flexibility, patience, and a combination of following directions and taking initiative?

• Have you had a Washington State Driver's License with a clean driving record for at least 5 years?

• Are you able to lift 50 pounds, and are you willing and able to assist with safe transfer assistance of our program participants for toileting, transportation, and as needed to assist with mobility? (we provide training for these assistance tasks)

• Would you be excited and able to participate fully with our members as a program lead for our athletic programming, which includes day hikes on mixed terrain, swimming in local aquatic centers, various indoor and outdoor sports, and other physical activities such as stretching and dancing?

• Would you be comfortable driving our Kitsap Transit Access van to transport program staff and participants to and from our community activities? (we assist with the Kitsap Transit approval process for this)

​

The above job description identifies the essential job functions and skills needed by the person or persons assigned to
this position. These job functions and skills are not intended to be a complete and exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The information contained herein is subject to change at Vitalize Kitsap's discretion. Vitalize Kitsap is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.