Bilingual Family Engagement Specialist

Job Title: Bilingual Family Engagement Specialist

Program: Head Start

Classification: Full Time- Exempt

Location: Takoma Park, MD & Upshur, DC

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Job Summary:

The Family Engagement Specialist collaborates with staff and community partners to provide comprehensive services, assists in the planning and implementation of family events/parent meetings, and facilitates in developing the parent and classroom connections. She/he builds and develops respectful partnerships with the diverse families attending CentroNía. The Family Engagement Specialist engages parents during the enrollment process, creating positive relationships and providing resources to support families, especially those in need. The Family Engagement Specialist is responsible for the parent engagement plan and monitoring staff and parent activities to enhance program and service effectiveness, assuring high quality while supporting families in accessing other community resources, especially in crisis.

Essential duties:

• Respond to parent needs or concerns.

• Plans, organize, and coordinate a parent engagement program that engages families and community to collaborate and accomplish program and family goals..

• Coordinates and/or provides parent trainings related to their areas of need and interests.

• Builds respectful relationships with families from different geographical, educational,and socio-economic backgrounds.

• Gathers and analyze data to assess family outcomes and needs, and identify community and professional resources to facilitate family outreach to respond to the characteristics of the children and their families.

• Supports families and provides resources that respond to family issues related to mental health, medical care, child development, family routines, transitions, learning experiences, childcare, family safety, parent education, discipline strategies, nutrition education, community involvement and program engagement, as needed.

• Builds and maintains positive relationships and communication with community partners, and shares the information with families and program staff.

• Enters data to maintain family information up to date in COPA (Child Outcome, Planning and Administration) information system by maintaining case history records, following confidentiality and privacy policies to protect the children and their families.

• Prepares and provides timely and accurate written reports of services provided as requested.

• Meets with teachers and comprehensive services providers to support families and children regarding their health and performance in the program.

• Supports classroom teachers in their family engagement process by collaborating in center and classroom events and activities.

• Supports site licensing and accreditation processes, including program self- assessment and improvement plans.

• Closely collaborates with other departments within CentroNia, especially, but not limited to, the Family £ Community Services coordinator

• Establishes relationships and partnerships with external service providers, local community-based organizations, government agencies, and other key groups to understand the community?s social network, culture, constraints, structures, values, and
  history of effectively serving the best interest of families served.

• Adress and assess the needs of families of children with disabilities

• Participate in community events and collaborate with other organizations on advocacy issues

• Create opportunities for the families and community to participate actively, like events, workshops, or fairs.

• Participates in fairs/events that may happen over the weekend or after-hours

• Other duties assigned

  
  

Desired Attributes:

• Strong commitment to family members? learning and continued social development
• Commitment to growth through attendance to professional development activities
• Demonstrate flexibility in regards to schedules, sharing of tasks, and changes in the routines and plans
• Ability to contribute new ideas and diverse methods of problem solving to the group
• Dependability, patience and honesty, with a positive attitude towards work
• Respectful of cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and economic diversity
• Helpful to others and able to work cooperatively.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in Spanish

Key Qualifications ? Required experience and education

• Must have a Bachelor?s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Education, or related field with an emphasis on supporting and addressing needs of families and community;
• Effective communication skills.
• Ability to work in an individual and in a team setting.
• Flexibility in regards to schedules, sharing of tasks and changes in routines and plans.
• Ability to contribute new ideas and diverse methods of problem-solving to team.

• Relevant work experience in child development program serving low-income children and families from diverse backgrounds; community based setting.

• Valid DC, MD or VA Driver's license. Must have the required automobile insurance coverage.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a must

Desired Attributes:.

• Strong commitment and respectful to the needs and characteristics of diverse families.
• Commitment to growth through attendance to professional development activities.
• Demonstrate flexibility regarding schedules, sharing of tasks, and changes in the routines and plans.
• Ability to contribute new ideas and diverse methods of problem solving to the group.
• Professional and positive disposition towards work, their colleagues, and community.
• Availability for evening and weekend activities scheduled in advance.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) with strong oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency and ability to utilize technology, especially Microsoft Office productivity software
Ability to work/supervise interns when necessary

Expected Work hours:

A maximum of 40 hours a week.

Travel

Some traveling is expected for this position.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

CentroNía participates in E-Verify to confirm work authorization of employees. This position requires submission of required fingerprint background check.

EEO Statement

CentroNía provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, CentroNía complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Physical Demands

To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability, it is necessary to specify the physical, mental and environmental conditions of the Essential Duties of the job. The following codes are used to explain the frequency of physical activity:

"F" for frequently; "O" for occasionally; "N" for not at all

On the job the employee must be able to carry/lift loads of:

( F ) Light (up to 25lbs.)

( F ) Moderate (25-50lbs.)

( O ) Heavy (over 50lbs.)

On the job the employee must:

( F ) Bend ( O ) Sit ( F ) Squat and Kneel ( F ) Stand ( F ) Crawl ( F ) Walk ( O ) Climb ( F ) Push/Pull

( F ) Handle objects (Manual Dexterity) ( O ) Reach above shoulder level ( F ) Use fine finger movements.