Early Childhood Navigator

Healthy Community Initiative; Faribault, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Monthly Benefit Stipend: $400/month

IRA Contribution

Voluntary Benefits Access

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional Development

Make a Difference

Competitive Compensation

Job summary

Healthy Community Initiative seeks a Bilingual Early Childhood Navigator in Faribault, MN to assist families with very young children and improve kindergarten readiness. You will help families overcome barriers to preschool enrollment and navigate screenings, with a strong emphasis on equity and community partnerships.

The role requires English/Spanish or Somali bilingualism, evening/weekend availability, and experience with diverse families.

Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and Spanish or Somali.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends.
• Experience engaging with diverse families in the community.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
• Strong verbal and written communication; organized.

Responsibilities

• Reach out to and support caregivers/parents of young children in Faribault.
• Identify barriers to preschool enrollment and help families find solutions.
• Plan and facilitate neighborhood early childhood events year-round.
• Collaborate with the coordinator to recruit new participants.
• Support caregiver education, policy advocacy, and trainings.
• Assist with preschool program and scholarship applications.
• Conduct home visits and meetings with families.
• Connect families to screening and enrollment opportunities.
• Refer families to community resources and follow up on services.

Skills

Bilingual

Evening & weekend hours

Experience with diverse families

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Excellent communication

Team collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Status: Full-time (30-40 hrs/week)
Location: In-person (Faribault, MN)
Pay Rate: $22-25/hr
Reporting to: Manager, Growing Up Healthy

About Healthy Community Initiative (HCI)

Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) is a dynamic nonprofit organization based in Rice County, MN. HCI co-creates innovative community partnerships and provides direct services to create healthy communities where all children, youth and families can thrive.

HCI partners with the community to identify needs, build coalitions, secure funding, and implement projects to impact urgent social needs. HCI’s unique model has gained national recognition.

HCI is committed to social justice, equitable opportunity, diverse representation, and creating a healthy, inclusive organizational culture.

About the Role

Established in 2007, Growing Up Healthy, a program of Healthy Community Initiative (HCI), works with partner organizations and Latinx and/or low-income families to transform communities through cultivating neighborhood leadership, fostering social connectedness, and collectively advocating for change within neighborhoods and systems.

Bilingual Early Childhood Navigators work with families who have very young children to help them overcome obstacles that prevent kindergarten readiness. The person in this role supports efforts to increase the number of children who 1) complete early childhood screening before turning four years old, and 2) enroll and persist in preschool or other high quality early learning opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Reach out to and support caregivers/parents of young children from prioritized low-income neighborhoods in Faribault
• Listen for, identify and document barriers and challenges families face to accessing preschool or early learning opportunities, and help families troubleshoot barriers to preschool enrollment and persistence. Engage families as much as possible in the process of identifying collaborative solutions
• Plan and facilitate Summer Evenings in the Park and other neighborhood-based early childhood mobile hub events throughout the year to promote programs for young children and families
• Work alongside Family Friend Neighbor Coordinator to recruit new participants
• Support parent/caregiver education and training, including policy advocacy and also parenting skills (plan training sessions or workshops for caregivers and parents, promote training opportunities, etc.)
• Assist with preschool/early childhood program and scholarship applications
• Complete home visits and individual meetings with families
• Connect families with early childhood screening; follow-up with children who attend screening to support them to enroll in preschool and/or access early learning opportunities
• Refer families to community resources and services; assist families to complete application forms or other paperwork (as needed) in order to receive services; follow up with families to ensure services were received
• Provide follow-up connections after well-child checks with local healthcare clinics
• Build positive working relationships with agency and program partners, and ensure effective, timely communication with individuals and organizations central to this work
• Track data completely and thoroughly using Growing Up Healthy’s data tracking system
• Participate alongside teammates in monitoring grant-funded project work plans and outcomes; support grant reporting
• Participate in Making Meaning of Multiple Data Sets and other data analysis exercises and support the team’s continuous process improvement activities
• Serve as an active member of the Rice County Ready for Kindergarten network
• Support other HCI-supported programs when needed; remain flexible and adapt as part of the team; maintain consistent, positive communication with team members, families and community partners

Required Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and Spanish or Somali
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours
• Experience working with diverse children and families
• 2-5 years of experience in community outreach, family home visiting, early childhood education, individual family support, or a related field
• Ability to meet the physical demands of the position, including lifting/carrying up to 40 pounds as well as regular sitting, typing, walking, standing, climbing stairs, bending, kneeling
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Word, and Excel) and Google Suite
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Highly organized with superior attention to detail
• Excellent ability to multi-task and troubleshoot issues
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and as a member of a team
• Capable of completing work on time in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a positive attitude
• Passion for equity and social justice
• Willingness to maintain the standards, carry out the purpose, and adhere to the policies of the Healthy Community Initiative
• Must possess and maintain a valid Minnesota driver’s license and auto insurance and be able to travel throughout Rice County
• Maintenance of a cell phone is an expectation of employment

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Faribault Public Schools and Rice County organizations and resources

Benefits & Perks of Working at HCI

At HCI, we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset—and we’re committed to supporting their well-being, growth, and impact.

Here’s what we offer:

• Monthly Benefit Stipend:$400/month ($4,800 annually) for employees working 30+ hours/week, which can be applied toward health or other insurance premiums
• IRA Contribution:HCI matches employee contributions to a Simple IRA retirement plan
• Voluntary Benefits Access:Through our partner TriNet, employees have access to optional benefits including life, disability, legal, accident, and critical illness insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP):Free access to confidential support for all employees
• Professional Development:We support continuous learning and will help you grow your skills to better serve our community
• Make a Difference:Contribute meaningfully to your community and make a direct impact on the lives of youth in Rice County
• Competitive Compensation:We conduct regular compensation reviews to ensure fair and competitive pay

Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) supports, values, and empowers youth in Rice County. We believe our staff is our most valuable resource. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative team that reflects the communities we serve.