FamilyHome Respite Volunteer

Specialized FamilyHome Respite Volunteer
Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region (EAFWR)

Do you have a passion for people, relationships, inclusion and belonging? Do you want to work towards a community that welcomes and accepts everyone?

So do we!

Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region (EAFWR) was founded on the values of working with people with disabilities to grow their social relationships and be seen and valued as full contributing citizens in our community. By offering supports and services tailored to your dreams and goals, Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region puts you first.

If this sounds exciting to you, come join our dynamic team to help bring these values to life in our community.

What is FamilyHome Respite?

The goal of FamilyHome Respite is to provide an opportunity for an adult with a developmental disability to spend time away from home and have a break or change of pace from regular home and family life. Respite is an opportunity where you would host a person in your home or in an Airbnb arranged by Extend-A-Family within the Waterloo Region. Respite opportunities often range from 2 to 14 days and are informed by the individual needs and interests of the person staying with you. For some people supported, a stay longer than 14 days may be necessary, but your availability will be discussed before matching you with a person in need of support.

Respite is important because it allows our FamilyHome Providers and those we support some time apart to recharge and take a break/time for themselves, which allows all involved to strengthen their relationships.

So, what would this look like for you?

A Respite stay can look like a typical day or weekend at home. Do you like relaxed weekends of movies and time at home? That's respite. Do you like seeing family and friends and having a meal, BBQ, campfire, or family gathering? That's respite. Do you like to explore the community, or run errands and shop? That's respite too! Respite is whatever you and the person might enjoy doing together. It is typically held over a weekend, and sometimes could be longer stays if needed. Specialized Respite provides this respite opportunity for people requiring additional medical or mental health support.

Respite may be done in the Volunteer Providers own home if there is a separate and private bedroom available for the person supported. If this space is not available in the home, Respite can take place in a rented apartment or Airbnb organized by Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region.

What You Bring:

• Secondary School diploma OR some Secondary School with related experience

• Experience working with people who have developmental and physical disabilities, and their families or other networks is an asset

• Direct experience with personal care (i.e. eating, bathing, dressing, assistance using the toilet, oral hygiene, mobility, etc.) may be required

• Direct experience with mental health support (i.e. de-escalation, etc.) is an asset

• Direct experience with medical support (i.e. G-tube feeding, catheterization, medication administration, etc.) is an asset

• Ability to plan activities and experiences

• Ability to work throughout the Waterloo Region (Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, surrounding Townships) based on plans you create for your stay together

Best serving our community requires greater diversity of background and personal experiences. Potential Volunteers with lived experiences with mental health, disability, or who identify as BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ are encouraged to apply. We also encourage applicants to seek accommodations as required to support their candidacy.

How Will We Support You?

Respite is a volunteer position which offers a non-taxable cost recovery. Cost recovery rates for Specialized Respite range from $125-$250/day based on potential costs incurred during the respite support period. This is a higher rate than other respite roles due to the elevated level of support that is needed.

The tiered level of support that is required, and amount of cost recovery offered, may change based on the needs of the person supported. The tiers below represent what level of support you may need to provide, which will determine the amount of cost recovery offered:

Tier 1 – Specialized Respite Provider

• Provide 24/7 ongoing support with required skills in personal care, as well as possible daily support with mental health and/or behavioural supports

Tier 2 – Specialized Respite Provider with Increased Mental Health Supports

• Provide 24/7 ongoing support of Tier 1, with required additional skills and experience with de-escalation and providing support during potential mental health crises

Tier 3 – Specialized Respite Provider with Medically Complex Needs

• Provide 24/7 ongoing support of Tier 1, with required additional skills and experience with providing significant medical and life sustaining support

A coordinator will match each Respite provider with a person to support and will be available to respite providers to help with problem-solving and relationship building at any time throughout the respite process. Additionally, Extend-A-Family will provide the opportunity for you to participate in specialized training to support the individual you’re matched with (if required) at no cost to you.

What You Will Do:

The Specialized Respite Volunteer will oversee and facilitate the Respite time together, and report to the person being supported, provider family and the FamilyHome/Supported Independent Living Coordinator.

This will include: providing required support according to the specialized level of need; providing food and preparing all meals for your stay (input and assistance from the person supported is encouraged as they are able); organizing and planning the activities of the respite stay together with the person supported; providing transportation, or accompaniment on public transit for any travel during the stay; and providing opportunities to connect with and socialize with others in the community according to both your interests (i.e. Specialized Respite Volunteers are welcome to introduce the person to their own support networks, and vice versa.), providing any further assistance in personal care, mental health and/or behaviour supports, and tending to medically complex needs (with training) as required.

The volunteer must maintain awareness of and adherence to relevant guidelines, policies and procedures, promote the growth of an organizational culture that is both inclusive and anti-oppressive, participate in training and development as requested/required, and provide documents relevant to the position as requested by EAFWR.

About You:

The following questions will guide the work of every Specialized Respite Volunteer who provides support.

• Flexibility – How can I provide what the situation needs?

• Self-Control – How do I demonstrate poise under pressure?

• Self-Development – How do I continually improve my skills and knowledge?

• Service Orientation – How have I given the best service with the best options that I can?

• Values and Ethics – How am I an authentic ambassador of my organization’s values and principles?

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Michelle Boismier at [email protected] or 519-741-0190 ext. 000

If interested, please apply to this posting through ADP or email an expression of interest to [email protected], and we look forward to working with you!