Community Program Assistant

Required Qualifications

• Lived experience with disability, person-centered practices, positive supports, and/or other services
• Experience participating in systems change efforts related to positive supports
• Attendance in collaborative meetings used to complete tasks
• Ability to work with others in a collaborative manner
• Ability to collaborate effectively with people from a variety of communities, backgrounds, and identities.
• Past contributions to training and technical assistance as a person with lived experience with services

Preferred Qualifications

• Lived experience with person-centered practices and positive behavior support
• Past participation in board meetings for local and national organizations
• Experience presenting to groups of people
• Past participation in systems change related meetings
• Participate in plain language tool and resource development
• Ability to work across multiple projects that require balancing of time
• Experience advocating for people with lived experience with services in Minnesota
• Background in advocating for state policies and systems

Position Overview

The Institute on Community Integration (ICI), part of the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), has a part-time (50% FTE) Community Program Assistant position working on positive supports, telehealth-related work, systems change and/or advocacy, and other activities related to ICI. Positive supports are research-based practices that are person-centered, sensitive to cultural and geographic differences, and include ways to assess whether the practices used are effective. Telehealth related work involves the use of online and distance strategies to share information, and systems change means anything that changes the organizations work or the way in which families are supporting themselves in everyday routines. This position involves providing advice and guidance based on lived experience with positive supports and other services. One or more successful candidates will attend meetings, co-train in a variety of onsite and distance venues, work as a team member within ICI teams. The successful candidate will have lived experience with disabilities receiving a variety of services. Experience with positive supports is preferred. Candidates who have social media experience and have worked in academic settings in the past are preferred.

The University of Minnesota encourages a healthy work life balance for employees. CEHD is committed to an excellent employee experience, offering a flexible work environment that meets the needs of students, staff, faculty, and the communities we serve. Flexible work arrangements may include flexibility in schedule and/or work location. Please note that 100% remote work requires approval prior to offer.

Job Responsibilities

Collaborate (35% time)

• Advise and Provide Guidance in Internal Team Meetings
• Work with teams in academic settings as well as in systems change projects. Examples include:
• Attend internal meetings that focus on project implementation
• Meeting with individuals in between meetings to provide advice
• Provide information about experience related to lived experience for researchers and technical assistance leaders
• Collaborate with team members on projects related to positive support training and technical assistance
• Share ideas and advice in team and individual meetings
• Assist with project development with team members. Examples include:
• Meet with individual researchers and technical assistance leaders to provide guidance on plain language development of resources, tools, and documents, presentation development, and addressing advocacy-related issues
• Work with teams to ensure projects are considering the viewpoints of people with lived experience

Technical (35% time)

• Website Development and Maintenance
• Work with the website and IT groups to communicate needs for online graphics, online modules, and other IT related projects
• Assist in social media and website maintenance including assessment of plain language
• Conduct dead-link checks on websites
• Advise IT leaders in ICI on how to organize the website to help families and people with lived experience better understand the content

Community-Focused (15% time)

• Provide Guidance and Advice to Local, Regional, and State Teams
• Serve as a university liaison to local, regional, and state systems-change efforts
• Share information about the work occurring with various projects
• Present in local, regional, statewide, national and international events
• Review policies and systems change efforts. Examples include:
• Provide plain language advice to academic, state, regional, and local professionals that will assist in the development of or changes in policies and implementation of positive supports
• Work with teams and individuals to make changes in training, data collection, and how events are organized
• Assist in communicating major messages in plain language
• Review materials created in team-based context
• Provide advice on the development of products created using plain language
• Share website, briefs, and other materials with others

Strategic (15% time)

• Participate in Grant Writing and Funding Efforts
• Work with teams to submit grants for funding. Examples include:
• Reviewing within a team context how sections of grants are written to ensure people with lived experience are represented
• Maintain a vita with support from project staff documenting accomplishments and participate by submitting information to help obtain funding
• Advise and guide team members who are preparing grants to ensure representation of people with lived experience is clearly communicated
• Collaborate on proposals for training and technical assistance. Examples include:
• Provide ideas that help develop grant proposals
• Help develop ideas within a team across meetings or with individual researchers
• Serve on research teams exploring ways to improve methods related to plain language and participation of people with lived experience. Examples include:
• Attend meetings scheduled by research teams and provide feedback that ensures people with lived experience are represented in the development of research
• Assist by helping teams understand how to organize elements of research including recruiting participants for research studies
• Guide state, regional, and local decision making in meetings that focus on evaluation research to ensure the perspective of people with lived experience is considered prior to
• implementation of projects

Department Overview

The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the University of Minnesota pushes the edge of inclusion through an intensive focus on policies and practices that affect children, youth, and adults with disabilities, and those receiving educational supports. ICI's collaborative research, training, and information-sharing ensure that people with disabilities are valued by, included in, and contribute to their communities of choice throughout their lifetime. ICI works with service providers, policymakers, educators, employers, advocacy organizations, researchers, families, community members, and individuals with disabilities around the world, building communities that are inclusive. ICI is a designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, part of a national network of similar programs in major universities and teaching hospitals across the country. The Institute is home to over 70 projects and six Affiliated Centers, addressing disability issues across the lifespan.

College Overview

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), the University's third largest college, contributes to a just and sustainable future through engagement with the local and global communities to enhance human learning and development at all stages of life. We know diversity is necessary to do our best work and foster our humanity. That's why the CEHD community is collectively dedicated to cultivating an inclusive and equitable environment, embracing and celebrating all identities of our students, staff, and faculty. These values are also a moral imperative requiring continuous proactive measures and a firm stance against prejudice, discrimination, and systemic injustice.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail or call

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).