Life Skills Instructor

The Day Services Life Skills Instructor / Direct Support Professional (LSI)/(DSP) serves as a mentor, and support person for adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. This role makes a meaningful difference by helping individuals build everyday life skills, gain confidence, make their own choices, develop friendships, and become more independent in their community. Through encouragement, guidance, and hands-on learning, the LSI/DSP helps each individual grow, reach their goals, and live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

The LSI/DSP supports individuals in developing practical life skills, building relationships, making choices, and participating in meaningful daily activities. All services are guided by individual goals, preferences, abilities, and support needs, incorporating COACH principles.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provide direct support in accordance with Individual Support Plans (ISPs), identified outcomes, communication profiles, and behavior support plans.
• Plan and facilitate meaningful activities that promote independence, skill development, social interaction, volunteerism, and community integration.
• Incorporate COACH principlesinto daily programming:
  • Communication: Support individuals in expressing needs, wants, preferences, and feelings.
  • Operating the Environment: Teach practical skills for managing personal belongings, completing tasks, maintaining shared spaces, and navigating the community.
  • Advocating for Yourself: Encourage choice-making, self-determination, personal rights, and communicating needs or concerns.
  • Caring for Yourself: Build independence with personal care, hygiene, health, safety, and activities of daily living.
  • Hitting It Off with Others: Develop social skills, positive relationships, cooperation, and appropriate boundaries.
• Use modeling, prompting, reinforcement, and other approved teaching strategies to build skills and promote independence rather than completing tasks for individuals.
• Follow individual behavior support plans, recognize how surroundings or situations may affect an individual’s behavior and participation, and keep records and communicate progress with the team.
• Maintain individual safety, dignity, privacy, and appropriate supervision in program and community settings.
• Transport individuals to community activities.
• Complete accurate and timely service documentation, including billing, incident reporting, consumer funds, and medication administration.
• Communicate individual progress, concerns, and support needs to leadership and collaborate with coworkers and other members of the support team.
• Follow VASO policies, regulatory requirements, safety procedures, confidentiality standards, and assigned work schedules.
• Participate in required training, staff meetings, and professional development.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position has no formal supervisory responsibility. The LSI/DSP is responsible for implementing assigned support plans, providing appropriate supervision, and communicating concerns to the designated supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

• Ability to support adults with autism and other intellectual disabilities in developing independence and participating meaningfully in their communities.
• Strong communication, teamwork, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to follow individualized plans, implement teaching strategies, and maintain accurate documentation.
• Commitment to person-centered practices, dignity, self-determination, and COACH principles.
• Ability to provide personal care and daily living support as needed.
• Ability to meet applicable training, background clearance, driving, and other employment requirements. (Valid PA Driver’s License with safe driving record required)
• Successful completion of Vista's required trainings, including crisis intervention training, CPR/First Aid, and ODP Medication Administration

GENERAL STATEMENT: This job description outlines the primary responsibilities of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Responsibilities may be adjusted based on program needs, organizational policies, and applicable regulations.