Family Advocate I San Fernando Valley/Santa Clarita

Helping Our Most Vulnerable Change Their Life Stories Pay Rate $21.57 - $22.70 per hour Benefits VOALA offers competitive medical, dental, vision, and retirement benefits. Head Start/Early Head Start Through our Head Start and Early Head Start programs, we work with children (ages 0‑5) and their families to provide the skills, confidence, and stable home life necessary for a smooth transition into kindergarten and beyond. Children also receive a broad array of health services including screenings and referrals, maintenance of immunization schedules, nutrition assessments and follow‑ups, mental health assessments as part of initial screenings, and determination if developmental or physical delays are present. Children receive health and dental services and have access to ongoing, acute, and routine care. Enrolled children receive healthy meals, assessments of nutritional needs, and follow‑ups. Nutrition education is available for parents and is incorporated into daily classroom activities. Job Summary and Purpose The Family Advocate I recruits and enrolls children into the Head Start Program, and assesses each family’s strengths, concerns, and priorities in order to provide services that improve a family’s future prospects in supporting their child through school. Using a case management methodology, the Family Advocate I manages a caseload of families and assists them in all program areas, engaging families in activities that support them and their child’s development in becoming school ready. The Family Advocate I supports the classroom care and supervision of children, as needed. During this period, the Family Advocate can provide auxiliary services, such as food preparation, set‑up, and cleanup, that allow available teaching staff to provide effective supervision of the children. The Family Advocate works as a team with teachers, site supervisors, family service specialists, and other support staff to help families make choices and decisions that respond to each family’s unique culture, roles, values, strengths, and beliefs. The Family Advocate complies with agency policies, goals, and objectives. Specific Duties Establish and maintain outreach and recruitment to ensure the assigned Head Start site is fully enrolled with eligible children, and monitor attendance to ensure children are actively involved in the program. Manage a caseload of families and assist them in getting their needs met, establishing ongoing goals that engage them in their child’s learning and future growth. Initiate, maintain, and follow up with the referral process in conjunction with the family, teachers, family service specialists, and service support personnel. Facilitate and ensure parent involvement in activities and trainings. Promote parent advocacy. Establish and maintain direct communication channels with the family, program, program staff, family service specialist, administration, and community members. Accurately prepare and submit required reports and administrative forms on time. Other duties as may be needed to fulfill program requirements. Essential Duties Services for this position must be provided on‑site. As a result, the position requires incumbents to report to work on‑site each day of active employment. Establish and maintain outreach and recruitment to ensure the assigned Head Start site is fully enrolled with eligible children, and monitor attendance to ensure children are actively involved in the program. Manage a caseload of families and assist them in getting their needs met. Establish ongoing goals that engage them in their child’s learning and future growth. Initiate, maintain, and follow up with the referral process in conjunction with the family, teachers, family service specialists, and service support personnel. Attend Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings when requested. Facilitate and ensure parent involvement in activities and trainings. Promote parent advocacy. Establish and maintain direct communication channels with the family, program, program staff, family service specialist, administration, and community members. Accurately prepare and submit required reports and administrative forms on time. Mandated Reporter All employees are considered Mandated Reporters and must report any instance of physical or sexual abuse to proper authorities. Qualifications Requirements Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications. Must have access to an automobile with adequate insurance coverage and a valid California driver’s license, or have means to other easily accessible transportation. Proof at the time of hire: TB clearance within 6 months prior. Annual Influenza vaccination (between Nov. 1st – March 31st). Pertussis (whooping cough) and measles immunization. Health examination at the time of employment. Must be physically able to perform lifting (50 lbs.), squatting/kneeling, and move quickly. Education High School Diploma / G.E.D. A credential or Associate’s Degree in Social Services, Child Development, Counseling or a related field OR 2 or more years of case management experience in the Social Services field Complete an OHS Family Services Credential within 12 months from hire date. Experience Direct experience working with families in an at‑risk program, and evidence of interaction with culturally diverse low‑income population. Preferred Qualifications 1‑year casework experience in social work, human services, family services, counseling or a related field. OHS Family Services Credential. 6 months experience in monitoring and tracking computer program data. 6 units of Child Development. Direct experience working with families in an at‑risk program, and evidence of interaction with culturally diverse low‑income population. Have an invested interest in the community for recruitment purposes. Demonstrate S.M.A.R.T. Goal setting for families. Knowledge of Data system Child Plus & for monitoring purposes. Legal and EEO Statements Volunteers of America is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran Status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This employer participates in E‑Verify as required by the federal government and will provide the federal government with your Form I‑9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E‑Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr Voala