Careers

BALANCE for Blind Adults is increasing the Membership on our Board of Directors

Working at BALANCE

BALANCE for Blind Adults is an Employer of Choice for persons who are blind or living with sight loss. Over 40% of our employees are blind or have low vision and have been vision rehabilitation service users themselves. The level of employment among blind persons in Canada is disgraceful. Only about 35% of blind persons in this country have jobs, so we at BALANCE are proud of the fact that we are setting an example to other employers in the city of Toronto and in Canada. We seek out experienced and knowledgeable people and we believe that lived experience helps to create a dynamic, caring and empathetic learning environment. At BALANCE, we also provide a supportive management approach which permits growth and development in the workplace. We believe that a caring workplace builds a strong staff team, which in turn improves programs and services and benefits our clients.

BALANCE for Blind Adults is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Please let us know in advance if you require any accommodations throughout the hiring process.

Office Assistant 2024 (Summer Position with Opportunity to Extend) 

As the Office Assistant, you will provide a broad range of administrative duties for the organization. In addition, your work will also include several research projects.  You will report to the Office and Communications Coordinator.

  • This will be a 12- week contract position with option to extend for 7-8 months, full-time (35 hours) temporary
  • 30 hours/week for summer months
  • This is a hybrid position, mostly you will work from home; ability to attend in person at group programs to represent the organization is required.

Key responsibilities: 

The range of tasks assigned may include, but are not limited to:

  • Reception: Correspond with clients by email and phone; direct communications to appropriate staff, take messages and respond to routine inquiries
  • Communications: Assist with social media accounts (includes: organizing posting schedule, creating content, editing clips/video, etc.); assist with editing of weekly newsletter; work on website content
  • Programs: Provide support to the running of virtual (and potential in-person) groups and events; Assist with the volunteer program; evaluation- Prepare surveys (e.g. volunteer, donor, client), deploy and analyze results; take minutes at staff meetings
  • File Management: Support the Office Coordinator with managing and organizing files (including: documentation, reporting forms, policies & procedures and office records; finances)

Qualifications: 

  • Open only to youth under 30, as it is funded by the Canada Summer Jobs program, and subject to CSJ regulations; Must reside in City of Toronto; university degree in social services preferred
  • Strong knowledge of how to use social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube) to drive traffic to website
  • Self-directed and capable to work independently, as well as part of a team 
  • Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with individuals who may be distressed or emotionally distraught
  • Proficient with Zoom, WordPress, MailChimp, SurveyMonkey (or a willingness to learn)
  • Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Forms, Power Point and Outlook) and Adobe

How to apply:

Please submit your application with cover letter and resume to careers@balancefba.org using the subject line Office Assistant Application. Deadline:  April 28, 2024

Assistive Technology (AT) Apprenticeship Program

BALANCE recognizes that there is a shortage of quality employment opportunities for persons who are vision impaired looking to enter the workplace for the first time.

Program Overview:

This Apprenticeship Program aims to provide an employment opportunity where individuals can improve transferable skills, learn teamwork and build problem solving capacity for a well-rounded work experience. Apprentices in this program will be responsible for teaching Assistive Technology to BALANCE clients. BALANCE will ensure that persons entering the program will be provided with all the necessary instruction and support required to assist in a successful outcome.

Requirements:

Suitable applicants must demonstrate the following:

  • Excellent verbal communication skills;
  • Collaborate well with other and work effectively as part of a team;
  • Demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills;
  • The ability to work independently and responsibly;
  • A willingness to learn and be receptive to feedback.

Benefits:

  • Opportunity for individual mentorship and professional development;
  • Become a more efficient user of Assistive Technology, and
  • Learn new skills that will enhance overall independence and benefit work productivity no matter the career path chosen!

Program Schedule:

This is a 250 hour program. 200 hours will be spent providing one-on-one AT instruction to both new and less competent users of assistive technology software and/or hardware. The other 50 hours will be reserved for completing administrative tracking and reporting on client progress.

Qualified applicants would be provided with the opportunity to perform contract work with BALANCE for up to 12 hours per week, $17/hour.

How to Apply:

If you would like to apply or have general questions about the AT Apprenticeship Program, please call the BALANCE office at 416-236-1796 ext. 0 or email careers@balancefba.org using the subject line AT Apprenticeship Application. Please include a complete Cover Letter and Resume. Applications are considered as spots in the program become available. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

We are currently seeking candidates who have experience with screen reading software such as VoiceOver, JAWS, Zoomtext and/ or NVDA.

This opportunity to any resident of Canada, as the work can be performed remotely. Those within the GTA will have the opportunity to work face-to-face with clients as needed in the future.