FOUNDATIONS FAMILY RESOURCE NAVIGATOR

FOUNDATIONS FAMILY RESOURCE NAVIGATOR

Job Description

REPORTS TO: Foundations Program Director

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt, Full -Time (40 Hours)

JOINT INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH FAMILIES (JI) – An Equal Opportunity Employer

Joint Initiatives for Youth Families (JI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving the Pikes Peak region. JI’s work centers on empowering individuals to advance a safe, healthy, and flourishing community by preventing, reducing, intervening, and solving the social problems when families have limited (or fragmented) access to thrive. JI leads the charge to bring over 60 different community organizations, local leaders, and government agencies to the table, working collaboratively to solve data-driven community issues embraced with an equity lens and collective impact focus.

JI’s three primary programs offer a range of services for youth (birth-21) and their families, extending from a preventive focus to more intensive intervention services.

JI is the umbrella organization for three statutorily required state councils: the Early Childhood Council (Alliance for Kids), the Interagency Oversight Group (IOG), and the Juvenile Services and Planning Committee (JSPC). The IOG and JSPC have joined to become the REACH Committee.

FOUNDATIONS PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Foundations is the early childhood program of JI, bringing together agencies and individuals to work collaboratively on a seamless system of care for young children and their families in El Paso County.

SUMMARY OF POSITION

The Family Resource Navigator serves as professional support, provides technical assistance, and is a motivator that is tasked with removing barriers and connecting families of all cultures and backgrounds to Universal Pre-K (UPK) in El Paso County, as well as the resources and information that support the success of the family unit. This position serves as an integral part of JI’s UPK implementation strategy and will be instrumental in conducting in-person and electronic outreach to connect with families who may not yet know about UPK. Additionally, this position will utilize the JI Community Resource Directory to guide families to connect with services needed and will play a vital role in maintaining an accurate and comprehensive directory. They will work in collaboration with JI’s Foundations team and report to the Program Director, promoting UPK opportunities and supporting interested families with completing Colorado’s UPK application. The Family Resource Navigator’s continued follow-up and personal connections with interested families will help to connect families to the early care and education they need and support them in addressing extenuating circumstances that may be a barrier to engagement in early childhood education.

RESPONSIBILITIES DUTIES

• Treats children and families with respect, dignity, and empathy.

• Serves as the “critical and direct link” between families seeking UPK and resources by assisting them with navigating the UPK application process and referring them to organizations that can meet additional needs that may exist.

• Produces UPK flyers and frequently-asked-question (FAQ) bookmarks and distributes them to locations that serve families with young children, such as pediatricians, dentists, community centers, YMCAs, libraries, etc., utilizing Colorado Department of Early Childhood marketing as required.

• Schedules, plans, and attends outreach events to connect with families in El Paso County with the goal of educating them about UPK.

• Provides individualized support as well as direct technical assistance to families to ensure successful UPK enrollment through in-person, phone, or website “chat” engagement.

• Develops and maintains expertise in UPK information, technical information, and educational guides for families and creates guiding documents as needed.

• Develops family resource navigation network, contacts, and connections.

• Develops and maintains expertise in local family resources and works with JI’s Communications Manager to keep the JI Community Resource Directory up to date.

• Listens for and communicates family barriers to accessing UPK in El Paso County and communicates those to the UPK Manager to be addressed.

• Works with JI’s Communications Manager to develop and implement social media strategies.

• Maintains twice-monthly contact with all families while they are seeking UPK programming and maintains this contact until successful enrollment. This continued follow-up will help to guide and support families in removing any barriers to program access.

• Models characteristics of a reflective professional who monitors and evaluates one’s own professional activities with the goal of continual growth and development.

• Demonstrates dependability and commitment to early childhood innovations and statutes, as well as employs best practices in family support.

• Works collaboratively with JI’s Director of Strategic Initiatives and/or other requesting partners to collect and report data for programming.

• Recognizes that we hold attitudes and beliefs that can detrimentally influence our perceptions of and interactions with individuals who are diverse from ourselves.

• Engages in productive and respectful communications with JI leadership and colleagues.

• Works productively with JI’s management team to pursue policy changes and recommendations as driven by data and Collective Impact discussions.

• Displays a positive attitude, works well with others, and accepts direction well.

• Embraces the importance of racial equity and supports JI’s strategies and culture to support equity in EC systems and implements JI’s Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) as requested.

• Works effectively with those representing a variety of needs and abilities and with varying socioeconomic, cultural, and racial backgrounds.

• Recognizes that we hold attitudes and beliefs that can detrimentally influence our perceptions of and interactions with individuals who are diverse from ourselves.

• Reviews work for accuracy, clarity, timeliness, and conformance with procedures/processes.

• Commits to JI’s organizational mission, vision, and operating philosophies in compliance with instructions, policies, and guidance.

• Assumes other tasks and projects as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ABILITIES

• Organizes and manages multiple tasks concurrently.

• Works well under stressful and emotionally taxing circumstances and engages in effective self-care.

• Strong leadership skills and an ability to build relationships and connect people with one another for a common goal.

• Excellent written and verbal skills.

• Functions and works effectively both independently and as part of a team.

• Works with a diverse population, modifying intervention strategies for different settings, levels of experience and education, and learning styles.

• Plans and completes projects within designated timeframes.

• Manages conflict constructively and applies problem-solving skills to develop solutions for unanticipated issues and challenges.

• Proficient in a Windows and web-based technology environment.

• Maintains confidentiality regarding work performed.

QUALIFICATIONS

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

Fluency in English and Spanish is preferred.

EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

A minimum of a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts from an accredited college or university is desired, however equivalent experience will be taken into consideration. Preference will be given to applicants with coursework and/or experience in early childhood education.

SALARY RANGE

$20–$22 per hour, with an additional 15.35% benefits stipend to provide for health insurance and savings plans.

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams). Knowledge of and comfort with internet tools is desirable (e.g., Zoom, Safari, Google Chrome).

LANGUAGE MATH REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

CERTIFICATES LICENSES

Current, valid Colorado driver’s license and proof of auto insurance.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Travel is primarily within the Pikes Peak Region, with occasional travel to surrounding areas in Colorado. For positions that do not have a dedicated JI office, work will be conducted at home, in JI’s open office space, and/or within the community. A laptop computer and cell phone will be provided for every employee regardless of office space designation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

• The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.

• The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $20.00 - $22.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift

Language:

• Spanish (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Colorado Springs, CO 80909

Salary : $20 - $22