BASIC FUNCTION:
The Community Worker, under the direction of the Program Director and School Principal or appointee, is responsible for outreach, support, and education of families. The Community Worker gets involved in activities and projects aimed at fostering positive community functioning through increasing parents’ engagement, knowledge, resources and support system. We are looking for someone who is self-motivated and takes initiative. An individual accustomed to multi-tasking and meeting tight deadlines. The ideal candidate must be comfortable taking on leadership roles while being a strong team player. An individual, that through communication and a positive attitude, has the ability to bring people of different backgrounds together and leverage their strengths to accomplish common goals.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the direct supervision of the school administrator and Padres Unidos, evaluate and make judicious decisions based on the support and milestones identified for the family and school/site needs. Lead and/or support multiple tasks and projects at different implementation stages. Assist with administrative tasks and projects. Become involved in the various sites’ functions involving parents using his/her community knowledge and experience. Provide and receive necessary feedback to disseminate information to the school administration for the purpose of establishing adequate programs and establishing positive community relationships. This position requires a liaison that assists in maintaining relationships with the community, with parents, students, and school staff. Coordinate efforts to maximize internal and external resources. Ensure that interventions follow Padres Unidos’ high standards of service. Work to build relationships with the community, parents, leaders and students. Abide by Padres Unidos and school rules and regulations with good judgment. Provide effective crisis intervention and observe reporting laws and regulations related to the field through a crisis.
DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Build positive relationships with the community, parents, students, and school staff
- Communicate community needs to administrators in order to assist in establishing adequate programs and fostering a positive community culture.
- Make phone calls to program participants
- Generate weekly project status reports to keep all key stakeholders informed of progress
- Participate in individual or small group planning/evaluating meetings with school staff
- Short or long term Case Management to families with multi-layered challenges; including appropriate documentation of each case (i.e. progress reports)
- Behavior Modification plans made with the parent/family with the primary goal of modifying disruptive behaviors and improve student performance.
- Conduct individualized assessments of house routines, strengths and unmet needs that can contribute to maximizing the potential achievement of students.
- Crisis Intervention for circumstantial or developmental situations that impact our families.
- Identify and co-create healthy connections within and outside of the school setting to contribute to the building of a school safety net system.
- Approach and support parents whose children have disruptive habits such as tardiness, poor attendance, aggressiveness, lack of social skills, or not bringing homework that interferes with school performance.
- Support school events were parents are present with the purpose of building community.
- Participate in school projects such as: finding glasses, school uniforms, recruiting parents for events etc.
- Support staff with daily routines as well as extenuating circumstances that help support the quality of education.
- Observe child abuse reporting laws and regulations
- Other duties/responsibilities as assigned by your direct supervisor
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Practice with professionalism.
- Advocate for client access to education, support and services
- Practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development;
- Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication
- Engage in career-long learning; and
- Use supervision and consultation.
- Practice in an ethical manner.
- Know the laws that regulate the human services field including but not limited to child abuse reporting, confidentiality and privacy laws
- tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts; and
- apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions.”
- Use critical thinking and professional judgment.
- Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom;
- Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation; and
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities and colleagues.”
- Embrace diversity.
- Recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power;
- Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups;
- Recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life experiences; and
- View themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants.”
- Implement and analyze intervention strategies.
- Identify what types of interventions will help to bring about the highest functioning to each individual and create a plan accordingly.
- Assist the individual in the execution of the plan in such a way that empowers the individual to be the leader of their own growth.
- Have a strategy to analyze the effectiveness of interventions as well as the disposition to course correct as needed by the individual.
- Build Relationships.
- Invest time to listen, solicit advice, support, championship, sponsorship, and commitment with the community and its members
- Proactively engage in and promote clear communication of information, needs, ideas, and problems for the purpose of building community
- Is honest and trustworthy and promotes this across all of their interactions with others
- Identify and promote the skills, resources, expertise, and experience of all
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:
- Child development and individual, group, and family dynamics
- Develop intervention plans independently or with other staff
- Deliver age-appropriate activities
- Facilitate family integration through case management and crisis intervention
- Perform clerical tasks directly related to community support
- Monitor student’s and family progress
- Proactive with safety issues
- Computer literate
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Completion of a Padres Unidos’ program
- Community Worker Award or equivalent paraprofessional certificate or a degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology or related fields.
- 3+ yrs. of experience
- CPR and First Aid trained
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