Northern Arizona Council of Governments

Job Description

Family Advocate

Division:                Head Start

Reports To:           Head Teacher

FLSA Status:        Non Exempt

Salary:                  A-51

Summary

The Family Advocate is responsible for developing community linkages, providing social service referrals, and other support services to Head Start children and their families.  In conjunction with center staff, this person advocates for the family and provides case management to ensure the delivery of needed services.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

·         Provides information and referral services in conjunction with center or home-based staff regarding all program components in helping address family needs while ensuring compliance with performance standards, program policies, procedures, and regulations.

·         Works in conjunction with center or home-based staff, parents, and community resources in order to carry out work duties and responsibilities.

·         Acts as a liaison between identified families and outside agencies, providing information, referrals, follow-up, and support services.

·         Provides assistance to center or home-based staff in planning, organizing, developing, and implementing parent/staff activities.

·         Assists in the maintenance of accurate, comprehensive records of referrals and follow-up.

·         Maintains current information on community resources.  Aids in updating the directory.

·         Develops, maintains, and evaluates service linkages with the comity and participates in associated meetings with parents and staff.  Advocates for continued quality and new services as needed.

·         Attends center, local and regional training programs, and staff meetings.  Assists in the identification of center/home-based training needs.

·         Refers crisis situations and problems to appropriate staff or agencies.  Monitors and provides follow-up assistance.

·         Assists with recruitment, field surveys, and needs assessment activities.

·         Must maintain strict child and family confidentiality.

·         Networks/communicates with center and home-based staff and central office in order to assure that all pertinent information is disseminated.

·         Must travel within the NACOG region, including occasional overnight stays.

·         Performs related duties, as assigned.

·         High tolerance for paperwork, documentation and meeting district and federal deadlines extremely desirable.

Supervisory Responsibilities

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, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and/or Experience

Experience and training equivalent to three years work experience in Social Services or Head Start providing outreach, information/referral and/or direct services to children and families.  Completion of 64 college credit hours with an emphasis in Social Services, Counseling, or Behavioral Sciences.

Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Computer skills or knowledge.  Bilingual proficiency and/or experience working in a multicultural setting.  Must be people-oriented, assertive, and self-motivated.  Experience with or knowledge of early childhood education practices.  Knowledge of Head Start and its philosophies.  Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. 

Working knowledge of IBM compatible computers, spreadsheets, DOS, database, and word processing software.

Must possess extensive computer knowledge and skills relating to both hardware and software usage.   Ability to work without direct supervision, to exercise discretion and independent judgment and/or action.  Ability to maintain effective working relationships with people of varied social, cultural, and educational backgrounds.  Must be bondable.

Other Skills and Abilities

Certificates and Licenses 

Current, valid Arizona Drivers License.

Physical Demands And Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met, or are encountered,  by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to...

The employee is occasionally required to independently drive a motor vehicle for extended periods of time (up to seven hours) within the region and state.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.