Your Campus Connection

Description:

Position Purpose:
The Volunteer Dementia Supportive Communities Talking Circle Facilitator (DSC Facilitator) ensures a supportive and constructive atmosphere, where community members can come together to listen, learn, discuss, and share conversations about common dementia-related experiences and questions regarding supporting people living with dementia within community and work settings.

In support of the AS ABNT mission, this volunteer position brings awareness to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, provides education, and helps alleviate the personal and social consequences of the disease as they support community organizations and its members in gaining a better understanding of the impacts of dementia and societal impacts through the Talking Circle. The Facilitator provides a leadership role to ensure an environment where group participants are able to listen and learn from the Talking Circle Speaker as they share their lived dementia experience. The facilitator will facilitate open discussion about thoughts and feelings about the stories told, dementia supportive communities, and actions that can create foster DSC within their organizational, workplace, or personal context.

Tasks / Responsibilities:
The responsibilities of the DSC Facilitator/Co-facilitator include, but are not limited to:
•Meeting biweekly for first 2 months to practice circle facilitation, then meeting monthly or as appropriate to share feedback, successes, challenges with the Talking Circle Facilitators team.
•Set-up of talking circle space to foster an open, supportive, and confidential atmosphere.
•Welcome participants to the talking circle and provide information on the process and program agenda.
•Introduce Talking Circle Speaker and provide support to them in sharing their story, as needed.
•Provide icebreaker questions or topics to encourage conversation and a comfortable environment.
•Encourage participation and provide focus and guidance for discussions within the group.
•Take attendance, gather feedback from surveys, and submit to the appropriate AS ABNT staff
•Provide support and redirect participants who may need further formal support to the appropriate AS ABNT staff member
•Maintain professionalism and demonstrate AS ABNT core values with all group participants and AS ABNT staff
•Follow guidelines, policies, and procedures for volunteering with AS ABNT.

Location/Setting: In-person/Virtual; Location may vary and will be determined prior to scheduling.

Qualifications:

•Strong communication skills
•Strong interpersonal skills, professional, supportive, and empathetic demeanor
•Strong listening skills
•Experience with supporting a person living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease or their care partner(s) is considered an asset.
•Experience facilitating a group environment is considered an asset.

Training:

Initial onboarding and orientation to AS ABNT and volunteer-related policies and procedures will be completed by the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator. Specific facilitator support/training will be provided by Dementia Supportive Communities Coordinator.
Facilitators will receive on-going, periodic, or as requested coaching by the facilitator’s supervisor.

Benefits:

•Gain valuable experience in group facilitation
•Develop leadership, and communication skills
•Opportunity to make a difference and visible impact
•Raise awareness and combat stigma related to dementia
•Costs incurred to complete and obtain a criminal record check will be reimbursed by AS ABNT
•AS ABNT can provide reference letters