By Mike Fitzpatrick, NAMI Executive Director

It takes courage for a person to talk about living with a mental illness. That’s especially the case if you are a teenager. Even more so when disclosure takes place in front of a television audience of millions on the hit show American Idol.

Read more here…http://blog.nami.org/2012/02/american-idol-singing-against-stigma.html

Forum House, of Westfield, a division of HRU, recently received a generous donation of food items, worth $500, for its community food pantry from DCP Midstream. The food was brought to Forum House by Kevin Kennedy, DCP Midstream’s Westfield Terminal Manager, on February 9^th and received by members who stocked the food pantry. The Forum House Food Pantry serves over 300 families annually and is affiliated with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In these difficult economic times, Forum House’s Food Pantry has been relied upon by many more families and is grateful for this kind and thoughtful donation.

DCP Midstream LLC, headquartered in Denver, CO, with an office on Summit Lock Road in Westfield, is the second-largest natural gas gatherer and processor, the largest natural gas liquids producer, and one of the largest marketers of natural gas and natural gas in the United States.  

For more information about Forum House, or to make a donation to the Food Pantry, please call 413-562-5293.

Schedule:  Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Flexiblity Required) 

Salary: $28,720 (Grade 7)

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY 

• Prefer: Bachelor’s in related field with two years of mental health experience.
• Will consider Associates, High School diploma or GED with two years human service experience.
• Strong interpersonal, problem solving and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills and ability to communicate with different constituent groups.
• Experience in marketing, job development and networking.
• Demonstrate respect for the rights and abilities of people with disabilities.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record and own vehicle.
• Prefer also: Clubhouse mode. Or vocational/training program experience.
• Computer literate.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) strongly desired

 SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Responsible for overall coordination of Lighthouse employment acquisition, including job development, identification of needs and priorities.
2. Develop and maintain relationships with employers.
3. Represent Lighthouse at various networking events and functions for the purpose of developing job leads and marketing Lighthouse.
4. Oversee transitional employment system identifying needs, gaps and evaluating sites.
5. Oversee personal employment planning process.
6. Serve as primary contact for members to funders in areas relating to benefits and entitlements.
7. Coordinate employment unit.

Qualifications Summary

• Prefer: Bachelor’s in related field with two years of mental health experience. Will consider Associates, High School diploma or GED with two years human service experience.
• Collaborate in a tactful manner with family members, guardians, service coordinators, funding sources and residential staff.
• Strong interpersonal, problem solving and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills and ability to communicate with different constituent groups.
• Experience in marketing, job development and networking desired.
• Demonstrate respect for the rights and abilities of people with disabilities.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record and own vehicle.
• Prefer also: Vocational training program experience.
• Computer literate in Microsoft Word and Excel. Prefer to also have knowledge of Access and Publisher.
• Bi-lingual (Spanish/English) strongly desired.

Summary of Responsibilities

• Oversee employment system of the program working collaboratively with Director to ensure adequate and varied employment positions, recognizing gaps and filling them and evaluating sites.
• Responsible for the coordination of employment opportunities including some marketing, job development, job procurement and identification of needs and priorities including presenting at functions, trade shows and networking groups, networking event; develop and implement marketing program for placement services with Director, develop job leads and relationships to secure employment opportunities.
• Through role modeling and supportive relationships with members, foster and encourage social interactions, increase self esteem and assist in creating atmosphere of support and community.
• Organize work programs, develop work procedures and train members at supported work placements.
• Complete the assessment documenting progress towards meeting established goals/objectives.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with all employers.
• Oversee the personal career employment planning process, ensuring members’ career plans are developed, updated and implemented.

Schedule:  Mon.-Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Flexibility required                                                   

COMPENSATION:  Commensurate with experience

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with internship and life experience. 
• Demonstrate a disciplined personal approach to physical health
• Demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to not for profits, and belief that disabled and disadvantaged individuals can become productive contributors to the economy. 
• Strong interpersonal, problem-solving, and organization skills.
• Ability to use, collect and analyze data
• Possess strong communication and demonstrated presentation skills and the ability to promote the model to potential funders, employers and internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to facilitate small and large group cross functional meetings
• Demonstrated ability to project manage;  prioritize resources  and the coordinate activities of others to accomplish the overall goals within timelines  
• Demonstrated ability to develop, manage and report out on budgets 
• Demonstrate respect for the rights and abilities of people with disabilities
• Proficient in Microsoft Office; knowledgeable in Access database 
• Optimistic, energetic and passionate
• Valid driver’s license and own vehicle
• Preferred:   Job Readiness Knowledge.
• Preferred:    Social enterprise knowledge or experience
• Bilingual Preferred: Spanish and English

