Family Advocate

Up to $1,000 paid in hiring incentives!

Aside from a highly rewarding job and competitive salary, we offer a strong benefits package, which includes: a 403(b) retirement plan with matching contributions; full health, dental and vision insurance coverage; up to 21 days paid vacation and 21 days paid sick leave; all State and Federal holidays; group term life insurance; AFLAC supplemental benefits; a flexible spending account; employee assistance program support; and potential higher education tuition assistance.

For more information, please visit

https://www.hcapweb.org/hcap-employment/

**All interested applicants must submit an HCAP employment application along with their resume**

======================================

INTRODUCTION:

The Family Advocate position is responsible for recruiting preschoolers and their families into the Head Start program. They must promote a comprehensive approach to family support and engagement and serve as a liaison between program and home settings to build relationships with families that support family well-being, strong relationships between parents and their children, and ongoing learning and development for both parents and children.

Caseload: Two to threeclassrooms/home base, equivalent to 40-60 families

Core Competencies

• Conduct - Behaves in a manner that supports the agency’s mission and follows personnel policies and procedure.
• Communications: Must be able to communicate and work effectively with people of diverse social, economic and racial backgrounds. Must have the ability to read and write English at a high school level.
• Teamwork: Has the ability and desire to work cooperatively with others on a team and as appropriate as a team leader. Demonstrates interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together.
• Problem Solving: Has the ability to systematically identify and define a problem, determines the cause of the problem, identify, and prioritize and select alternatives for a solution, and implement a “best fit” solution
• Build Collaborative Relationships/Teamwork: Develops and maintains win/win relationships and partnerships. The ability to develop, maintain, and strengthen partnerships with others inside or outside the organization who can provide information, assistance, and support.
• Decision Making/Problem Solving/Analytical Ability: Able to make difficult and appropriate decision in a timely manner.
• Self Development: Has the ability to demonstrate self-initiative and motivation for continuous learning, personal development and personal growth.

Relationship Based Competencies for Staff and Supervisors Who Work with Families

• Positive, Goal-Oriented Relationships: Engages in mutually respectful goal-oriented partnerships with families to promote parent-child relationships and family well-being.
• Self Aware and Culturally Responsive Relationships: Respects and responds appropriately to the culture, language, values and family structures of each family served.
• Family Well-Being and Families as Learners: Supports families' safety, health, financial stability, life goals and aspirations.
• Parent-Child Relationships and Families as Lifelong Educators: Enhances parent-child relationships and supports parents' role as the first and lifelong educators of their children.
• Family Connections to Peers and Community: Facilitates networks and group activities that support families' strengths, interests, and needs.
• Family Access to Community Resources: Support families in using community resources that enhance family well-being and children's learning and development.
• Coordinated, Integrated and Comprehensive Services: Acts as a member of a comprehensive services team so that family service activities are coordinated and integrated throughout the program.
• Data Driven Services and Continuous Improvement: Collects and analyzes information to find new solution to challenges as part of ongoing monitoring in order to continuously improve services.
• Foundations for Professional Growth: Actively participates in opportunities for continuous professional development.

Essential Responsibilities

1.) Recruitment:

• Conducts recruitment activities to distribute applications & share information about Head Start services to families, community agencies and partners, including community events and fairs.
• Ensures families, that are most in need of Head Start services, are recruited in the assigned service area to fill part-day or full-day center base and/or home base options
• Works closely with all staff in planning recruitment activities and efforts.
• Attends Part C and Part B conferences to provide families with information to make informed decision on next placement for children with disabilities and/or special needs.
• Time Frame: Begins in the month of December, for fall enrollment, and on-going throughout the school year

2.) Eligibility:

• Schedules interviews with families to determine eligibility according to Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Explain program options for part-day, full-day and home based and place them into an option that meets family's childcare needs.
• Conducts follow-up contacts and home visits with families to gather pending documents to complete eligibility determination.
• Uses Federal Poverty Guidelines and selection criteria & point system to accurately determine eligibility.
• Time Frame: Assist families in the completion of eligibility primarily in the month of April - July

3.) Full-Day Tuition-based Services

• Familiarize self and conduct outreach to service providers that provide monthly preschool tuition subsidies.
• Assist families who are working, attending school or job training to enroll their children into a full-day program option.
• Informs and assists families through the application process to obtain benefits from service providers that provide monthly preschool tuition subsidies.
• Work with families to manage tuition payments and balances on a monthly basis.
• Time Frame: Year round; based on service providers open enrollment periods

