JOB POSTING: Intake Worker/Legal Assistant, Disability Law Clinic
Our Mission
For over 40 years, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. Our mission is to support people with all disabilities to live with dignity, independence, and as equal and full participants in the community. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research, and publications. We are a member organization of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition.
In 2020, DABC opened the Disability Law Clinic (DLC). Funded by the Law Foundation of BC, the DLC is the first non-profit legal clinic in BC that works exclusively in the area of disability rights. The DLC provides free legal advice and assistance to low-income people with disabilities, directly to persons with disabilities from across BC, on certain disability-related areas of law. You can find more information about our services on our website, at https://disabilityalliancebc.org/program/disability-law-clinic/.
The DLC currently consists of two lawyers, an articling student, and a full-time legal assistant/advocate. This posting is for a new position, for a part-time intake worker/legal assistant.
Duties and responsibilities
- Answering calls from clients, entering information into our database, determining clients’ legal issues, directing calls to the appropriate staff member and taking messages
- Providing clients with referrals to other agencies, sending public legal education material and providing limited legal information
- Answering other calls, taking messages, arranging couriers, sending and delivering mail
- Maintaining accurate database and filing system
- Providing advocacy and litigation support for advocates and lawyers
- Assisting with IT and website
- Other duties as required
Required
- Completion of a legal assistant or paralegal program, or other comparable program
- At least 2 years of experience in a similar role
Assets
- Lived experience as a person with a disability
- Fluency in a language other than English
- Knowledge of legal and community resources in BC
- Excellent judgment in matters of ethics and confidentiality
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to deal with distressed clients in a calm and respectful manner
- Ability to prioritize and respond to shifting program needs
- Ability to work under pressure, be flexible, and adapt to changing situations easily
- Ability to work well with all types of personalities and levels of responsibility
- Ability to work with minimal supervision, and as part of a team
This position is for 3 days per week. The position will be located at DABC’s office in Vancouver. The successful candidate may be required to work at home one or two days per week.
We encourage applications from members of communities that experience structural discrimination and marginalization, especially people with disabilities.
Compensation: $27,000 per year, extended health and dental benefits after 3 months
To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to Andrew Robb, Managing Lawyer, Disability Law Clinic, by email: andrew@disabilityalliancebc.org.
Closing date: July 15, 2022
*This position is funded by the Law Foundation of BC*
DABC's Tax AID program is seeking Volunteer Tax Preparers
Who We Are
Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research, and publications.
Our mission: to support people, with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence, and as equal and full participants in the community.
Program Description
Tax AID DABC partners with the Together Against Poverty Society, the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society, and the Active Support Against Poverty Society, to provide free support to people with disabilities across BC to file their taxes.
Job Description
DABC is seeking several volunteers who are passionate about community work to join our Tax AID program, year-round. Volunteers will work one-on-one to assist people with disabilities with their income taxes, with supervision of the Senior Tax Advocate. Volunteers will work remotely and will be able to set their own schedule.
Skills and Assets
Successful Volunteers must have:
- 1-2 years of experience with client tax filling
- Good computer and technology skills; (Microsoft Office Suite, experience working with UFile is an asset)
- Excellent attention to detail
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- A strong desire to help and serve our community of people with disabilities
- An ability to maintain strict confidentiality
Successful Volunteers must also be able to:
- Pass a Criminal Record Check
- Obtain an EFILE number (personal tax filings are current; no outstanding tax debt; not in bankruptcy)
Duties
- Complete income tax returns in accordance with Revenue Canada guidelines
- Report questions or concerns to the Income Tax Clinic supervisor
Benefits of Volunteering
- Help individuals get or maintain uninterrupted access to benefits and credits
- Give back to the community
- Increase personal tax knowledge
- Gain new skills and improve existing ones
- Receive training, support, and reference materials including free tax software
Training and Orientation
- Orientation to Tax AID DABC programs, policies, and procedures
- Canada Revenue Agency online webinars
- Virtual supervision by Income Tax Clinic supervisor
Application Deadline: rolling application until all spots are filled
If you are interested in applying, please submit a resume to Cynthia Minh, Director, Tax AID, cynthia@disabilityalliancebc.org (Please indicate “Volunteer Tax Preparer” in the email subject line).
Provide your input: Renfrew/Rupert Station Area Plan
Do you live or work near Rupert or Renfrew Skytrain stations in Vancouver? If so, the City of Vancouver is starting a new area plan around the Rupert and Renfrew SkyTrain stations and they would like you to provide your input by attending an on-line workshop on June 27 from 10-11:30 am. A $40 honourarium will be provided. They will also offer ASL and closed captioning.
To determine if you live/work within the relevant zone, please see the map below, which generally shows the area between Nanaimo and Boundary, and between 1st Ave and 22nd Ave.
The Renfrew Rupert Station Area Plan is a policy document that will shape the short and long-term growth in the area. The area plan will help to:
• Advance reconciliation
• Add new housing options close to transit
• Make it easier to walk or roll through the area
• Protect Still Creek and manage flood risk; and
• Support job growth.
The City of Vancouver are interested in hearing about your experiences in the neighbourhood (what is special, what is missing, what services do you use, what areas are problematic, etc.). They will have a group mapping activity as well as a questionnaire. The City of Vancouver will provide some material in advance of the workshop, such as questions for discussion and more background information on the area plan.
Disability Alliance BC is helping to organize participation in this workshop. The City of Vancouver and Disability Alliance BC respect the privacy of interested participants and wish to assure that any feedback received during the workshop will not be connected or recorded in any way so as to identify any specific person.
If you would like to attend, please email feedback@disabilityalliancebc.org with the subject heading: “Rupert and Renfrew Workshop” and include your name and mailing address, which will be used to mail your honourarium after the workshop. If you are unable to provide a mailing address, Disability Alliance BC can arrange to have your honourarium picked up at our office in downtown Vancouver.
A maximum of ten participants will be selected to join this workshop. Only selected participants will be contacted for further details.
