READING SERVICES PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Lighthouse Guild is the leading not-for-profit healthcare organization dedicated to addressing and preventing vision loss. Our mission is to provide exceptional services that inspire people who are visually impaired to attain their goals. With Lighthouse Guild, people who are at risk for, or affected by, vision loss have access to all the resources necessary to lead full, independent and productive lives. We provide services, research and education, and advocate to help people with low vision and blindness. Our vision is a world in which no person is limited by their visual capacity.

The Reading Service Program connects a visually impaired person with a reading volunteer who provides assistance accessing otherwise often inaccessible written materials.

Position: Reading Services Program Assistant

Job Summary: This position will help implement and administer the Reading Services Program by coordinating schedules, receiving clients and volunteers and ensuring the smooth running of the program. In addition, this position will assist with matching clients and volunteers. The responsibilities will range from outreach to potential clients, identification of candidates for the program and recruiting and placing volunteers to support the program’s reading needs.

Principle duties and responsibilities:

• Manage the pairing of clients and volunteers.
• Answer phone calls.
• Receive volunteers and clients.
• Manage cancellations and makes appropriate notifications.
• Identify on call readers to fill vacancies.
• Escorts visually impaired clients if needed.
• Distributes assistive devices for reading.
• Fills in as reader to visually impaired client if necessary.
• Other administrative duties as assigned, including identifying new volunteers.

Qualifications:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to handle confidential information.
• Able to arrive on time and be ready to work.
• A strong customer service orientation, good interpersonal skills and math aptitude.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required.
• The ability to take and follow instruction and apply critical thinking skills.

Please submit a resume to volunteer@lighthouseguild.org . Please include the hours you are available to work in your cover letter. Direct all questions to The Volunteer Resources Department (646) 874-8688.