NRCIL is...
...a disability rights and resource center that promotes community efforts to end discrimination, segregation, and prejudice against people with disabilities.

"We promote the community's effort to create accessibility and achieve change for a fully inclusive society."

Upcoming Events
NRCIL recognizes the following holidays:

Presidents Day

Monday, February 15

Normal office hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Family Advocate/Parent Partner

Title: Family Advocate/Parent Partner (Jefferson County)
Reporting Relationship: Family Support Services Program Director
Job Summary: The Family Advocate is responsible for assisting parents of children with disabilities, schools, and community service providers in learning community programs and understanding their rights and responsibilities in the education setting. This includes ways in which parents can affect and influence the services their children receive.

Essential Job Duties:

  1. Encourage parents to learn and understand state and federal education laws
  2. Provide individual advocacy for parents and children in the medical and educational settings
  3. Assist parents to access community resources
  4. Obtain appropriate trainint and maintain information on laws, policies, and practices pertaining to education and youth entitlement
  5. Arrange education for families about topics related to their child's disability and their rights and responsibilities
  6. Assist parents of children with disabilities to advocate for new initiatives, always striving for creative solutions to barriers
  7. Facilitate meetings between service providers and families as necessary
  8. Maintain community linkages with services providers, schools, and the juvenile justice system
  9. Organize and facilitate at least one parent support group or network meeting monthly
  10. Represent NRCIL at public forums, meetings, and in the community
  11. Identify systemic issues and create plans to address these issues within the education, disability related systems, DSS and probation systems
  12. Engage families to become involved in NRCIL programs and participate in Center activities and advocacy efforts
  13. Complete all reporting and record keeping as required
  14. Collect and provide information for the Resource Area and NRCIL newsletter along with promoting the use of the resources and community computer
  15. Actively cooperate with the Family Support Team members and other coworkers at NRCIL
  16. Devise a plan for an unexpected absence from this position
  17. Exhibit excellent communication skills both written and verbal
  18. Perform such additional duties as may fall within the scope of said position and ability of employee as requested by Program Director and Executive Director
  19. Model and initiate the learning of self-advocacy skills
  20. Be available to work occasional evenings and weekends as required

Preferred Qualifications: Bachelors Degree plus three years work experience preferred or appropriate combination of skills, experience, and education. Must have escellent verbal and written communication skills. Must be organized, able to work independently and able to meet deadlines. Experience working or advocating in educational settings a plus. Driver's license and personal vehicle or means of travel required. Personal experience with a disability and or a parent of child(ren) with disability preferred. Must be committed to the independent living philosophy.

Revised: January 2010