Writing inclusive service descriptions
Abstract
An important step in creating an inclusive national service program is to review your program's current service descriptions. Prior to any recruiting outreach efforts, it is critical to clearly define the tasks that need to be accomplished, the environment where the participant will serve, and other important details of the position. This effective practice, provided by the National Service Inclusion Project in March of 2007, outlines this strategy as part of an overall plan for making your program inclusive.
Issue
Developing service position descriptions that are accurate and inclusive.
Action
According to the National Service Inclusion Project, when writing an inclusive service description analyze the position to determine the following:
Purpose: The reason for the position. What are the particular contributions of the position toward the accomplishment of the overall objectives of the organization?
Essential functions: The task or duties that are critical to carrying out the position.
- It is helpful to describe the purpose and results of the essential functions (what needs to be accomplished) rather than how the function must be performed. Ask yourself the following questions to help analyze each service description that exists for your program:
- What three or four activities actually constitute the position? Does the position exist to perform these functions? Is each activity really necessary? For example, in order to perform essential duties, is it necessary to type, file, answer phones, and take dictation?
- What is the relationship between each task? Is there a specific sequence that the tasks should follow?
- Do the tasks necessitate specific physical activities such as sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, and so forth?
- How many other people are available to perform an essential function? Can the performance of that function be distributed among any other program participants?
- How much time is spent in performing each particular function? Are the less frequently performed tasks as important to success as those done more frequently?
- What happens if the task is not completed within a certain time period?
- Would removing an essential function fundamentally alter the overall purpose of the position?
Marginal:Those activities that are seldom or only intermittently performed. The position does not exist solely to fulfill these tasks, and the removal of these functions would not drastically alter the nature, purpose, or result of the essential tasks to be accomplished by the national service participants.
Setting: The work station and/or conditions where the essential functions are carried out. Does the setting meet with ADA requirements? If not, what accommodations can be made to bring it into compliance or to change the setting?
Qualifications: The minimal skills an individual must possess to perform the essential functions. Do the qualifications define the skills required to perform the essential functions and not the person who performs them?
Outcome
A properly prepared service description will aid programs in:
- Conveying a recruitment message that targets potential national service participants who possess the necessary skills
- Writing appropriate interview questions
- Determining whether a person is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position
- Clearly identifying the essential functions of a position wiill help supervisors more effectively manage service member/volunteer performance.
For More Information
Resources
See the service description form:
http://nationalserviceresources.org/files/writing-inclusive-service-descrip.doc
Provided by the National Service Inclusion Project for additional help in crafting an accurate and inclusive service description.