Inclusion Companion

At NSSRA, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to play. Formed in 1970 with that goal in mind, we were the first Special Recreation Association in the country, offering programs and services for children, teens and adults with disabilities. We are similar to a park district, however we only serve residents in our partner communities with special needs.
 
Fifty years later, we serve approximately 1,600 individuals with disabilities throughout the year in the northern suburbs of Chicago. We’re all about creating an environment of belonging through play, and we want you to be a part of our team!

ABOUT THE JOB
Some people with disabilities choose to participate in park district or recreation department programs alongside people without disabilities. That’s where we come in. NSSRA’s Inclusion services are available to participants of programs offered within NSSRA’s thirteen partner communities at no additional cost to the family.
 
Inclusion Companions are responsible for working with individuals of varied ages and disabilities in recreation programs throughout NSSRA's partner agencies. This includes everything from recognizing and implementing activity adaptations to encouraging postive peer interactions. Companions may work a 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3 ratio based on participant needs.
 
Becoming an Inclusion Companion is a great way to contribute your talents, learn new job skills and build meaningful relationships. In this role, you are responsible for the following tasks:

• Actively engage and supervise individuals with disabilities.


• Ensure the safety of participants during recreation events, transportation, transition times, etc.


• Submit timely reports, evaluations and timesheets, maintaining accurate and complete records.


• Communicate professionally and consistently with participants, parents, fellow staff and the general public when needed.


• Fulfill other duties as assigned.

ABOUT YOU

• To be an Inclusion Companion you must be 16 years of age or older.


• No experience is necessary, but a desire to learn and grow as a professional and be a team player is required. Training is provided for all of our employees.

Additional duties will be explained during the interview process and orientation.

We work hard to provide the best possible experience for individuals participating in our programs, so we are looking for candidates who are as highly motivated, enthusiastic and professional as we are. If you’re ready to earn a competitive wage doing something meaningful, we want to hear from you!
 
THE FINE PRINT
All positions are part-time and work schedules may range from a minimum of 1 hour per week up to 28 hours per week. Scheduling is assigned by program season, and hours are flexible and can be adjusted per season. Reliable transportation is required to ensure attendance at all scheduled programs. When committing to work a program you must be able to work all meeting dates for the entire season. 

Pay: Starting at $16.00 per hour
 
NSSRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.