Family Advocate - Full Year

Servingschools; Belfast (ME); On-site; USD 32,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Waldo Community Action Partners in Belfast, ME seeks a Family Advocate to engage Head Start families in goal setting, resources, and program activities. You will conduct home visits, support family-driven plans, and ensure attendance and documentation accuracy.

Requirements include two years in social services, familiarity with Head Start standards, and strong communication skills. This is a full-time position with extensive family engagement and collaboration across services.

Qualifications

• Two years of experience in social, family or human services.
• Ability to work in a computerized data-based system.
• Familiarity with Early Head Start/Head Start Standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Proficient with Word, Excel, Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Assists with Head Start recruitment and enrollment for all program options.
• Conducts home visits with families on caseload.
• Supports families to achieve personal and family-driven goals via IFPA.
• Assesses families’ strengths and needs to support their goals.
• Assists with attendance tracking to achieve 85% attendance.
• Acts as a resource agent for Head Start families.
• Promotes family and community volunteer participation and documents paperwork.
• Maintains child files and enters program data in the database.
• Attends monthly case conferencing and team meetings.
• Reports suspected cases of abuse to authorities as required.

Skills

Communication skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Data entry

Head Start familiarity

Computerized data system

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's in Social Work / Human Services

Credential within 18 months (for non-degree hires)

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Head Start data system

Job description

Waldo Community Action Partners (WCAP) is seeking a Family Advocate! Hours: 40 hours/week, 48 weeks/year Pay: $17.48/hr The Family Advocate engages Head Start families in goal setting, acquiring resources, social networking, training, transitions and participation in Head Start program activities and services. Supports Head Start collaborative programs to maintain and maximize the Head Start experience for all Head Start families.

Supporting Families

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists with and maintains Head Start recruitment and full enrollment for all program options.
• Conducts home visits as indicated in the WCAP program plans, engaging each family assigned to a caseload.
• Supports families to establish and achieve their personal, family-driven goals through the Individual Family Partnership Agreement (IFPA) process.
• Assess families’ strengths and needs in order to support families in personal family-driven goal achievement.
• Assess families progress in alignment with the Parent Family and Community Engagement Framework.
• Acts as a referral and resource agent for all Head Start families.
• Supports and educates families through all transitions including case conferences and reviews.
• Supports Head Start family members engagement in activities such as:
• Local Parent/Family Group Committees
• Head Start Policy Council
• Training opportunities
• Encourages ongoing communication and engagement with all families through regular contacts, newsletters, etc.
• Documents all contacts with families as required in each child’s file.
• Supports families in achieving all Head Start Performance Standard requirements (developmental screenings, meeting health needs, obtaining health documentation, achieving 85% attendance, etc.).
• Individualize for families based on needs.
• Maintain a strong relationship with all families on caseload including follow-up throughout the year with family on goal achievement, resources given, etc.
• Attends monthly resource connection meetings.
  

Supporting Volunteerism

• Promotes and facilitates family and community volunteer participation including volunteer education and recruitment.
• Assists volunteers with keeping completing accurate documentation of volunteer paperwork requirements.
• Monitors and assists with the timely completion of weekly in-kind volunteer timesheets Aggregate, co-authorize and submit classroom in-kind sheets to the Head Start main office weekly.

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, And Attendance

• Updates and maintains all Head Start Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment & Attendance requirements.
• Ensures ongoing attendance of all families on caseload through daily attendance tracking and monitoring and follow-up with families who do not attend to ensure 85% or better attendance. Supports families through this process to understand the importance of attendance.
• Assembles and maintains all paper files according to the Head Start Child File Index and Childplus database.
• Enters and maintains required program and services data in the programs database.
• Participates in monthly case conferencing and team/staff meetings.
• Reports all suspected cases of child/adult abuse and neglect to the Department of Health & Human Services and Head Start administration as required by law and WCAP policy
• Assists with annual program Self-Assessment.
• Generates reports and data as requested.

Qualifications

General Requirements

• Must be able to pass a physical examination and TB screening.
• Must have adequate transportation, a valid driver's license and meet WCAP's insurance requirements.
• Must meet WCAP’s background clearance requirements.
• Valid Criminal Record History Check (CHRC) through DOE.

Experience And Skill Requirements

The following experience and skills are considered essential:

• At least two years of experience working and/or volunteering in a social, family or human services field required.
• Ability to work in computerized data-based system.
• Familiarity with Early Head Start/Head Start Standards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

Education Requirements

You must meet one of the following education requirements:

• Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Human Services, Counseling or related field, preferred.
• For staff hired after 11/7/16 who do not hold an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Education, Human Development, Family Services or related field: must obtain a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling or a related field within eighteen (18) months of hire.
• All requirements and skills are considered to be essential, unless otherwise indicated

WCAP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact

Katie Bagley
[e-mail]
PO Box 130 Belfast 04915
http://www.waldocap.org
Waldo Community Action Partners
Mid Coast Maine
http://www.waldocap.org