Family Advocate I Job at Head Start Inc, Billings, MT

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  • Head Start Inc
  • Billings, MT

Job Description

Description:

Empower families and build strong foundations for success as a Family Advocate in our Head Start Program!

Are you passionate about supporting families and collaborating with caregivers to create a nurturing and enriching environment for young children? Do you believe in the power of community and partnership to help children thrive? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to make a lasting impact!

Starting in August, we are looking for a compassionate and dedicated Full-Time Family Advocate to join our team. In this role, you will serve as a champion for families, providing support, resources, and guidance to help them navigate challenges and access the services they need to create a bright future for their children.

If you are ready to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of families and help them unlock their full potential, apply now to be a part of our dynamic and caring team committed to building a strong foundation for success!

JOB SUMMARY:

Recruiting and identifying eligible children for program enrollment; in partnership with families, develop and support plans that describe families' strengths, resources and needed services; connect families with opportunities that support their well-being.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

  • Assists in recruiting children and their families to ensure full program enrollment and appropriate waiting lists.
  • Establishes mutually respectful partnerships with parents by maintaining consistent contact with families via face-to-face meetings, phone calls, letters, etc.
  • Supports families in their efforts to achieve their family goals by helping them identify needs and develop plans to meet those needs and by assisting families to follow through on plans.
  • Collaborates with Head Start, Inc. staff, School District staff, Mental Health staff and community agencies to provide complete services for children and families.
  • Develops a working knowledge of community services available to low-income families, identifies resources and makes referrals as needed while assisting families in accessing community services and resources; follows up on the effectiveness of referrals.
  • Using a strength-based model, provides short term individual and family crisis counseling, emergency assistance, and crisis intervention to address identified needs.
  • Assists parents in becoming empowered advocates for themselves and their children.
  • Seeks parent input in developing and implementing activities to encourage parent involvement in Head Start, Inc. activities. Supports families to identify and engage in volunteering with programs and community activities.
  • Seeks parent input to identify, develop and implement or link parents to educational activities that are responsive to identifies parent needs.
  • Develops plans for families to navigate their transition into and out of the program. Provides families with appropriate information, training, and connections to future care and/or educational settings to help facilitate the transition into and out of the program.
  • Utilizes data generated from the Family Matrix to plan for individual parent and family needs.
  • Documents contacts and services provided to meet program requirements.
  • Adheres to defined procedures for identifying and reporting incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect.
  • Meets weekly to bi-weekly with teachers to discuss and strategize pertinent issues related to children and families.
  • Assists in classrooms as needed.
  • Attends meetings and trainings as required by supervisor.
  • Using program software, tracks appropriate information required for Head Start reporting purposes.

SUPERVISION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Family Advocate I is an entry level position and is held to the minimum requirements to be qualified as a Family Advocate under Head Start standards. They are expected to work collaboratively with the Professional Development Team (consisting of Family & Community Program Coordinator and Child & Family Services Manager, advised by the HR Director) to determine career ladder level and career path. Requests to consider a career ladder level will be made by the Family Advocate I, in writing and will include the following:

  • A reflection of how the incumbent's work aligns with the goals of the agency
  • Discussion of the incumbent's accomplishments, including evidence of the career ladder expectations being met
  • Personal and professional goals and ambitions

COMMENTS:

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions and requirements for its performance. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements of this position. Other functions and duties may be assigned as determined to be necessary for overall job accomplishment.

Requirements:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

A four-year degree in Social Services or related field. A minimum of two years of experience working with low-income children and families is preferred.

USING ACTIVE SUPERVISON TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE:

Head Start, Inc. uses the strategy of Active Supervision to ensure that no child is left unattended while in the care of Head Start, Inc. Incidents of children left unsupervised must be immediately reported to the Executive Director.

All Head Start, Inc. employees are responsible for the safety of children in our program. Active Supervision requires focused attention and intentional observation of children at all times. All employees who care for children position themselves in classrooms, on playgrounds, in hallways, on buses, on field trips and in any space where children are present so that they can observe all of the children: watching, counting, and listening at all times. They also use their knowledge of each child's development and abilities to anticipate what he/she will do, then get involved and redirect them when necessary.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, listen, stand, walk, and sit. The employee is also often required to use hands to manipulate objects, tools, or controls, reach with hands and arms, balance, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and move quickly to respond to children's health and safety needs.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities are required for the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The working environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee works in busy classrooms or a shared office environment, travels by vehicle, may be exposed to changing weather conditions, and works in varied environments. The noise level is usually moderate.

Compensation details: 20.75-23.86 Hourly Wage

PI8826aaf0b21b-31181-34827569

Job Tags

Hourly pay, Full time, Temporary work, Immediate start,

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