Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake

FAMILY ADVOCATE

Part-Time

Our House Early Head Start

JOB SUMMARY:

The family advocate creates, provides, and coordinates services and activities with families and communities that foster strength, healthy living, and overall well-being. Staff are responsible for service planning, delivery and system coordination to Early Head Start children and families ranging from birth to 36 months, adhering to federal Head Start Performance Standards, state licensing regulations, local agencies policies and core values.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Recruit families in need of WFC programming
• Conducts home visits and assesses the needs of family
• Develops and maintains comprehensive library of community resources
• Connects families to appropriate services through referrals
• Assesses the development of children and refers to appropriate agencies for services
• Provides formal and informal parent education
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date case notes
• Submits accurate statistical and narrative reports on a monthly basis
• Provides accurate data to meet the needs of the Client Tracking System
• Other duties as assigned

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Human Development, Social Work or Child & Family Studies required
• Minimum of one year of experience in home visiting, counseling, working with families with young children and/or advocacy required

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• CPR/First Aid/Universal Precaution
• Parents As Teachers (PAT) Certification
• Must possess a current valid and unrestricted driver’s license and be fully insured according to Maryland law.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Pre-employment Early Head Start CJIS criminal background investigation clearance required
• Pre-employment physical and tuberculosis screen clearance per Early Head Start guidelines required

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

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, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate effectively, oral and written
• Ability to maintain confidential requirements
• Knowledge of counseling procedures and practices
• Excellent organizational skills to meet demanding timelines
• Effective problem solving and decision making skills
• Ability to use problem solving skills
• Proficiency with standard computer applications
• Compassion and respect for diverse populations and persons with special needs

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Light

Lifting up to 20 pounds maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds. May be required to regularly stand for extended periods of time, walk, reach with hands/arms with full range of motion, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, push or pull. Regularly required to talk and hear. Frequently required to use hands and fingers to hold, handle and feel objects, knobs, keys and/or buttons.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Travel is defined as travel to all areas within Goodwill’s territory (Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, Howard, and Anne Arundel Counties, Baltimore City and the entire Eastern Shore of Maryland). In some cases, long-distance travel, including overnights may be required but is typically planned in advance. In some cases, travel may be unplanned. Home visits will be conducted weekly and on as needed bases. Personal vehicles are used and mileage reimbursement is available.

Up to 75% of working time

Must have access to own transportation

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Limited

General office environment where the employee is infrequently exposed to moving mechanical parts, wet and/or humid conditions, fumes, airborne particles or outside weather conditions. The noise level is usually quite.

Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake offers a wide range of benefits to employees! Click here for more info: https://goodwillches.org/about-us/goodwill-careers/