North Quabbin Citizen Advocacy is a grassroots independent non-profit organization located in Orange. The organization initiates and supports one-to-one citizen advocacy matches between people who have mental disabilities or disorders and local citizens.

 

The Associate Coordinator is primarily responsible for making new citizen advocacy matches and supporting new and existing matches. The Associate Coordinator will also develop networks of people in our community who will offer support for protégé recruitment and advocate recruitment. Making citizen advocacy matches is done one person at a time. The job requires a lot of time meeting people, discerning a person’s character and talents, and clearly communicating what Citizen Advocacy is all about.

 

This is not a desk job or a non-profit management job – this is hands-on work for a natural people person who has a strong sense of social justice, not afraid to ask people to do hard things, persuasive and clear in oral and written communications, well-connected in our community, and a curious observer and learner.

 

You will meet potential protégés living in tough situations and you will need to go where they are to get to know them – group homes, institutions, nursing homes, day programs, inside families, and sometimes people who do not have a place to live. You will be networking and meeting potential advocates in coffee shops, over breakfast or lunch in local restaurants, and by asking good people you know to help you meet more good people. This is a good fit for someone “who never meets a stranger” and who is a natural connector of people.

 

You will need to learn about citizen advocacy and be willing to apply this philosophical understanding to daily decisions. You must also be able to maintain an optimistic outlook in the face of setbacks, being both realistic and resilient.

 

Some travel for training and some evening work involved.

 

Characteristics:                                                                                          

• A belief in the value of all people,

• A willingness and ability to invite people to do hard things,

• Strong listening skills,

• A willingness to set aside one’s own biases and prejudices,

• Knowledgeable about the North Quabbin community,

• Comfort with a wide variety of people and places,

• The ability to read people and discern character and talent,

• Great written and oral communication skills,

• Well-developed organizational and time management skills, and the ability to plan and strategize to meet goals,

• The ability to work independently and to collaborate with a small team,

• To be respectful of other people’s time,

• To have reliable transportation,

• To have current vaccinations, including the COVID vaccine,

• A willingness to learn and be available and willing to travel for training as needed,

• To be available and willing to work flexible schedule of day and evening hours as needed to develop citizen advocacy relationships and attend meetings. Citizen advocacy matches may be made after traditional work hours when advocates and protégés are available to spend time together.

 

Pay: $16-$18 per hour, 15-20 hours per week

 

Benefits: Major holidays off

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To apply: Send a cover letter by email to nqcitizenadvocacy@gmail.com that addresses your interest in this position, along with your resume and 3 references.