About AAPD

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) works to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities. As a national disability-led and cross-disability rights organization, AAPD advocates for full civil rights for over 60 million Americans with disabilities. We do this by promoting equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation through our programs and advocacy. We are looking to hire staff who embody our mission and are invested in building the disability rights movement. 

AAPD is an equal opportunity employer. Our office collaborates across initiatives to actively uplift and center the diversity of the disability community in our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. Applicants with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Role Description

This is a remote, temporary, independent contractor, part-time role for June - September 2026. We will hire up to 5 focus group facilitators.

Community focus group facilitators will support AAPD in conducting focus groups to help inform the creation of a new program at AAPD. The new program is for people with different health conditions, disabilities, and aging or changing bodies/minds. Specifically we want to reach people who AAPD hasn’t typically engaged in the past, including people who might not identify as disabled but have long-term conditions that impact them. The goal of the program is to help people explore their experience related to their condition. Through the new program, they can learn about different systems out in the world – such as healthcare, employment, and technology and see how these systems contribute to the problems they face every day. Ultimately we want people to leave feeling like they have agency over their lives.  

We are looking for people with experience in facilitation who have lived experience related to disability within the community of focus. Facilitators don’t have to identify as disabled, but do have to have a long-term condition that impacts them. The goal of the focus groups are to understand community-specific learning goals, effective and accessible training formats, and the resources needed to empower participants to take action.  We are looking for people who can help facilitate 1-2 focus groups with the following communities: 

1. Black/African American
2. Asian American
3. Latine/Latinx
4. Immigrant/Migrant/Refugee (facilitated in English & Spanish)
5. Formerly Incarcerated/ Systems-Impacted

Overview:

Compensation: $3000 for 1 focus group or $3500 for 2 focus groups

Date: June to September 2026

Format: Remote

Reports to: Katie Johnson, Program Manager

Deadline to apply: Priority deadline of May 8. Applications accepted until positions are filled.

Key Responsibilities:

• Participate in three 1-hour preparation training/collaboration calls with the Program Manager to align on project goals, methodology, and community-specific approaches.
• Develop or refine the focus group discussion guide in collaboration with Program Manager, ensuring it effectively explores:
• • Participant learning goals, expectations, and desired outcomes.
  • Preferred training formats, modes of participation, and elements of an effective, accessible learning experience. 
  • Themes, skills, or resources that would empower participants to take action. 
• Facilitate one to two, 90-minute, remote focus group discussions, employing techniques that ensure an inclusive, safe and productive dialogue for all participants.
• Compile and submit thorough notes and initial observations from the focus group conversations.
• Conduct 2-3 individual 30-minute interviews with community members from the priority group.
• Participate in two 1-hour collaborative data analysis sessions with the Program Manager to identify key themes and provide informed input on recommendations for the training program.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Experience facilitating small group dialogues or focus groups.
• Ability to develop probing questions that elicit detailed feedback, personal experiences, and actionable insights.
• Strong commitment to disability justice, intersectionality, and social equity.
• Strong connection to communities represented in the focus group.
• Experience with data collection or analysis.
• Strong communication skills.

If you have any inquiries, please email learning@aapd.com with the subject line “Focus Group Facilitators”.