Bilingual Direct Services Assistant

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Who We Are

Founded in 1972 in Berkeley, California, the Center for Independent Living (The CIL) emerged from the Independent Living movement of the 1960s as a powerful force in helping people with disabilities achieve their independence. TheCIL is the model for hundreds of Independent Living Centers throughout the U.S. and the world.

What We Do

TheCIL directly serves about 1000 individuals each year. Services include peer counseling, assistive technology consultation and training, employment services, travel training, a residential access program that provides simple equipment allowing seniors and people with disabilities to stay in their homes, systems change advocacy, work and benefits counseling, youth transitions, and a senior health/wellness program. The CIL's Information and Referral staff provide specialized, in depth connections to resources to an additional 5000-6000 people a year.

Our Guiding Principles:

• Comprehensive programs most effectively meet the needs of people with disabilities
• People with disabilities are the best experts on their lives
• The strongest and most vibrant communities are those that include and embrace diversity

Summary: The incumbent will provide outreach and direct counseling services to people in Fruitvale and surrounding areas in both Spanish and English.

Essential Functions:

• Meet with Spanish-speaking persons with disabilities to assess needs and develop goals and a plan for achieving those goals, or help with translations as needed
• Assist with informing Spanish-speaking communities about TheCIL services and how to receive them by providing outreach to area residents, community leaders, community organizations, churches, schools and businesses are aware of the services available
• Assist with providing core services to persons with disabilities (as appropriate)
  • Core services include: independent living skills training, peer counseling, advocacy, personal assistant services, housing search, et al.
• Assistance with Information and Referral: Refer consumers to other TheCIL staff as appropriate and needed. Work with other TheCIL staff to ensure smooth service delivery, helping with translations as needed
• Assist with translations of other direct services as needed

Additional Duties:

• Assist with trainings and workshops as needed
• Assist with clerical duties as needed
• Other duties as assigned by Sr. Program Manager

Qualifications:

• Bilingual (Spanish/English) required
• Bicultural preferred
• Work experience in the disability field preferred
• Knowledge of community resources and/or an ability to research them
• Ability to work independently and in a self-directed manner
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Effective time management and organizational skills
• Ability to use Microsoft Office Suite, Google and Internet

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time
• Must be able to communicate and exchange accurate information via telephone, email and in person with community members that visit CIL’s offices for appointments and information and referrals

Work Environment

This work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the People and Organizational Development Manager at hr@cilberkeley.org. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by case basis.