Bilingual Family Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

About This Role

The  Family Advocate will work as a member of a team whose primary role is to engage families to partner with Children’s Services staff to promote children’s healthy development and school readiness. The Family Advocate uses knowledge of the principle of family engagement to support families in their role as their child’s primary educator, encourage parent/child interactions that promote children’s school readiness and healthy development, and enhance family well-being. The Family Advocate takes the lead to build social networks among families to promote self-sufficiency and enhance family leadership and advocacy skills.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Participate in outreach and recruitment activities to engage families in our program. Engage families in the Family Partnership process in order to build relationships and shared accountability for promoting children’s development.
• Individualize family engagement and relationship-building to be respectful of families’ cultural context and family circumstances.
• Engage families in individualized, in-home and group experiences to enhance parent/child interactions that research shows foster school readiness through consistent family routines, positive guidance and discipline, experience rich home environment and literacy activities.
• Utilize in-classroom time and home visits to build deeper understanding of the relationship between children’s development and their home environments, as well as to model and coach families in positive parent/child interaction.
• Utilize self-assessment information to assist families with self-identified goals to enhance self-sufficiency in areas such as education, employment, housing, health and wellness, and access to community resources. Plan and coordinate a variety of parent cohort groups that allow families to support one another to achieve self-sufficiency goals.
• Identify and access services and resources responsive to family interests and goals and follow-up with parents to ensure that services meet their expectations and needs.
• Coordinate or refer families to opportunities for continuing education, employment training and other employment services through formal or informal networking in the community.
• Conduct virtual and center-based workshops and activities designed to build social capital and create a welcoming program community committed to family engagement in children’s learning and development.
• Cultivate family leadership and support their advocacy efforts through participation in program governance bodies such as Parent Committee and Policy Council.
• Work in conjunction with Center staff and families to plan and conduct a wide variety of family engagement activities that provide opportunities for families to support one another.
• Work side by side with health, early learning and disabilities and other members of the team to support families to be fully engaged in all aspects of our program
• Provide linguistic and culturally appropriate education, resources, information, and care to the community and/or clients (including but not limited to translations and oral interpretations).
• Collaborate with Community Health Workers in the area to provide training opportunities, health literacy, and other services related to community and public health, and refer as applicable.
• Develop effective communication and collaborative strategies with teaching teams to encourage family engagement in home learning activities, including individualizing activities based upon family interests and children’s developmental status.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with community partners to strengthen access to resources and training identified as priority goal areas by families.
• Maintain accurate electronic and hard copy records and case notes to support positive child and family outcomes
• Document efforts to assist families to identify their strengths, needs and self-sufficiency goals through completion of Family Self-Assessment, Family Partnership Agreement, and case notes.
• Record, monitor and follow up on referrals for support services for reporting requirements.
• Submit reports as needed and requested.

Economic Opportunity Agency of Washington County, Inc. (EOA) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard for race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Type: Full-time

Requirements:

• Ability to utilize strength-based social work models.
• Working knowledge of community resources and available services.
• Good oral and written communication skills.  Spanish/English speaker required.
• Ability to utilize computers for web-based applications and word processing.
• Must pass criminal background check, child maltreatment check, and sex offender check prior to hire.
• Must have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. AA in Social Work preferred. Must be willing to attain a Family Service Credential within 12 months of hire.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, reliable transportation.
• Pass pre-employment health screening.
• Work flexible hours to meet the needs of families.
• Participate in required professional development activities & travel out of area as needed.
• Quick, stable mental ability, able to react positively to stress.

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Retirement Plan
• Professional Development