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES

• To provide hands on leadership in the development and deployment of a prototype for an innovative job readiness model delivered to chronically unemployed individuals.
• Drive the growth of this business division, acquiring funds for further prototype development as well as to take this social venture to market. 
• Project management of the entire delivery process from initial recruitment of participants, orientation, assessment, fitness and educational delivery, as well as data collection with both internal and outside vendors within timelines and budget.
• Oversee the education and training system of the program, working collaboratively with project team to ensure effective delivery of the job readiness curriculum throughout the pilots, recognize gaps and make recommendations to project team/curriculum development task force on how to fill them. 
• To assure all data collection methods are being followed and to synthesize, validate and report out on outcomes.
• To negotiate with outside vendors for their services
• Promote the model through all phases of implementation to potential funders, employers and internal and external stakeholders through professional presentations and other communication methods.
• Assist in the development of plans to incorporate the prototype model into existing programs. 
• Attend all meetings presenting relevant, factual information for all assigned members.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with all concerned parties.
• To substitute when necessary to deliver job readiness curriculum through passive and active learning lesson plans provided by project team.  Utilize a variety of learning methods, strategies and technology to effectively teach all class participants.
• React to change productively and handle other essential tasks as assigned.
• To create partnerships with employers to place the graduates of the prototype.

On Saturday, March 24^th at 10:30 a.m. HRU will hold its 2^nd annual HRU run4FUN! run2overcome from the south parking lot at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.  We expect 200 runners to follow the flat and fast course, north along the river, under the Memorial Bridge and across Liberty St and southbound on Main Street to Broad and back to the Hall of Fame. Walkers follow the same course until Riverfront Park, where they turnaround for the return to the Hall of Fame. The cost is only $25.00 in support of HRU’s Changing Habits, Transforming Lives program – a different approach to workforce development.  Go HERE to register today!

Samuel’s Sports Bar will once again host participants for a lunch buffet afterward – bring your money to purchase beverages. Our thanks to Eddie Grimaldi and the great folks at Samuel’s!  

Our friends Springfield Partners for Community Action, Valley Opportunity Council, and United Way of Pioneer Valley are joining forces as part of an annual effort to increase tax refunds and credits for low- income families and individuals. Together they will operate and fund several free community tax preparation programs and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites throughout the region.

The VITA program is focused on helping qualifying individuals and families receive free tax services and learn if they are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by properly preparing and filing their Federal tax return. SPCA is celebrating its 10th Anniversary for VITA tax preparation.  As part of this celebration they will hold an EITC Awareness Day on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at their offices on 721 State Street.

For more information, a complete list of sites and contact information, please visit United Way Pioneer Valley at www.uwpv.org. Information also available on attached flyer.

• Race Details        
• Run Sponsorship Opporunities

Schedule: Mon. – Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Flexability required

Pay Range: $11.12 per hour

Qualifications Summary

• Prefer: Bachelor’s degree in a related field with internship experience or two years of mental health experience.
• Will consider: Associate’s degree, High School diploma/GED with at least two years of human service experience.
• Able and willing to work directly with and alongside program members performing job readiness, club tasks, and job training in a variety of  basic, manual jobs and tasks.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record and own vehicle required.
• Strong interpersonal, problem-solving and organizational skills.
• Demonstrate respect for the rights and abilities of people with disabilities and ability to work with a member empowerment philosophy.
• Strong adaptability, sense of responsibility and initiative, problem-solving and teamwork skills.
• Strong Computer Skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
• Prefer also: Clubhouse model, vocational/training program and/or job development/marketing experience.
• Bi-Lingual/bi-cultural strongly encouraged to apply.     

Summary of Responsibilities

• Develop and create essential features of the units and evening/weekend program represented by the International Standards on the Clubhouse Model.
• Work side by side with program members doing all unit tasks.
• Serve as advisor to a caseload of members providing advocacy and support.
• Assist members in establishing employment or education goals.
• Coordinate social/recreational opportunities for members, covering evening/weekend program as required, actively participating with members in activities.
• Manage/co-manage transitional employment (TE) sites, learning the job, providing absence coverage, maintain positive working relationships with employers, advertising and hiring members for TE openings.
• Assist program manager and other units as needed.
• Maintain confidential member files and keep required records and submit required reports.
• Work individually and cooperatively to maintain and improve high quality program services.