4.) Selection & Enrollment

• Ensures selection of eligible children is based on current selection criteria & point system and that families meet the Head Start enrollment requirements before they are accepted into the program.
• Manages waiting lists and works closely with Program Manager and ERSEA Family Advocates, in assigned geographic area, to ensure vacancies are filled immediately as they occur within 30 days.
• Meets regularly with Program Managers to discuss changes in enrollment, impending vacancies and enrollment opportunities for families on the waiting lists.
• Time Frame: Begin at mass enrollment for new school year and filling vacant enrollment slots throughout the school year

5.) Attendance

• Meets with newly enrolled families to go over the importance of regular attendance in preschool.
• Regularly monitors daily and monthly attendance reports in assigned classrooms and/or home bases.
• Provide resources and implement plans with families when a child begins to show chronic patterns of absences
• Time Frame: Monitoring of attendance is on-going using ChildPlus & during center visits

6.) Family Engagement:

• Implement Passport to Kindergarten with all enrolled families.
• Encourage parents to develop leadership skills by their participation and/or service as classroom officers in monthly parent meetings and on the Policy Council and Standing Committees.
• Encourage parents to plan and participate in family engagement activities and events in the classroom, during home base socializations and family's own home settings.
• Collaborate with parents to complete a family strengths assessment that identifies their strengths and needs, and partnership process for goal setting that supports family well-being, health, safety and economic stability.
• Time Frame: Starts with parent orientation and on-going throughout the school year

7.) School Readiness:

• Engage parents in their children's learning and development and support parent-child relationships, including strategies for father engagement.
• Work with staff to provide opportunities for parents to be actively involved in setting goals for their children, planning transition activities for kindergarten-bound children, providing ideas for curriculum activities.
• Time Frame: Starts with parent orientation and on-going throughout the school year

8.) Health & Well-Being:

• Work with families to complete health and dental exams and screenings required for the program.
• Plan, facilitate and conduct parent workshops that educate families on the importance health literacy practices.
• Collaborate with health services staff to meet the health, mental health, nutrition and dental needs of children and families.
• Time Frame: Starts with enrollment and on-going throughout the school year

9.) Community Engagement:

• Establish collaborative relationships and partnerships with community organizations and service providers in the areas, such as: Health and Mental Health care providers, Department of Health and Department of Education, Child Welfare services, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Human Services, Homeless Concerns Liaisons, Hawaii State Coalition for Domestic Violence
• Time Frame: On-going

10.) Onsite Visits & Education Team Support:

• Visit classroom sites and home base socializations on a regular basis to collaborate with education teams to support school readiness, family well-being, and family engagement goals.
• Assesses current family situations and share findings with education teams during onsite visits and staff conferences.
• Time-Frame: Starts with enrollment and on-going throughout the school year

11.) Data Entry:

• Enters all family information data into ChildPlus Record Keeping System timely, completely, and accurately.
• Time Frame: On-going

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and /or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION

• Associate’s degree in human services, social work, family services, counseling or related field: child development/family relations, counseling/guidance, psychology or sociology. At a minimum, possess a Family Development Credential or certification in human services, social work, family services, or counseling.

EXPERIENCE

• One (1) to two (2) years experience providing outreach, information and referral and direct service to low-income families and groups.
• A FAMILY ADVOCATE TRAINEE may be hired at the entry level equivalent of salary range Level 5 with a high school diploma and no experience. The Family Advocate Trainee may advance to a FAMILY ADVOCATE position upon the authority of the Head Start Director and after completion of a family development credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or education within 18 months of hire.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

• Must have a valid driver’s license and daily access to an automobile that is properly licensed/insured for work;
• Must show evidence of TB test at time of employment;
• Must comply with State of Hawaii “Criminal History Record Clearance”; and
• Must obtain FBI fingerprint clearance before employment may begin.

DESIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• Bilingual/bicultural skills, preferably in Samoan, Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Laotian and Pacific Island languages.
• Computer: Microsoft office products and database systems.
• Knowledge of Head Start program desired.'
• 'Work Remotely
• No

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $34,000.00 - $45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $34,000 - $45,000