Position Type: Family Support Services/Family AdvocateDate Posted: 9/3/2024Location: Uptown CampusDate Available: ASAPClosing Date: Until filledFAMILY ADVOCATE Christopher House is a family of schools that closes the opportunity gap 'with a continuum of schools through personalized learning and immersive family supports starting at birth. We operate accredited early learning, elementary, and out of school time programs grounded in research-based curricula and high-quality instruction. The Family Advocate is a member of the Family Support Services department who will partner with families through a collaborative family engagement framework and strengths-based practice. Through this shared responsibility, staff, families and children build positive and goal- oriented relationships. OUR VALUES Commitment to Excellence Achievement & Perseverance Respect & Compassion Equity OUR BELIEFS Children and Families thrive when:
- Education begins at birth and continues throughout life, with parents as their children's first teachers.
- Home environments nurture literacy, achievement, and children's success.
- Parents have high standards and set high expectations for themselves, their children, and children's schools.
- Evaluations and program improvements are data driven.
- Parents and staff work together to continuously evaluate and improve programming.
- Programs develop collaborative relationships with parents and school educators.
- Education includes the development of creativity and perseverance and is multi- disciplinary to foster each child's unique strengths and interests.
- Develop independent, creative, life-long researchers, education includes curriculum designed to help scholars develop socially and emotionally as well as cognitively.
- Diversity is celebrated and explored so that learners develop broad perspectives on life and learning.
Position Description: Family Advocate Location: Uptown Reports to: ECYD Family Engagement Manager Status: Non- Exempt Relationships with: Site Director, Eligibility Coordinators, Teachers, School Nurse, and other school staff.Specific Responsibilities:
- Support families and caregivers as they navigate their children's educational journey.
- Ensure families participating in the ECDS program receive integrated, timely, appropriate, and comprehensive services based on individual family assessments and parent/advocate relationships.
- Provide continuous updates and communication to families
- Provide services that are culturally sensitive in a respectful manner, always ensuring client confidentiality.
- Assist in the planning and implementation of a successful recruitment action plan to achieve site's full enrollment.
- Plan, facilitate and participate in community events to promote Christopher House's programs and services.
- Maintain health records, complete required paperwork. Communicate requirements to parents; ensure all health and dental records are obtained in a timely manner.
- Complete Family Assessments, Family Partnership Agreements, Holiday Program applications, referrals for services, etc.
- Provide case management services to families including assistance and referrals, i.e. emergency services, health/nutrition/dental referrals, etc.
- Collaborate with families in accessing community services that meet their needs, circumstances and interests including following up with parents to assure that services are received.
- Maintain accurate records, including multiple databases as well as paper files (databases include Salesforce ECM and CSD CARES), as required by funding agencies and maintain compliance with funder's requirements.
Qualifications:
- Strong alignment with Christopher House's Values and Mission.
- Effective communicator and ability to speak to small and large groups.
- Effective communicator with people of diverse cultural, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds.
- Strong work ethic coupled with a proactive problem-solving approach.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to set priorities, organize time efficiently and handle multiple demands.
- Experience working in subsidized or publicly funded programs.
- Computer literate and knowledge of database programs
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Bilingual in Spanish/English required
- Additional Requirements:
- This is a full-time on-site position
- Work some evenings and weekends.
- Travel across sites and travel to offsite locations.
- Stand and sit for an extended period of time
- Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25lbs Education:
- Bachelor's degree in social work or related field from an accredited college or university required.
- Gateways Family Specialist Credential (FSC) Level 5 required.
Christopher House is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran's status, or, any other protected characteristic.