[Nfbc-info] FYI FW: Job Opening for Orientation and Mobility Specialist at LightHouse for the Blind

Tue Dec 16 21:42:56 UTC 2014

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbc-info [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired via Nfbc-info
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 01:15 PM
To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbc-info] Job Opening for Orientation and Mobility Specialist at
LightHouse for the Blind

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco has a job
opening for an Orientation and Mobility Specialist.

POSITION: Orientation and Mobility Specialist (bilingual in Spanish
preferred)

REPORTS TO: Director of Rehabilitation Services

STATUS: Exempt

WC CLASS: Teacher

Are you ready to impart your skill and enthusiasm to the transformative
effect the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind has had on the lives of
blind northern Californians? Do you want to be dedicated to learning the
latest developments and practices in the blindness field becoming immersed
in the history of blindness and the disability movement?

If your answer is yes, then please apply for the opportunity to join a top
Rehabilitation Services team.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Orientation and Mobility Specialist (OMS) is responsible for teaching
orientation and mobility to blind, low-vision and deaf-blind adults &
seniors from diverse backgrounds. In providing orientation and mobility
instruction, the OMS will conduct assessments and provide training which
reflects recent and progressive travel and orientation techniques and
trends, focusing on student's travel needs in the home, work and community.
The OMS must have the ability to assess and teach to differing skill levels,
as well as to train on varied mobility devices and options such as;
monocular use, purpose-built GPS, BrailleNote GPS, Seeing eye GPS,
BlindSquare, Google Maps, Audible Pedestrian Signals and the Lighthouse's
very own tactile maps of public streets, transit hubs, and public spaces.

Flexibility and 'thinking outside the box' is essential to this position.
The OMS must be able to work with and provide information and training to
family and friends, community members, volunteers and service providers and
effectively communicate and collaborate with referral agencies in providing
services to shared students.  The duties of the OMS may include (but are not
limited to): conducting of assessments, writing individual training plans
with the student, and facilitating individual and group instruction as
needed.  Orientation and mobility instruction may occur on-site, in the
home, workplace or the student's community, including travel on all forms of
San Francisco Bay Area-wide public transportation and Paratransit.

The OMS must be flexible working throughout the greater San Francisco Bay
Area, including periodic week-long training from the LightHouse North Coast
office in Eureka, and able to travel as far south as Monterey and Salinas.
Additionally, week-long seminar training may happen up to four times per
year at Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat.  Training may occur in either
urban or rural settings. The OMS may also be asked to teach and assess for
urgent and basic daily living skills.  The OMS is a professional within the
Lighthouse Rehabilitation Team, sharing resources, recommendations and
referrals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education or equivalent: Master's Degree with specialty in Orientation and
Mobility, & Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education
Professionals (ACVREP) Certified - OR - Minimum of a BA Degree in
Rehabilitation Services; or a related degree with National Orientation and
Mobility Certification (NOMC) from the National Blindness Professional
Certification Board (NBPCB).

Experience: A minimum of three years teaching Orientation and Mobility
preferred. A history of teaching basic independent living skills
(home-to-work skills) with adults and/ or seniors is necessary.

Intern supervision experience preferred; the LightHouse works with San
Francisco State University and the intention is to provide supervised intern
placement within LightHouse on an annual basis.

Other: Preferred fluency (speaking, reading and writing) in Spanish.
Multicultural teaching experience preferred; excellent verbal and written
communication skills; strong interpersonal skills in order to relate to
staff, blind and visually-impaired students, and persons in the community
with varied backgrounds and viewpoints.

An ability to formulate individual, sequential training plans. Knowledge of
Braille desired.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Ability to teach in rain, cold, heat and other inclement conditions.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Assess individual needs of students and set goals for instruction.

Provide training under training shade as necessary or recommended.

Provide professionally-written student assessments, goal development, and
training summaries / recommendations, on a monthly basis to all third-party
contracting sources (such as the Department of Rehabilitation, Veterans
Administration and Regional Center).

Maintain weekly and monthly database entries regarding units of service
provided to students, along with notes, goal-planning and reports for all
direct services provided.

Act as Agency liaison in traffic, community transportation services and
auditory signal issues or projects as requested.

Provide cane travel, route travel with dog guide users & teams and human
guide instruction.

Develop and create maps for students as necessary; provide training in the
use of tactile maps.

Maintain updated information regarding Paratransit programs, providing
registration assistance and training in the programs as necessary.

Participate in Agency public outreach and education as requested.

Provide orientation and route training in all environments and on various
forms of public transit.

Assess for and teach basic and essential independent living skills to blind
and low-vision students such as labeling, money organization, use of an ATM,
and home safety practices.

Provide assessment and training in independent living strategies that impact
personal safety.

Provide assessment and training in independent living strategies which
provide choice and independence in completing tasks in the home, volunteer
work and employment.

Facilitate or co-facilitate classes, including our Changing Visions,
Changing Lives immersion cohort and community workshops.

Initiate outreach, training and collaboration with local universities and
school's disabled student programs, in providing campus orientation.

Conduct student home safety assessments and community agency environmental
evaluations.

Provide consultation and/or training to staff in community agencies
regarding environmental modifications and strategies in working with persons
who are blind or low-vision.

Attend and participate in All-Staff meetings, monthly Consumer Review and
departmental meetings (Rehabilitation Services).

Complete requisite documentation in a timely manner.

Ensure all publicity materials have first been approved by the Director of
Rehabilitation Services.

Completely and accurately record student information in the proprietary
LightHouse client database.

Complete monthly billing on a timely basis (by the first of each month).

Maintain timely communication and responses to clients (within 48 hours of
referral).

Maintain professional communication via e-mail and voice mail on a timely
and ongoing basis.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or
contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities
that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and
activities may change at any time with or without notice.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

Supervise and provide instruction to Orientation and Mobility Interns as
requested. (Must have MA/ACVREP Certification plus three years' experience
for Intern supervision.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Equal opportunity to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin,
ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political
affiliation, age, or sexual orientation. We have an "employment at will"
policy.

TO APPLY:

Please submit cover letter and / or résumé as Word attachments (no PDFs,
please) to hr at lighthouse-sf.org<mailto:hr at lighthouse-sf.org>, including the
job title in the subject line. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to
online profiles at this time; thank you.

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