Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) is a unique Indigenous Institute, recognized by community, government, and institutions of higher learning, as a Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Knowledge. SNP offers postsecondary, secondary, trades education and training. SNP has formal partnerships with nine publicly funded Ontario Universities and Colleges and collaborates with six Ontario-based Indigenous owned and controlled post-secondary Institutes.
For more information, visitwww.snpolytechnic.com
Function & Overview
Reporting to the Manager of Student Affairs, the Learning Strategist provides individualized support and academic strategies to students with disabilities and with accommodation needs, ensuring equitable access to education and promoting their academic success. This position is pivotal in supporting students with diverse learning needs and ensuring that academic accommodations align with institutional policies and accessibility standards. The Learning Strategist is required to perform all duties consistent with the governance values and operating policies of Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) while fostering positive relations with staff, students, stakeholders, and the community; contributing to a culturally supportive teaching, learning and work environment consistent with Hodinsh:nih/Rotinonhson:ni values of Ganigohi:yo:/Kanikoriio (Respect and the Good Mind).
Duties
The duties of the Learning Strategist include, without limitation:
Learner Support and Coaching
- Working directly with students with disabilities and those with accommodation needs to provide learning strategies, study skills, research skills, information, support, and academic techniques;
- Assisting students in developing self-advocacy skills related to accommodations and learning needs while empowering them to use adaptive technologies and assistive tools to support their academic success;
- Facilitating and delivering group workshops and preparation sessions in areas including, but not limited to, academic skills, effective studying and learning, and writing skills;
- Working with students with a broad range of disabilities, clinical diagnoses, mental health, trauma, accommodation needs and, cognitive and intellectual disabilities to support their learning needs and academic outcomes;
- Providing referencing assistance to students with disabilities to ensure academic integrity;
- Writing and developing online training materials and designing training programs for peer helpers;
- Designing survey instruments to measure program outcomes and their effectiveness;
Learning Plans, Collaboration and Consultation
- Assisting in the development of strategies for students with specific learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, mental health conditions, and other barriers to learning;
- Interviewing learners and assessing the nature of the academic and learning skills required;
- Interpreting and applying the results of psycho-educational assessments for individual learners;
- Providing information to students with disabilities on various research sources;
- Conducting regular scans of the literature related to academic skills development, attend conferences on student development, and perform occasional site visits to other postsecondary institutions;
- Conducting informal scans of the post-secondary environment for program ideas towards unaddressed learner needs, and opportunities to support the academic mission of the Polytechnic;
- Designing novel and innovative programs and services that meet the changing needs of learners and the demands of the post-secondary environment, including the growing use of the Internet as a learning tool;
General Administration
- Writing client notes according to established policies, procedures and privacy guidelines;
- Completing administrative tasks such as regular reports, surveys and data collection;
- Following guidelines for student files;
- Processing requests for information/documentation from student files and prepares letters in draft for Managers signature to release contents of student files to approved agencies;
- Monitoring generic email accounts for referrals to internal and community resources, answering services related questions; and
- Other related duties, as required.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- A Bachelor's degree in Psychology, Disability Studies, Social Work, or a related field is required, with a Master's degree in a related field considered an asset;
- At least 2-3 years of experience working with students with disabilities or students with accommodation needs in a post-secondary setting, ideally within an accessibility or student support services role;
- Strong knowledge of the types of disabilities and learning challenges faced by students in higher education, including but not limited to learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health, trauma, sensory disabilities, and physical disabilities; and
- Experience with adaptive technologies and assistive devices.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- A general and current knowledge of Hodinsh:nih history, culture, values, contemporary issues, community priorities, and stakeholders;
- Excellent communication skills with an emphasis on written expression (i.e., faultless spelling and grammar, and professional style);
- Sound interpersonal skills including communication, organization, negotiation, and professional judgement;
- Ability to work under pressure and manage schedules, portfolios, and timelines, to meet demanding deadlines;
- Capacity to work both independently and in a team setting, demonstrating Hodinsh:nih/ Rotinonhson:ni values of Ganigohi:yo:/Kanikoriio (Respect and the Good Mind); and
- Demonstrated familiarity with standard desktop computing programs, including spreadsheets, word processing, and database applications, on the Windows 2010 (or later) operating system.
At Six Nations Polytechnic, we are committed to diversity and inclusion as we continue and expand our efforts to become a more inclusive, safe and respectful workplace. Human Resources will accommodate any needs under the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Recruitment processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities, as may be requested.
Applicants from Six Nations and other Indigenous communities will be given preference to deliver programs and services in a First Nations community.
Application deadline: Until filled
Job Type: Contract until March 2025
Schedule: 37.5 hours/week
- 7.5 hour shifts
- Monday to Friday