After School Options Program Aide

Summary:

The After School Options Program Aide assures the safety and security of students, works directly with students during all program activities, provides personal care to students as needed, maintains the orderliness and cleanliness of the facility and equipment, and communicates with participants' parents/caretakers as relevant and other Arc staff in the best interest of the students. This staff person is responsible for implementing activities as appropriate for the individual student's interests and level of ability.

Duties:

• Be ever watchful to provide a safe and secure environment for every student and staff member. Respond appropriately if a student is injured. 
• Implement planned program activities with students (such as serving snacks, basketball shooting, kickball, dancing, singing, arts, and crafts, playing games, assisting student with homework, etc.)
• Assist students with activities of daily living (toileting, eating, changing clothes, washing face and hands), with ambulation or operation of mobility equipment, etc.
• Support the students emotionally. Be attentive to their moods/emotional needs and to their behaviors that might suggest emotional upset, anger, sadness, etc. Respond appropriately to their emotions and behaviors.
• Assist other staff and volunteers with tasks, working together as a team in the best interests of the students.
• Carefully follow supervisors' directions and the policies and procedures of The Arc and the After School Options Program.
• Communicate significant information about students to supervisor and to parents, as appropriate.
• Clean up facility, put supplies and equipment away, keep facility orderly and safe. 
• Complete documentation as required, such as student progress notes.
• Other relevant tasks as requested by supervisors

Key Characteristics:

• compassionate   
• conscientious  
• patient
• respectful of others  
• well organized  
• reliable 
• responsible    
• interpersonal skills  
• flexible
• can maintain confidentiality 
• adaptable   
• positive attitude
• caring    
• trustworthy   
• has integrity
• calm, self-controlled  
• emotionally stable  
• good work ethic

Physical Demands

Standing, Sitting: Both frequently

Bending, Crawling: Frequently

Use of fingers, hands, feet: Frequently

Use of arms, legs: Both frequently

Hearing: Frequently, could use hearing aid (communication with clients & job site employees)

Vision: Frequently, could use corrective lenses Near vision, computer-distance vision, far vision (driving)

Speaking: Frequently (communication with the public, clients, Arc staff)

Tasting: Never

Lifting, pushing, pulling: On occasion

Environmental Demands

Indoors/outdoors: Indoors frequently; outdoors on occasion 

Impact of inclement weather: Weather minimally impacts work

Dirt, dust: Infrequent impact on job

Noise level: Usually moderate noise level. Students can raise voices at times

Moist/wet, dry: Dry inside, Occasionally exposed to outdoor weather

Hot, cold: Never excessively hot or cold; varies somewhat

Accommodations

The employee is responsible for making the employer aware of the need for accommodation. The Arc will make accommodations to extent possible. Accommodations cannot impact the effectiveness of the employee and cannot cause undue business hardship to The Arc or its programs.

Requirements

Education and Experience:

• At a minimum, a 12th grade education, prefer application with experience working, living, or otherwise interacting with children/youth with intellectual and/or developmental disability

Knowledge and Abilities:

Knowledge of appropriate interaction with children/youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Safety precautions with children/youth who are vulnerable to danger. Has the ability to communicate effectively with students and other staff; make appropriate decisions about the safety and security of students, interacting appropriately in all situations with students, prioritizing issues and assigned tasks; has the ability to work together with other staff as a team member.

Other Requirements:

Pass background checks by PA State Police, FBI, child abuse clearance, has dependable transportation