Parent Educator, AmeriCorps Member- New Bedford Strengthening Families (NBSF) AmeriCorps Program

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AmeriCorps Service Position Title:

Parent Educator, New Bedford Strengthening Families (NBSF) AmeriCorps Program

Reports to: NBSF AmeriCorps Program Manager at the United Way of Greater New Bedford (UWGNB) and Host Site Supervisor at Assigned Community-Based Organization

Service Locations: Parent Educators will serve at one of five host sites in New Bedford, including People Acting in Community Endeavors (PACE), New Bedford Housing Authority, Family Resource and Development Center at UWGNB, New Bedford Community Connections Coalition/Patch, and the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center

Commitment Required:

• AmeriCorps is a national service program where members provide service to make people safer, stronger, and healthier and to strengthen their communities.
• Full-time members will serve a minimum of 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, to include some weekday evenings and occasional Saturdays
• Part-time members will serve a minimum of 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday, to include some weekday evenings and occasional Saturdays
• AmeriCorps positions require a member to serve a minimum number of hours over the course of a predetermined service term.

Full-time:

• Complete 1700 service hours over the course of 10.5 months

Part-time:

• Complete 900 service hours over the course of 10.5 months

Organization’s Mission and Work: The United Way of Greater New Bedford mobilizes people, partnerships, and resources to strengthen the community. The New Bedford Strengthening Families AmeriCorps Program is led by UWGNB, in collaboration with eight community-based organizations, to prevent child abuse and neglect. A team of AmeriCorps members (Parent Educators and Resources Specialists) will work with families of children under age 18 to build parenting skills and provide concrete supports in times of need. The NBSF AmeriCorps program uses the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework that centers on five interrelated family protective factors that are known to be associated with child abuse and neglect prevention. These protective factors are knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete supports in times of need, social connections, social and emotional competence of children, and parental resilience.

Member Impact: AmeriCorps Parent Educators will make an important contribution to the well-being of children and families in New Bedford. Families that participate in the evidence-based Nurturing Parenting Program(r) offered by the Parent Educators will improve their parenting skills and thereby reduce their risk for child abuse and neglect. Members will also provide a range of parent-child activities and Parent Cafes designed to build and strengthen supportive social connections among participating families.

Service Position Summary: As an AmeriCorps Parent Educator, you will be trained to provide two evidence-based Nurturing Parenting Programs(r): "Nurturing Skills for Families" and "Spanish-Speaking Parents and Their Children Ages 4-12". You will recruit families to participate in the program, either by following up on direct referrals made by community partners or through family engagement activities in the community. You will provide the NPP program either individually or in groups, depending on community need. As a Parent Educator, you will work as part of a team with other NBSF AmeriCorps members to plan and implement Parent Cafes and Parent-Child Activities that are designed to strengthen social connections among families. Parent Cafes are evidence-based, small-group structured discussions that enable parents to explore strengths, learn about the protective factors, and create strategies from their own wisdom and experiences to help strengthen their families.

Essential Functions of the AmeriCorps Parent Educator Position:

• Recruit families to participate in the Nurturing Parenting Program(r) by following up on referrals from community agencies and engaging in direct recruitment at host agency and other community sites.
• Assess parents’ level of Protective Factors using the validated Protective Factors Survey (PFS).
• Work as part of a two-person Parent Educator team to provide NPP in either a group or home-based setting, depending on need.
• Conduct AAPI-2.0 (Adult-Adolescent Parenting Inventory) with parent/caregiver at intake and after parent has completed at least 8 hours of NPP curriculum.
• Make referrals to other community partners, as needed, to address families’ needs.
• Work in teams with other NBSF AmeriCorps members to strategize and provide a monthly Parent Cafe in community sites.
• Work in teams to research, plan and provide biweekly parent-child activities for New Bedford families. These may include family literacy activities, playgroups, or other methods to engage families and build connections.
• Participate in National Days of Service as required by the Massachusetts Service Alliance and UWGNB.

Specialized training and certifications: AmeriCorps Parent Educators will gain specialized training and credentials including a 3-day training on the philosophy of Nurturing Parenting Programs(r) and how to implement and facilitate NPPs; One-day training on the Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework and how to implement Parent Cafés; One-day training on facilitating children’s groups as part of NPPs; Two-day training on Nurturing Skills for Families, One-day training on Implementing Nurturing Programs to Spanish-Speaking Families, and a half-day Training on using the AAPI assessment. These credentials are assets in future employment.

AmeriCorps Requirements State that Applicants MUST:

• Be at least 17 years old on their first day of service
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Have a high-school diploma or high school equivalency (or willing to enroll in a high school completion or GED program)
• Submit to a full background check, including a sex offender registry check, state criminal history registry check, and FBI fingerprint-based check. This position may have recurring access to vulnerable populations and selection is contingent upon satisfactory results of these checks.

Preferred qualifications:

• Lived experience as parent or primary caretaker of a child or teen
• Desire to help vulnerable populations in the community
• Experience in human service field, such as social work, health care, childcare, etc.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Strong organizational skills
• Willingness to learn and serve others

Benefits:

• AmeriCorps Member Full-time Living Allowance of up to $15,000 OR Half-time Living Allowance of up to $7,500 depending on AmeriCorps position in which the member is enrolled.
• Eligible to receive Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $6,195 upon completion of minimum 1700 hours of service OR $3,097.50 upon completion of minimum 900 hours of service, depending on AmeriCorps position in which the member is enrolled.
• Full-time members are eligible for Health Insurance and Childcare, if needed and applicable

• Eligible for student loan deferment on qualified student loans

• Monthly Bus Pass or Mileage Reimbursement up to a set value.

To request additional program information, contact Andria Chien, Strengthening Families AmeriCorps Project Manager at achien@unitedwayofgnb.org

*To apply for an AmeriCorps Parent Educator Position, please complete the application at this link: https://forms.gle/2QPxEdz1Rg5Cx5vH6

Reasonable accommodations can be made for interviews and service.

All positions are contingent on receipt of grant funding by the UWGNB

United Way of Greater New Bedford is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.